MIM 2026: Moroccan Textile Accelerates Its Industrial and International Transformation

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The Moroccan textile sector aims to take a new step in its industrial development. Inaugurated on November 3, 2026, at the International Fair of Casablanca, the 23rd edition of the International Textile Fair – Maroc in Mode (MIM 2026) highlights the challenges of competitiveness, industrial integration, and diversification of international partnerships. Beyond its commercial dimension, the event aims to support the value enhancement of a sector that plays a significant role in employment and exports for the Kingdom.

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, this edition is organized by the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH), in partnership with CEMS. It brings together over 200 exhibitors from 25 countries across an area of 8,000 m².

A Strategic Sector Facing the Challenge of Value Enhancement

With more than 1,700 companies, approximately 240,000 jobs, and a reported turnover of 66 billion dirhams, of which 44 billion is generated from exports, the textile sector constitutes a pillar of Moroccan industrial activity. For AMITH, the challenge now is to strengthen the integration of the sector and consolidate its position in regional and international value chains.

The president of the association, Anas El Ansari, particularly emphasized the ambition to make textiles a lever for industrial sovereignty. This direction implies gradually moving beyond a production model that is still heavily reliant on cutting and making operations and imported inputs.

The Minister Delegate in Charge of Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira, highlighted that 77% of the sector's exports still rely on the CMT model (Cut, Make, Trim), while 80% of fabrics and threads are imported. He announced a new investment of 2.3 billion dirhams, aimed at creating 7,000 jobs, with 80% directed towards exports.

The stated objective is to gradually reduce the share of the CMT model in exports from the current 77% to 50%, then to 40% and 30% in the coming years. This evolution should allow the sector to capture more added value and reduce its dependence on external supplies.

Employment and Training at the Heart of Priorities

The social dimension also remains central to the sector's prospects. According to data presented during the inauguration, textiles and clothing employ more than 240,000 people, accounting for 24% of national industrial employment. Women represent 63% of this workforce.

The Minister of Employment and Social Dialogue, Abderrahim Chahid, has included the sector's challenges in the objectives of the government program 2026-2031, which aims to create one million net jobs, including 250,000 in industry.

Several mechanisms have been discussed to support this dynamic: the "Skills 2030" program, which foresees 500,000 training sessions, the "First Employment Contract" initiative, aimed at supporting 500,000 young people, and the "Professional Mobility Passport," which targets 250,000 retraining over five years.

These mechanisms should help strengthen available skills and meet the needs of an industry called to evolve towards higher value-added activities.

MIM 2026 Expands Its International Outreach

With its seven thematic spaces dedicated to clothing, Moroccan brands, fabrics, machinery and innovation, chemicals, accessories, and services, the fair aims to cover several links in the textile chain.

The event also seeks to be a space for strategic dialogue among stakeholders in the sector in the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions. In this regard, AMITH and CEMS Global are launching the Med Atlantic Textile Summit, a new platform designed to bring together industrialists, professional organizations, experts, and decision-makers.

The announced participation of EURATEX, ITMF, ITKIB, SWISS TEXTILES, and ATOK marks a first step in establishing this international meeting, designed to promote exchanges and generate new opportunities for cooperation and investment.

Three Agreements to Strengthen Industrial Cooperation

On the sidelines of the inauguration, AMITH signed three memoranda of understanding with professional organizations from India, Jordan, and the Czech Republic.

The first agreement, concluded with the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI), aims to develop technical, commercial, and regulatory exchanges between the Moroccan and Indian textile sectors.

The second, signed with the Jordan Chamber of Industry, focuses on structuring industrial and commercial cooperation between the two sectors, particularly leveraging the opportunities offered by the Agadir Agreement.

The third protocol, concluded with the Association of Textile, Clothing and Leather Industry (ATOK) of the Czech Republic, aims to develop bilateral economic and commercial relations as well as cooperation between companies from both countries, within the framework of the association agreement between the European Union and Morocco.

Through these initiatives, MIM 2026 seeks to go beyond the framework of a professional fair to become a tool for bringing together industrial ecosystems. For Moroccan textiles, the challenge now is to transform this international openness, the announced investments, and training mechanisms into enhanced production capacities and sustainable competitiveness gains.