In Egypt, the apparel sector accounts for 3% of the total GDP and 25% of Egypt's industry is focused on textile-related production. Despite a local supply of cotton, including the renowned high-quality Egyptian cotton, the industry is struggling with raw material shortages and improvements along the local value chain are needed to keep up with the growing demand of the local textile and garment industry.

Growing consumer awareness on the environmental impact of textile and garment production has created a rising demand for environmentally responsible produced products. This demand is not only a fashion trend, but much more a concept that addresses the unsustainable and wasteful practices of the textile and garment industry and has moved global brands to see over their supply chain for more sustainable alternatives, such as renewable fibers and less polluting processes.

Under the SwitchMed Programme, UNIDO in Egypt has focused on actions that can develop the value chain of the textile and garment industry in becoming more circular and less polluting. Together with global brands, international key-experts, local stakeholders, and actors along the textile value chain, UNIDO has worked on developing an infrastructure that can valorize post-industrial and pre-consumer textile waste; and to build local capacities to help eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals in the textile production.