Jordan’s garment and clothing accessories exports continued to strengthen their position within the country’s national exports, exceeding JD1.17 billion during the first eight months of this year, according to foreign trade data released by the Department of Statistics.
The data showed that garment and clothing accessories exports grew by 4.6% during the first eight months of the year, compared with JD1.12 billion during the same period last year.
An analysis by Al-Ghad showed that garments and clothing accessories maintained their position as Jordan’s leading exported product category, accounting for approximately 18% of total national exports, which reached JD6.64 billion during the first eight months of the year.
Engineer Ehab Qadri, representative of the leather and garment industries sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, said the growth in garment exports reflects the sector’s ability to maintain its competitiveness and presence in international markets despite challenges related to regional tensions, rising production and shipping costs, and intensifying global competition.
Speaking to Al-Ghad, Qadri said export growth was driven by several factors, most notably sustained international demand for Jordanian products, established trade relationships between local factories and buyers, partnerships with global brands, accumulated manufacturing expertise, and the ability to meet quality standards, technical specifications and delivery deadlines.
He noted that Jordan’s trade agreements, particularly the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, have helped strengthen the competitiveness of Jordanian products through preferential benefits available to goods that meet rules-of-origin requirements and applicable standards.
Qadri stressed that the sector’s performance demonstrates the ability of Jordanian factories to adapt to changes in global demand and maintain production and exports despite mounting pressures on the international garment industry, particularly those involving costs, supply chains and price competition.
He explained that the sector is among Jordan’s largest industrial employers, comprising more than 1,000 industrial establishments and providing approximately 96,000 direct jobs. It also plays an important role in attracting industrial investment and strengthening Jordan’s integration into global supply chains, major international brands and international import networks.
Regarding export destinations, Qadri said the United States continues to rank as the leading market for Jordanian garment exports, benefiting from the free trade agreement between the two countries. Over the years, the agreement has helped develop Jordan’s garment industry, attract investment and strengthen local factories’ links with global supply chains and international brands.
He said the U.S. market holds strategic importance for the sector because it has provided opportunities to develop the production and technological capabilities of Jordanian factories, improve quality standards, comply with international requirements and establish long-term commercial relationships with major buyers and importers.
Markets such as Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom also offer opportunities to expand the presence of Jordanian garments, alongside other European and regional markets. This would help broaden the customer base, diversify export destinations and reduce the risks associated with dependence on a single major market.
Qadri emphasized that European markets represent an important opportunity for expansion in the coming period, particularly in light of the Jordan-EU Association Agreement and the facilitation of rules-of-origin requirements.
Capitalizing on these opportunities, he said, requires stronger direct engagement with European buyers and brands, developing products to meet consumer preferences, and keeping pace with standards related to quality, design, and environmental and social sustainability.
He stressed that expansion into foreign markets should be based on careful analysis of demand trends, competition, market-access costs, and regulatory and trade requirements. He also highlighted the importance of greater participation in international exhibitions and building long-term commercial partnerships.
Qadri noted that expansion opportunities include developing higher-value-added products, such as sportswear, technical garments and specialized clothing, which could increase export revenues and open access to new groups of importers and consumers.
He added that market diversification requires establishing new export channels to support sustainable sector growth and strengthen its ability to withstand fluctuations in global demand and trade policies.
Regarding the challenges facing Jordan’s garment industry, Qadri said the sector faces growing competition from countries with large manufacturing bases that benefit from economies of scale and lower production costs in certain areas.
Maintaining the competitiveness of Jordanian products, he explained, depends on factories’ ability to balance costs, quality, productivity and their capacity to respond quickly to buyers’ requirements.
He identified the main challenges as rising production and operating costs, particularly energy, labour, transportation and logistics expenses. The sector also relies heavily on imported fabrics, yarns, raw materials and production supplies, leaving it exposed to fluctuations in global prices, supply-chain disruptions and higher shipping and insurance costs.
Qadri stressed that strengthening the sector’s competitiveness requires reducing production and transportation costs, improving productivity through modern equipment and technologies, increasing energy and resource efficiency, minimizing waste, and developing vocational and technical training programs that meet factories’ needs.
Regarding the Jordan Chamber of Industry’s role, Qadri said the chamber is pursuing several complementary initiatives to strengthen the competitiveness of the leather and garment industries sector and develop its production and export capabilities.
These efforts are being carried out in cooperation with government institutions and local and international partners, in line with the objectives of Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision.
He explained that the chamber is working on preparing economic studies and analyses, monitoring export opportunities and promising markets, and helping industrial establishments benefit from trade agreements. It is also supporting communication with international buyers and importers and encouraging participation in exhibitions and commercial events.
Source: Al-Ghad
