Egypt’s textile industry is sounding the alarm as local producers accuse foreign competitors — notably from Türkiye and India — of deploying “aggressive marketing” tactics that threaten the country’s export lead.
Domestic manufacturers say that despite Egypt’s inherent advantages — including a legacy of high-quality cotton, relatively low labour costs, and a weakening local currency that should favour exports — these benefits are being eroded by external competition backed by aggressive marketing and stronger foreign capital.
The concerns come at a time when the country’s textile and garment export sector has nonetheless recorded robust growth in 2025. According to the Export Council for Spinning and Textiles (TEC), Egyptian textile exports rose to US$577 million in the first half of the year — a 7 percent increase from the same period in 2024.
Similarly, exports of ready-made garments saw a 26 percent jump in the first seven months of 2025, totaling about US$1.94 billion.
But amid that growth, local industry representatives are calling for greater government support and tighter regulation to ensure that foreign competition does not undermine Egypt’s long-term competitiveness.
With foreign investments pouring in — including substantial new factories launched in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) by both Turkish and Chinese firms — the pressure on domestic producers is only set to intensify.
