Egyptian garment makers just turned in their best first-half showing in recent memory, with shipments abroad climbing to $1.775 billion between January and June 2026, a 15% jump from the $1.548 billion notched in the same stretch last year.
The figures come courtesy of the Apparel Export Council (AEC), which credited the gains to a deliberate push toward sourcing more inputs domestically rather than leaning on imported materials.
June alone told a striking story: exports for the month hit $355 million, up a remarkable 47% from June 2025’s $241 million, giving the whole first-half tally a late-stage jolt.
AEC chief Fadel Marzouk framed the numbers as proof of the industry’s staying power.
“Global supply chains have been choppy and demand has wobbled in various markets, he acknowledged, but Egyptian manufacturers kept winning orders thanks to consistent quality and a track record of hitting delivery deadlines,” Marzouk said.
He added, “He pointed to close coordination among exporters, the council, and government agencies as the engine behind both the growth and the industry’s push into fresh markets.”
In the January to June period, shipments to Europe jumped 25% year on year to $767 million a year prior, while the US market grew a more modest but still solid 13%, reaching $693 million from $616 million.
“Combined, these two destinations made up for the lion’s share of Egypt’s total apparel exports for the six month period,” Daily News Egypt reported.
Marzouk attributed the transatlantic strength to buyers increasingly trusting Egyptian factories — pointing to manufacturing diversity, product standards, and speed in adapting to shifting order requirements as the real differentiators.
Marzouk laid out plans to widen the pool of export markets, push more small and mid-sized manufacturers into the export game, and boost the value-added content of what Egypt ships out.
The stated target is now crossing $3.5 billion for the year, with an ambitious reach for $4 billion by December.
Image courtesy: Racool _Studio by Freepik
