The acrimony and dust surroundinginhumane conditions under which garment workers of underdeveloped nations work,has begun to settle. Jordan is becoming a fancied destination for luxuryapparel.

Jordan, a Middle Eastern country,has evolved into a textile hub. It is home to around 20 international brands.Jordan's customers include brands and retailers such as Liz Claiborne, CalvinKlein, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, J. C. Penney, Levi Strauss & Co., Columbia,Hanes, Eddie Bauer, Lands' End, Macy's New York Laundry, Walmart, Kmart,Limited, Sears and Victoria's Secret. Textile and apparel factories produce avast range including towels, fleeces, frilly knickers and t-shirts.

Incontrol and charge

Jordan has earned a reputable nameworldwide in textile outsourcing. Made in Jordan tags are making a wave in theUnited States of America. In 2014, Jordan exported garments worth US$ 1 billionto that country. Overall textile exports account for 20 per cent approximatelyof the country's Gross Domestic Product. Jordan and the United States ofAmerica signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2001, following which thecountry's textile exports flourished.

Even though the country's textileand garment sector has encountered several snags in its path to glory,production does not seem to be slowing down. According to Jordanian Departmentof Statistics, Jordan's apparel and textile imports expanded to 12.43 per centand reached US$ 202 million in early 2014.

Textiles and garments exports fromJordan grew by 9.87 per cent to 866.239 million Jordanian dinars (JOD) in 2013,against the exports of 788.417 million JOD in 2012. Knitted or crochetedapparel and accessory exports fetched the highest sum of 771.593 million JOD,followed by non-knitted garments with 38.112 million JOD. After the FTA, thecountry has easy access to markets of Europe, Arab world, Singapore and theUnited States of America. Low-cost and skilled workforce is another factor thatgoes in favour of the Jordanian textile industry. The Jordanian labour force hasproved its versatility in the production of international branded couture andethnic apparel. The market has shown its adaptability to demand.

In an interview to a leadingfashion portal, Radhakrishnan Putharikkal, president of Classic Fashion, one ofthe leading garment manufacturing companies in Jordan said that he chose to setup shop in Jordan instead of Morocco or Tunisia, as that country provides astable political and social environment.

Export isthe buzzword

The Jordanian textile industry shiftedits focus from natural fibre to man-made fibre so that it could faceinternational trade liberalisation and survive competition from global textileindustries that export to the United States of America.

Mohammad Khourma, chairman of theJordan Garments, Accessories and Textile Exporters Association (JGATE) said,"Although man-made fibre production in Jordan entails higher costs, theFTA allows these garments in the United States of America at a lower price and,consequently, [Jordanian apparel is] more competitive and appealing to theconsumers in the United States of America than other traditional clothing thatfloods the American market from so many countries."

Khourma also mentioned that FTAgives Jordan an edge over production costs in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam,Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and China. So, several companies from othernations that intend to export textile or garments to the United States ofAmerica and enjoy duty and quota-free access prefer setting up manufacturingunits in Jordan. The manufacturers' chief source of profit is income fromexports.

While the Jordanian textile seemsto be in control of exports, the country also relies on import of yarns andfabrics from China and Pakistan.

Facingsetbacks

Jordanian textile exports havesubstantially increased but the challenge is far from over, as the sector needsadvancement in domestic demand. Farhan Ifram, chief executive officer of Madabasatellite project and a JGATE member said, "Further advancement is beinghampered by domestic inconsistency, marked by frequent unsettling developmentsand counterproductive measures. Foreign investors examine Jordan's economicenvironment from various perspectives and when they establish a business here,they do not expect changes to laws and regulations regarding investment, taxes,rents, energy prices, bank interest rates and minimum wages that went up fromJD80 in 2000 to JD190 in 2014."

The country is facing stiffcompetition from Egypt that earned the Qualifying Industrial Zone status fromthe United States of America in the late 1990s. Another major setback comesfrom the fact that the Jordanian textile and apparel sector is not technicallyforward compared to nations like Israel. These issues pose a major challenge inits further advancement.

The silver lining for Jordaniantextile is the turbulent social and political scene in Egypt. The QIZ is moreflexible for Jordan than for Egypt, so apparel can enter the United States ofAmerica custom-free only if 11.5 per cent Israeli input is confirmed.

"Authorities are under theillusion that textile industrialists generate high profits and therefore do notdeserve support or incentives," said Khourma, emphasising that the profitmargin does not exceed 5 per cent. From the total exports of US$ 7 billion, thetextile sector alone accounts for US$ 1.2 billion.

"A thorough, independentstudy conducted by an academic party (TAFT University) concluded that textileindustries generate 36.7 per cent more value for the Jordanian economy,"Khourma added. Currently, the textile sector of Jordan contributes JD120million annually to the state treasury in fees and taxes.

Jordanian textile industries needmore support from the government, as the country's reputation as the safestplace in Middle East is at stake. The threat of destabilisation of the northernand eastern borders from Syria and Iraq is turning into a challenge forJordanian authorities.

Workforcechallenges

Another issue that needs to beaddressed immediately is the poor working conditions in Jordanian textilefactories. Labourers have accused some firms producing clothes for leadingbrands like Wal-Mart and Target of not paying wages for months. Workers fromBangladesh working in Jordan's textile factories have alleged that their passportswere confiscated.

New York-based National LabourCommittee reported shoddy working conditions in at least 25 out of 102Jordanian textile factories. It is difficult to control sweatshop-likeconditions in Jordan, as new textile factories are mushrooming. Jordan'smonitoring system for garment factories is weak and practices like doctoredwages, confiscated passports, forcing workers to work 20 hours a day havebecome part of its work culture.

Executive director of the NationalLabour Committee, Charles Kernaghan, clearly stated that he was shocked by whathe discovered in Jordan. The condition in which workers from China andBangladesh are working in Jordan is deplorable. The country needs to focus onemploying locals, especially women, in garment manufacturing units. This willnot only generate employment in the country, but will also address the issue ofdismal working condition of foreign workers.

Of course, not everyone agreeswith general allegations. As Jordan's trade representative in Washington, YanalBeasha said, "It would be wrong to think that problems at a few places arerepresentative of the 102 apparel factories in my country."

InternationalInvestors

Jordan's textile sector still hasa lot to boast of. Mounting labour problems and other setbacks have notdiscouraged some well-known brands to choose Jordan over other countries fortextile and garment manufacturing.

The broad contours of Jordan'stextile sector present an encouraging face, but the country struggles toportray a reasonable picture as far as its textile workers are concerned.

The problems and challenges aremany for Jordan's textile sector, but the industries flourish as exports riseand well-known names in apparel sector continue to support and prefer Jordanover other countries.

References:

1. Refinery29.com

2. Businessoffashion.com

3. Nytimes.com

4. Textileworldasia.com

5. Ilo.org

6. Jordantimes.com

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