In 2026, the global textile and apparel industry is entering a new cycle of "demand redistribution": growth in traditional European and American markets is slowing down, while Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America continue to release incremental demand. For foreign trade companies looking to find new orders and new buyers, these four markets are becoming the most promising and worthwhile growth curves to plan for in advance.

This lengthy article provides an in-depth analysis from five dimensions: regional trends, channel structure, buyer profile, purchasing habits, and supplier website requirements. It offers industry novices a readily usable "global market expansion strategy reference".

I. Southeast Asia: The Rise of Local Apparel Brands + Further Increase in E-commerce Penetration

1. Market Trends: From OEM Market to Consumer Upgrade Market

Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia) was originally a "recipient" of China's textile and apparel export sector, but two key changes occurred between 2024 and 2026:

• Local brands are beginning to emerge : represented by Erigo from Indonesia and Pomelo from Thailand, local brands are launching designs with better quality and more reasonable prices.

• E-commerce penetration is accelerating : Platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and Tiki are driving apparel to become the fastest-growing consumer category.

Recommended reading: The ultimate guide to expanding into the Southeast Asian market in 2025: A must-read for foreign trade beginners!

The increment comes from two directions:

• Mid-to-high-end basic styles (T-shirts, sportswear, loungewear, children's wear)

• Demand for ODM and OEM services from local brands is rising rapidly.

2. Main Channel Structure

• Local brands (core growth)

• Cross-border e-commerce sellers (Shopee/Lazada)

• Physical wholesale markets (such as Pratunam in Bangkok and Tanah Abang in Jakarta)

3. Buyer Profile (Southeast Asian Specialty)

4. Core requirements for supplier websites

Southeast Asian buyers focus on:

• Does it support multiple languages ​​(Thai/Indonesian/Vietnamese)?

• Product image quality (high demand from e-commerce channels)

• Is the factory's capabilities transparent (production process, quality system)?

• Small batch orders are acceptable.

Because Southeast Asian buyers are more accustomed to searching for information in their native language, they will prioritize browsing suppliers with official websites in the local language . Therefore, having a website that can quickly generate multilingual versions (such as Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese) has become a significant barrier to entry into the Southeast Asian market. Such businesses can use ABK's intelligent website builder to select local style templates, automatically adapting the language and layout, greatly increasing buyer trust on their first visit.

II. Middle East: High-priced orders + explosive growth in customized apparel

1. Market Trend: Higher spending power leads to higher-value orders.

The most distinctive feature of the Middle Eastern (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait) apparel market is:

• High average order value : Consumers have strong purchasing power and a strong brand awareness.

• There is a high demand for customized clothing : the demand for traditional clothing (Abaya, Jalabiya), team uniforms, hotel uniforms, and work clothes is growing rapidly.

• Emerging fashion brands are emerging : influenced by trends in Europe and America, the fashion category is expanding.

For suppliers, this is one of the markets with higher profit margins . Recommended reading: A Complete Guide to Middle East Market Development by 2025: Exploring Successful B2B Export Cases and Strategies in the Middle East Market

2. Channel Structure

• Local designer brands (high demand)

• High-end boutique wholesalers

• Uniform and workwear purchasers

• Cross-border e-commerce sellers (Amazon Middle East/Noon)

3. Buyer Profile (Middle East Specialty)

4. Core requirements for supplier websites

Middle Eastern buyers value the following most:

• Does it have outstanding customization capabilities (process, fabric library, sampling process)?

• Does it showcase a high-quality lookbook (fashion photography is especially important)?

• Is an Arabic + English version available?

• Certification documents regarding the ability to deliver large quantities of goods.

III. Africa: Traditional garment wholesale markets are entering a period of "channel structure upgrading".

1. Market Trends: From Low-Price Wholesale to "Branding + Category Upgrading"

Africa (Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt) has the world's fastest-growing young population structure. The following trends are expected between 2024 and 2026:

• Traditional wholesale markets remain huge (such as Balogun in Lagos).

• However, they are upgrading from "low-priced ready-to-wear clothing" to products with "style and design".

• E-commerce platform Jumia encourages more sellers to improve product quality.

Chinese suppliers have clear advantages: price, delivery time, and SKU variety. Recommended reading: Don't miss it: Exploring the export potential and popular product selection for B2B trade in the African market in 2025.

2. Channel Structure

• Large wholesalers (mainstream)

• Second-hand wholesalers/stall-type merchants

• Local apparel brands (emerging)

• Cross-border sellers (Jumia/local micro-businesses)

3. Buyer Profile (African Perspective)

4. Requests regarding the supplier's official website

African buyers are particularly concerned about:

• Large order capacity (production capacity, MOQ)

• Cost-effectiveness demonstration of basic models (bulk pricing tiers)

• Are the product images accurate enough (to avoid buying something you don't like)?

• Is the English website clear and easy to navigate (a simple structure is most important)?

IV. Latin America: Fast Fashion and the "Affordable Market" Drive Channel Dividends

1. Market Trends: Fast fashion brands and discount channels are expanding rapidly.

The textile and apparel market in Latin America (Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Brazil) has the following characteristics:

• Fast fashion (Shein, C&A, Zara) has further educated consumers.

• Local brands are increasingly demanding a production model that combines affordability and fast design.

• E-commerce channels Mercado Libre and Shopee Latin America experience strong growth.

Latin America is the most promising high-growth market outside the Middle East for the next three years. Recommended reading: The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and complete list ever! The most complete Latin America Yellow Pages compilation – bookmark it!

2. Channel Structure

• Local brand owners (ODM)

• Professional clothing wholesale market

• Mercado / Shopee cross-border sellers

• Sports and leisure brands (increased growth highlights)

3. Buyer Profile (Latin American Characteristics)

4. Requests regarding the supplier's official website

Latin American buyers value:

• Does the website offer Spanish/Portuguese language options?

• Are the product categories logically clear (similar to European and American practices)?

• Should a lookbook be displayed to enhance a professional image?

• Do you provide information on sports fabrics and functional products?

V. Comparison of Buyer Decision-Making Habits in Four Major Regions

VI. Supplier Websites: A "Required Course" for Entering Emerging Markets

Across the four regions, all buyers exhibited the same common characteristic:

Having a localized website in the local language is the primary criterion for judging whether a supplier is reliable.

Reasons include:

• Local buyers are more accustomed to using their native language when searching.

• Non-English speaking countries emphasize cultural and aesthetic compatibility

• Competition among foreign trade companies is becoming increasingly fierce, and the user experience of a supplier's official website directly reflects their "professionalism."

For textile and apparel companies operating across multiple regions, having a website building system that can automatically adapt to different languages, aesthetic styles, and content structures is extremely crucial. For example, ABK Smart Website Builder offers independent website solutions with multiple languages, templates, and industry scenarios, making it easier to quickly build trust when entering Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, encouraging buyers to leave inquiries.

VII. 2026 Global Emerging Market Priority Recommendations (From Easy to Difficult)

VIII. Conclusion: Emerging markets are the true source of growth for the textile and apparel industry in 2026.

Over the next three years, the global trade landscape of the textile and apparel industry will continue to shift towards emerging markets. Whether you are a small or medium-sized factory, an ODM supplier, or a trading company, you can't afford to miss this opportunity:

• Southeast Asia's e-commerce boom

• High-end customization demand in the Middle East

• Wholesale structure upgrading in Africa

• The explosion of fast fashion in Latin America

In market expansion strategies, the most basic yet most overlooked step is to use a localized official website to gain the buyer's trust at first glance.

Website building tools with multilingual, multi-template, and multi-industry adaptability capabilities (such as AB Ke Smart Website Builder ) will become the "first ticket" for foreign trade textile enterprises to enter new markets.