Could Saudi Arabia Become the Middle East’s Next Advanced Textile Manufacturing Hub?
In an exclusive interview with Kohan Textile Journal, Waseem Afzal Chaudhary discusses Saudi Arabia’s emerging textile opportunities under Vision 2030, the potential of technical textiles and nonwovens, opportunities for international textile machinery manufacturers, and why the Kingdom should build its textile industry around technology rather than low-cost labour.
Interview conducted by Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief, Kohan Textile Journal
The Middle East has traditionally been one of the world’s major textile and apparel consumption markets, relying heavily on imported garments, fabrics and other textile products. But a new industrial landscape is beginning to emerge.
At the centre of this transformation is Saudi Arabia.
Driven by Vision 2030, industrial diversification, major infrastructure investment and a growing emphasis on local manufacturing, the Kingdom is creating new opportunities across several textile sectors. Yet the question is not simply whether Saudi Arabia can manufacture more textiles. The more important question is: what kind of textile industry makes economic and strategic sense for the Kingdom?
For Waseem Afzal Chaudhary, Strategic Advisor at Shafaq Al-Raha Cargo Transport L.L.C and a business development professional based in Jeddah, the answer is clear: Saudi Arabia should not attempt to replicate the labour-intensive manufacturing models of established Asian textile exporters.
Instead, its strongest opportunity could lie in building a new generation of textile manufacturing based on automation, technical textiles, nonwovens, synthetic fibres, digital technologies and sustainable production.
In this exclusive interview with Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief of Kohan Textile Journal, Chaudhary examines where the opportunities are emerging, which technologies will be needed and how Saudi Arabia could position itself alongside established regional textile powers such as Türkiye and Egypt.
Middle East Textile Growth and Saudi Vision 2030
Behnam Ghasemi: How do you currently evaluate the textile and apparel industry in the Middle East, and which markets offer the strongest growth potential over the next five years?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
The Middle East textile and apparel industry is at a pivotal moment. For decades, the region was primarily a consumer market, importing finished goods from Asia and Europe. That is changing.
The strongest growth potential lies in three markets: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.
Saudi Arabia is undergoing the most ambitious industrial transformation in the region under Vision 2030. With a significant share of its textile market currently dependent on imports, the opportunity for local manufacturing is considerable.
The UAE is already a trade and logistics hub and is positioning itself as a re-export centre for textiles across the GCC and Africa.
Egypt, with its established manufacturing base and competitive labour costs, will remain an important production centre, particularly for apparel.
Over the next five years, I believe the Middle East will gradually move from being predominantly an importer towards developing more meaningful local production, especially in technical textiles and nonwovens.
Behnam Ghasemi: Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in economic diversification under Vision 2030. How significant could textiles become within this transformation?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
Textiles and apparel can become an important component of Vision 2030 — not simply because of the size of the industry, but because of what manufacturing can contribute in terms of job creation, industrial diversification and reduced import dependency.
Saudi Arabia should not try to compete with Bangladesh or Vietnam in mass-produced apparel. That would be the wrong strategy.
Instead, the Kingdom should focus on technical textiles such as geotextiles, medical textiles and protective clothing; nonwovens for hygiene, medical and industrial applications; high-value fashion; and sustainable production using water- and energy-efficient technologies.
These segments align much better with Saudi Arabia’s strengths: capital, petrochemical feedstocks and government support.
Read more: Read More: Top Textile Import Destinations in the Middle East 2026
“Saudi Arabia Must Compete on Quality and Efficiency, Not Cheap Labour”
Behnam Ghasemi: Saudi Arabia remains a major consumer market. Can it realistically develop into a textile manufacturing hub?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
Yes, but selectively.
Saudi Arabia will not become a mass-production hub for basic apparel. It has much greater potential to become a hub for high-value, technology-driven textile manufacturing.
Its advantages include access to capital, petrochemical feedstocks for synthetic fibres, a strategic geographic location between Europe, Asia and Africa, government support for local content and strong energy infrastructure.
But there are also important challenges.
Water scarcity is a major issue because conventional textile dyeing and finishing are water-intensive. Labour costs are higher than in Bangladesh, India or Egypt, there is still a skills gap in specialised textile manufacturing, and Saudi Arabia will face competition from established producers in Türkiye, Egypt and Asia.
The solution is technology: water-efficient processes, automation and digital printing.
Saudi Arabia must compete on quality and efficiency, not on cheap labour.
Behnam Ghasemi: Which textile segments currently offer the greatest investment potential in Saudi Arabia?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
I would place nonwovens among the highest-potential segments. This sector serves medical, hygiene and industrial markets where there is strong domestic demand.
Technical textiles are another major opportunity. Geotextiles can serve the Kingdom’s extensive construction and infrastructure projects, while protective clothing has applications in oil and gas. Medical textiles also have considerable potential.
Home textiles should not be overlooked. Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism and hospitality industry is creating demand for bedding, towels and furnishings.
Recycling will also become increasingly important as circularity gains importance.
In apparel, I see greater potential for high-end and small-batch manufacturing than for mass production.
Carpets are another established segment upon which Saudi Arabia can continue to build.
Read More: Middle East and Africa Nonwoven Industry
Automation Could Change the Economics of Saudi Textile Manufacturing
Behnam Ghasemi: Given Saudi Arabia’s labour and production costs, what type of textile manufacturing makes economic sense?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
Saudi Arabia should focus on capital-intensive, technology-driven manufacturing rather than labour-intensive production.
Automated spinning is one example. Nonwoven production is another because highly automated lines require relatively limited labour.
Technical textiles offer high-value production, often at smaller volumes. Digital printing enables flexible, on-demand manufacturing with opportunities to reduce water consumption and waste.
Recycling — including automated sorting and fibre preparation — could also become increasingly important.
What makes less sense is commodity manufacturing based primarily on labour cost: mass-produced basic apparel, labour-intensive sewing or conventional water-intensive processing without appropriate technologies.
The Kingdom’s competitive advantage is capital and technology, not cheap labour. Its manufacturing strategy must reflect that.
A New Market for Global Textile Machinery Manufacturers?
Behnam Ghasemi: Do you see significant opportunities for international textile machinery and technology companies in Saudi Arabia?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
Absolutely. This could become one of the most significant opportunities for machinery manufacturers in the coming decade.
Saudi Arabia will need technologies including spunbond, meltblown and needlepunch nonwoven lines; synthetic fibre extrusion for polyester and polypropylene; water-efficient dyeing and finishing; digital textile printing; automated spinning; energy-efficient finishing equipment; and recycling systems for fibre opening, sorting and regeneration.
But international companies should understand that simply selling machinery will not be enough.
Companies that establish a local presence, provide training and develop reliable after-sales service and spare-parts support will have a much stronger position.
Those that simply sell equipment without providing local support may struggle.
Saudi Capital + Turkish Expertise + Egyptian Manufacturing?
Behnam Ghasemi: Türkiye and Egypt already have well-established textile industries. Should Saudi Arabia compete with them or develop a complementary role?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
A complementary strategy would make much more sense.
Saudi Arabia should not compete with Egypt in labour-intensive apparel or with Türkiye in established mid-market fashion manufacturing.
Instead, Saudi Arabia could focus on high-value technical textiles, nonwovens and technology-driven sustainable production.
Türkiye can continue leveraging its strengths in design, fashion and sophisticated textile manufacturing for European markets, while Egypt can build on its competitive manufacturing base in apparel and basic textiles.
There is also considerable potential for collaboration.
Saudi capital, Turkish design and textile expertise, and Egyptian manufacturing could create a powerful regional textile bloc.
What Needs to Happen Before 2030?
Behnam Ghasemi: Looking towards 2030, what needs to happen for Saudi Arabia to become a serious textile manufacturing and investment destination?
Waseem Afzal Chaudhary:
Five areas will be particularly important.
First is water and energy infrastructure. Investment in water recycling and renewable energy is essential
Second is skills development. Saudi Arabia needs to develop specialised textile knowledge and technical workforce capabilities.
Third is local machinery support. International machinery manufacturers entering the market should establish service capabilities and spare-parts networks.
Fourth is regulatory clarity. Investors need clear and consistent regulations covering manufacturing and environmental standards.
Finally, market access will be critical. Trade arrangements that allow Saudi-made textiles to reach regional and international markets would strengthen the investment case.
If these five elements come together, Saudi Arabia can become a serious textile manufacturing destination by 2030.
Editor’s Insight: Saudi Arabia Does Not Need to Become Another Bangladesh
By Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief, Kohan Textile Journal
Perhaps the most important conclusion from this interview is that the future of Saudi Arabia’s textile industry should not be measured by how successfully it can reproduce the manufacturing model of Bangladesh, India, China or even Türkiye and Egypt.
Saudi Arabia is entering textile industrialisation at a completely different technological moment.
Automation, AI-driven production, digital printing, advanced nonwovens, technical textiles, water-saving processing, recycling and smart factories are changing the economics of textile manufacturing. In many of these sectors, access to capital, technology, energy, raw materials and sophisticated infrastructure can be as important as access to inexpensive labour.
That creates an interesting opening for Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom has a powerful petrochemical industry, substantial investment capacity, major construction and infrastructure projects, a rapidly developing tourism and hospitality sector, and a sizeable domestic consumer market.
For international textile machinery companies, this also changes the question.
The opportunity is no longer simply “How much textile machinery can Saudi Arabia import?”
The more strategic question is:
“What kind of textile manufacturing ecosystem will Saudi Arabia build — and which technology companies will become part of it?”
The answer may determine whether Saudi Arabia remains primarily one of the Middle East’s largest textile consumption markets or evolves into one of its most technologically advanced textile manufacturing centres.
And perhaps the most compelling opportunity is bigger than Saudi Arabia itself.
A regional ecosystem combining Saudi investment and petrochemical strength, Türkiye’s textile technology, manufacturing know-how and design capabilities, and Egypt’s competitive industrial base could create a powerful new textile manufacturing axis connecting the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Saudi Arabia may never become the region’s lowest-cost textile producer.
It does not need to be.
Its opportunity is to become one of the region’s highest-value and most technologically advanced textile producers.
