Upholstery Fabric Production Shifts to Egypt, Vietnam, Cambodia
September 22, 2025
MIAMI BEACH—Upholstery fabric production continues to shift to less costly labor markets where the furniture is being made as governments see an opportunity to cooperate in joint ventures between countries.
ZongWong has opened its plant in Vietnam; Paragon Global (formerly Chinasia) is also opening a mill in Vietnam: Mayafab is operating a weaving mill in Cambodia; Kelida is building a mill in Egypt. Hightex is building a new upholstery mill in the Quantara Industrial Zone further east in Ismalia, Egypt, 1.5 hour’s drive from Cairo. Hightex is the largest upholstery mill in China and this expansion will double sales to over $100 million annually according to Wenlong Lu, the owner.
Egypt is also the target for several Türkiye based mills. This is the result of cooperation between the Turkish and Egyptian Governments. The Turkish mills will be built in the Teda Suez, an Egyptian industry zone adjacent to the Cairo airport in the East that was originally set up for a variety of industrial plants.
It is a difficult period for the Turkish textile industry. Material costs have skyrocketed in Türkiye as well as labor costs. To continue to be competitive in global markets, Turkish mills have either closed or moved into Egypt, a Turkish textile source tells F&FI.
Küçükçalik, probably the largest Turkish home textile producer has been operating in Egypt’s 10th of Ramadan City (also East of Cairo) for years producing curtains which it sells directly to major retailers like IKEA.
This movement of home textile mills from China and Türkiye is expected to continue for the years ahead due to the more favorable cost of labor and in the case of export to the USA, more favorable tariff rates than for China.
ZongWong has opened its plant in Vietnam; Paragon Global (formerly Chinasia) is also opening a mill in Vietnam: Mayafab is operating a weaving mill in Cambodia; Kelida is building a mill in Egypt. Hightex is building a new upholstery mill in the Quantara Industrial Zone further east in Ismalia, Egypt, 1.5 hour’s drive from Cairo. Hightex is the largest upholstery mill in China and this expansion will double sales to over $100 million annually according to Wenlong Lu, the owner.
Egypt is also the target for several Türkiye based mills. This is the result of cooperation between the Turkish and Egyptian Governments. The Turkish mills will be built in the Teda Suez, an Egyptian industry zone adjacent to the Cairo airport in the East that was originally set up for a variety of industrial plants.
It is a difficult period for the Turkish textile industry. Material costs have skyrocketed in Türkiye as well as labor costs. To continue to be competitive in global markets, Turkish mills have either closed or moved into Egypt, a Turkish textile source tells F&FI.
Küçükçalik, probably the largest Turkish home textile producer has been operating in Egypt’s 10th of Ramadan City (also East of Cairo) for years producing curtains which it sells directly to major retailers like IKEA.
This movement of home textile mills from China and Türkiye is expected to continue for the years ahead due to the more favorable cost of labor and in the case of export to the USA, more favorable tariff rates than for China.
