Demands grow to Saudize ihram industry
JEDDAH: The sales of ihram clothing and ready-made garments are on the rise these days as pilgrims are flocking to Makkah and Madinah.
However, some investors are calling for Saudizing the industry of ihram and readymade garments.
“There is usually a high demand for readymade clothes and ihram garments during the Haj season,” industry specialists said. But this year, there was less demand compared to the same period in the previous year. Reasons for sales decline include the lengthy period of summer vacation, the end of wedding season and the tendency of many Saudis to buy clothes from abroad or online.
Mohamed Al- Shehary, chairman of the textiles and garments committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, estimated the volume of sales during the pilgrimage season at SR900 million. He pointed out that more than 90 percent of the garments are imported from aboard. “This requires the creation of giant national proj- ects to nationalize the clothing industry,” Al- Shehary noted.
Some shopkeepers in Jeddah revealed that there is less demand for ihram garments, whose prices range from SR50 to SR120 apiece. They explained that most pilgrims bring ihram clothes with them from their own countries, leading to the decline in sales.
Hisham Al-Barakati, a member of the textiles and garments committee, said that there a high demand for informal and casual clothes, while clothing suitable for formal social events, such as a wedding, are less in demand. This is because Saudi families do not usually hold wedding parties during Haj season.
Ibrahim Al-Marwani, another committee member, said that many Saudi families are inclined to buy clothes from abroad or online. “This resulted in the decline of garment sales. So, we need to Saudize the clothes industry and encourage domestic products,” Al- Marwani added.