Egypt’s garment exports hit record as Turkish, Chinese firms shift production

Egypt’s ready-made garment exports soared by over 23% to a record $2.21 billion in the first eight months of 2025, according to the Apparel Export Council of Egypt (AECE), driven by a surge in foreign investment from Türkiye and China.

AECE Chairman Fadel Marzouk told business-focused Forbes Middle East that exports are expected to continue growing between 20% and 23% annually over the next five years, potentially reaching $5 billion by 2030.

The United States remained Egypt’s top export market, with shipments increasing 14% to $877 million, while exports to the European Union climbed 36% to $558 million.

Sales to African markets excluding Arab countries jumped 56% to $8.6 million. Marzouk projected that by year’s end, exports could exceed $3.7 billion, marking the highest annual level ever recorded.

The export surge comes amid a broader shift in global apparel production, as many Chinese firms have moved preemptively to Egypt following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese imports.