Jeddah Connects Global Fashion and Textile Trade with Saudi Market Opportunities

 

Report by Dr Sameera Aziz

JEDDAH — International manufacturers, Saudi retailers and diplomatic representatives gathered in Jeddah for the fourth Saudi Fashion & Tex Expo, bringing sourcing, textile innovation and investment opportunities into focus as the Kingdom develops its fashion industry.

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Held from September 24 to 27 at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events, the Saudi Arabia International Fashion and Textiles Exhibition brought together 550 exhibiting companies from 22 countries, according to organiser Pyramids Group. The event connected suppliers of textiles, technical fabrics, ready-to-wear garments, leather, accessories and home textiles with buyers seeking commercial partnerships in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

The scale of participation reflects the commercial interest surrounding a sector with an established economic footprint. The Fashion Commission’s State of Fashion in Saudi Arabia 2024 report put the industry’s contribution to national gross domestic product at 2.5 per cent in 2023, with employment reaching 320,000. These figures provide a historical benchmark for the broader fashion industry, rather than textile manufacturing alone.

Against that backdrop, the Jeddah exhibition placed the practical business of fashion—materials, manufacturing, procurement and distribution—alongside discussions about creativity and design. Organisers reported that sourcing discussions and commercial negotiations began during the opening hours, with international fabric mills and apparel manufacturers meeting regional buyers, procurement representatives and major Saudi retailers.

The opening ceremony brought together government representatives, industry leaders, fashion personalities and members of the diplomatic community. Imad Al-Aboud, Vice Chairman of the Jeddah Chamber, delivered the opening keynote address, followed by remarks from Dr. Mohamed Elsherif, Chairman of Pyramids Group, and Filiz Karakul, the group’s Managing Director.

The organisers highlighted the exhibition’s role in connecting international manufacturing centres with the Saudi market, where the development of creative industries and private-sector partnerships forms part of the wider economic diversification agenda under Vision 2030.

Diplomatic participation reinforced the event’s international trade focus. Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, Consul General of India; Sugiri Suparwan, Consul General of Indonesia; and Md. Shakhawat Hossain, Consul General of Bangladesh, addressed the audience during the opening proceedings. The Consuls General representing Türkiye, Italy and Japan also attended.

Their presence gave the exhibition a platform for dialogue between Saudi businesses and countries with significant interests in apparel, textiles, design and manufacturing. The opening addresses emphasised international commercial partnerships and opportunities to strengthen trade connections.

Sahar Bamaleem, Co-Founder and Head of the Fashion Pioneers Community, addressed regional talent development and emerging creative trends. Her contribution linked the exhibition’s commercial programme with the importance of nurturing designers and strengthening professional exchange within the fashion community.

Saudi business leaders also outlined opportunities in the domestic market. Khalid Alesayi, Founder and CEO of Alesayi EXO, and Omar Alsaggaf, General Manager of Sitra Alsaggaf Int. Trade Group Co., discussed market demand, local investment prospects and opportunities for international fashion and textile brands to establish long-term ventures in the Kingdom.

Dedicated business-to-business meetings brought suppliers and buyers together to explore sourcing and distribution arrangements. For participating businesses, these discussions offered an opportunity to assess materials, production capabilities and potential partners in person. The organisers’ opening-day statement described active negotiations but did not announce a total value for completed agreements.

Alongside the commercial meetings, the Creativity and Design Platform with Fashion Pioneers hosted five opening-day panel sessions. Industry specialists, creative directors and manufacturing leaders from Japan, Egypt, the UAE, China, India and Sudan explored subjects ranging from Japanese craftsmanship and raw-material sourcing to bilateral investment and cultural identity in contemporary design.

Guest sessions examined wider fashion and media trends, while the day’s concluding presentations addressed innovative garment manufacturing, smart fabrics and cross-border supply chains. Together, the discussions connected creative ambition with the production and distribution capabilities needed to bring products to market.

The attention given to Japanese craftsmanship also had relevance beyond the exhibition. In February 2025, the Saudi Fashion Commission and the Japan External Trade Organization announced a partnership promoting innovation and sustainability in the Saudi fashion sector, including educational opportunities for Saudi designers and textile specialists. That initiative illustrates the wider role of international knowledge exchange in developing local capabilities.

Textile innovation is also receiving attention through domestic development programmes. In November 2025, the Fashion Commission announced the Red Sea Seaweed Project at the Misk Global Forum, presenting a bio-textile made using marine algae sourced from the Red Sea. The material was used to produce garments at The Lab, the commission-led product development studio, demonstrating the potential to turn locally sourced materials into fashion products within the Kingdom. 

Sustainability initiatives have extended to textile reuse and recycling. The Fashion Commission’s Sustainable Ihram Initiative, unveiled in Jeddah in February 2025, was designed to encourage sustainable practices, improve awareness of textile recycling and support a circular textile economy. Such programmes provide a practical context for industry discussions about materials, waste reduction and new production methods. 

The Fashiontex programme’s combination of sourcing meetings and technical discussions therefore addressed a wider industry question: how Saudi Arabia can connect demand for fashion products with stronger design, production and supply-chain capabilities.

Organisers described the fourth edition as achieving record international participation and had projected more than 10,000 professional visitors from Saudi Arabia and abroad over its four days. That figure was an attendance forecast in the opening-day release, rather than a confirmed final visitor count. The exhibition welcomed textile professionals, designers, institutional delegations and retail distributors, with daily sessions running from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Pyramids Group, which organised the event with support from Saudi industry stakeholders, operates business-to-business exhibitions across Europe, regional markets and Africa. Its Jeddah event brought international suppliers and local businesses into direct contact at a time when Saudi fashion development encompasses both creative talent and the commercial infrastructure behind it.

For the industry, the exhibition’s longer-term significance will lie in the relationships developed on its floor: sourcing arrangements, distribution partnerships, manufacturing cooperation and opportunities for Saudi designers to translate their ideas into commercially viable products.