Morocco
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Country Overview
TEXTILE WASTE
83,200
Post consumer textile waste
100% cotton
Cotton- rich blends
Poly- rich blends
100% Polyester
Other synthetics
Other natural fibres
Other manmade cellulosic fibres
pre consumer textile waste
Post Industrial textile waste
83,200
100% cotton
14.00%
Cotton- rich blends
42.00%
Poly- rich blends
17.00%
100% Polyester
10.00%
Other synthetics
6.00%
Other natural fibres
5.00%
Other manmade cellulosic fibres
6.00%
Imported textile waste
100% cotton
Cotton- rich blends
Poly- rich blends
100% Polyester
Other synthetics
Other natural fibres
Other manmade cellulosic fibres
*This data is from UNIDO switchmed North Africa
KEY POINTS ON T&a LANDSCAPE
Top 10 EU supplier of textile & apparel
$4.08M
exports
$4.38M
imports
Morocco’s textile industry is a vital economic sector, accounting for 15% of industrial GDP and 11% of exports in 2021. The majority of production is exported to the EU, making Morocco the seventh-largest clothing supplier to Europe. Key markets include France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the UK, with Inditex as the largest buyer
Dependence on Imported raw materials
85%
Raw materials used from imports
Investments are heavily focused on downstream activities rather than upstream processes. Morocco imports much of what it needs in terms of upstream supplies, including yarn, fabric, and accessories from Asia and Turkey.
CMT-focused textile and apparel industry
88%
Share of Exports that is Clothing
Morocco has over 1,100 companies that manufacture around a billion garments annually, with more than half operating as subcontractors for major brands. The textile and clothing industry is regionally concentrated, with a heavy focus on clothing.
Textile Waste Concentration and Recycling Efforts in Morocco
90%
Of textile waste is geographically concentrated across 3 regions
Over 60% of Morocco’s textile waste originates from cutting processes, with more than 75% concentrated in the Greater Casablanca and Tangier regions. Waste management is largely informal and lacks traceability, but growing investments aim to improve sorting for high-value domestic recycling and export opportunities.
waste cost
waste Type
waste Type
waste Type
waste Type
Post-industrial
Mixed
$0.05 - $0.27 /kg
Post-industrial
Cotton
$0.41 - $0.54 /kg
Other Notes
- Source & conversion rate: 1 Emirati Dirham = US Dollar 0.27 (August 2025)
- 90% of textile waste is geographically clustered in 3 neighboring regions
- In Morocco, textile waste generally follows two main pathways. When a recycler or exporter places a request for a specific grade, such as pure cotton or linen, factories separate and bale the material accordingly, issuing a traceability sheet before it is either recycled locally or exported. In the absence of such requests, textile waste is collected along with general waste by collectors, who later sort it in their warehouses.
production clusters
Key regions with apparel production:
Tangierᴬ, Casablancaᴮ, Rabat-Saléᶜ and Fez Meknesᴰ
Key regions with fibre production:
Souss-Massaᴬ, Fez-Meknesᴮ, Béni Mellal-Khénifraᶜ
Other Notes
The regions benefit from developed infrastructure and proximity to ports for export.
Waste regulation
Morocco’s National Circular Economy Roadmap
Morocco’s National Circular Economy Roadmap is currently in development, with the process officially launched in April 2025. Led by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development with support from UNIDO, the EU, and Finland, the roadmap aims to accelerate Morocco’s shift to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy. It will be developed through an inclusive, multi-stakeholder process and completed by the end of 2025.
Waste trade
61.73 kT
Import quantities (HS 6309, 631010)
11.90 kT
Export quantities (HS 6309, 631010)
Other Notes
High-quality waste is mainly exported without shredding.
green energy
8.03%
Share of modern renewables in final energy consumption in Morocco
Renewable Electricity Generation by source: Wind (72%), Solar (23%), Hydro (5%)
Other Notes
- Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Offers up to 30% tax credit on investments in certain industries, including emerging strategic sectors such as renewable energies, digitalization, information technologies, and circular economy
- FONZID II Programme (2025): FONZID II is a dedicated financial mechanism aimed at co-financing the creation, expansion, and upgrading of industrial zones to meet high standards of sustainability, inclusiveness, and competitiveness.
