AMMAN — Ehab Qadri, Sector Representative at the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) said that technical evaluations and site-selection studies are currently underway in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to establish a state-of-the-art integrated textile cluster.

 

Ehab Qadri told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the leather and garment manufacturing sector is expanding its production capacity, investment portfolio and export reach in alignment with the goals set out under the Economic Modernisation Vision (EMV).

 

The project aims to drive vertical integration, localise raw material sourcing and attract foreign direct investment across yarns, fabrics and specialised garment accessories.

 

The sector accounts for nearly 2 per cent of Jordan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating a total gross output exceeding JD3 billion ($4.23 billion) in 2025; including JD850 million in value-added processes.

 

Exports rose 3.2 per cent during the first seven months of 2026 to reach $1.5 billion, following a total export volume of $2.4 billion in 2025 across 80 international destinations.

 

The United States remains the primary market, absorbing 77.3 per cent of sectoral exports, alongside expanding trade footprints in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Mexico.

 

Data compiled by the International Trade Centre (ITC) identifies around $918 million in untapped export potential for Jordanian textile products across non-traditional global markets.

 

Operating through 818 industrial units with a registered capital of JD138 million, the sector employs 99,000 workers, representing 38 per cent of the national industrial workforce.

 

Jordanian labour within the sector expanded by over 130 per cent over the past decade to exceed 31,000 national employees, supported by 30 operational satellite production units (productive branches) across rural governorates, with three new branches scheduled to open this year.

 

A new specialised fabric manufacturing facilities and logistics hubs were recently established in Mafraq and Aqaba, in order to streamline delivery timelines and supply chains,

 

The sector is aligning its operational frameworks with global environmental directives, including the European Union's eco-design standards, supply chain traceability and Digital Product Passports (DPP).

 

Furthermore, the JCI is coordinating with the Ministry of Investment to draft a national roadmap for industrial textile waste recycling and circular economy infrastructure.

 

The EMV sets high-level targets for the sector, aiming to attract $3.1 billion in cumulative investment, raise annual exports to $5.5 billion, increase annual value-added by 10 per cent, and create 149,000 direct opportunities for Jordanian nationals over the coming decade, according to Petra.