Indonesia targets greater share of Saudi Arabia's USD 32 billion fashion market
Indonesian fashion exporters are seeking to expand their foothold in Saudi Arabia's rapidly growing fashion sector, currently valued at approximately USD 32 billion, through participation in the Saudi Fashion & Tex Expo 2026.
Indonesia targets greater share of Saudi Arabia's USD 32 billion fashion market
Indonesia's Ministry of Trade is working to increase fashion exports to Saudi Arabia, a market valued at approximately USD 32 billion in 2026 and projected to reach between USD 42-45 billion by 2031-2032. Indonesian exports currently stand at just USD 17.55 million, representing a market share of about 0.84 percent.
Indonesian Trade Attaché in Riyadh Zulvri Yenni highlighted the significant untapped opportunities for Indonesian fashion businesses to expand their market presence in the kingdom. The country is leveraging its debut participation in the Saudi Fashion & Tex Expo 2026, held from September 24 to 27 at the Jeddah Center for Exhibition & Events in Jeddah, to capitalize on this potential.
The expo serves as a strategic platform not only for the Saudi market but also as a gateway to the broader Gulf Cooperation Council region, which comprises Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, as well as markets in Africa and Europe. Saudi Arabia ranks first among GCC countries by apparel market size, with a population of approximately 36 million people, 70 percent of whom are under 35 years old.
Buyer interest in the Indonesian Pavilion is quite high. However, prospective buyers still need time to understand the design character and materials of Indonesian fashion products.
The timing aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, launched in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a national economic diversification plan that explicitly includes fashion and creative industries as part of its strategy to reduce dependence on oil. The fashion industry contributed 2.5 percent to Saudi GDP in 2023, up from 1.4 percent in 2022, and employed 230,000 people, 52 percent of whom were women.
Competitive landscape and challenges
From August 2025 to August 2026, Saudi Arabia imported approximately USD 2.09 billion worth of fashion products globally. In the textile sector specifically, the kingdom imported approximately USD 598.55 million worth of products during the same period. Indonesian textile exports to Saudi Arabia reached around USD 12.79 million, representing a market share of 2.14 percent.
Indonesia faces stiff competition from established suppliers. China dominates the Saudi textile market with imports of approximately USD 3.28 billion in 2024, representing over 42 percent market share, followed by India with USD 713 million and Turkey with USD 704 million. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, China's apparel exports to Saudi Arabia reached USD 627.488 million, making it the largest market among GCC countries for Chinese apparel exports.
Zulvri emphasized that Indonesian businesses must ensure their pricing, material quality, and designs remain competitive with those of key suppliers to Saudi Arabia, including China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. For textile products, she added, exporters need to develop new motifs at more competitive prices than products from China.
Indonesia's textile industry strength
Indonesia's textile and textile products industry demonstrated solid performance in the first half of 2026, exporting USD 4.85 billion, up 1.57 percent from USD 4.77 billion in the same period of 2025. The sector employs 3.8 million workers domestically. Indonesia's overall textile industry is valued at approximately USD 41.27 billion in 2026, with total annual exports exceeding USD 13 billion.
At the expo, 10 Indonesian fashion and textile companies are featured at the Indonesian Pavilion, organized through collaboration among the Ministry of Trade, the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, and the Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah.
Broader trade relationship
From January to July 2026, total non-oil and gas trade between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia reached USD 1.95 billion. Indonesian non-oil and gas exports to Saudi Arabia totaled USD 1.20 billion, while imports from Saudi Arabia stood at USD 754.6 million.
Indonesia's main export commodities to Saudi Arabia include vehicles and automotive parts, animal or vegetable fats and oils, ships and vessels, processed food products, and wood products. Meanwhile, Indonesia's main imports from Saudi Arabia consist of salt, sulfur, and stone; plastics and plastic products; organic chemicals; miscellaneous chemical products; and fruits.