The women’s face veil, which is an essential part of the clothing of the majority of Saudi women, has been at the center of a crisis for importers in Jeddah after recent changes to the specifications and standards for imported fabrics.
The chairman of the committee of textiles and garments at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Mohammed Al-Shehary, said that importing the face veil, known as “Niqab,” “Al-Lithma” or “Al-Tarha,” from industrialized countries has become problematic for Saudi merchants, particularly after the changes were introduced.
Al-Shehary said the problems surrounding the face veil and headscarf imports are the weight specifications, and alleged questionable decisions of the Saudi Organization for Standardization and Metrology (SASO).
“The weight of 55 grams for the face and head cover required by the laboratories specifications commission contrasts with the requests of the majority of Saudi women.”
“The new specifications of the commission require typing the name of the factory source of the fabrics, and the purpose and details of use. Such requirements conflict with those in the country of origin, as investors in these countries prefer to write down the quality of the fabrics used in the manufacturing of the product, whether it is for the face or the head. This is the global standard that manufacturers follow for all countries, and if they have to do something specific, it will increase the cost of the piece.”
“The committee of textiles and garments at the JCCI has received over the past few months hundreds of complaints from dealers and importers of fabrics for clothing.” The majority of these complaints are about the delays in releasing goods from Jeddah Islamic Port, he said.
“The lengthy procedures and the different results from various laboratories examining the samples have contributed to delays in getting the clothing and fabric containers released at Jeddah Islamic Port, which amounted to almost 400 containers.” Such delays have cost traders nearly SR300 million, thus pushing many out of the domestic market and toward neighboring countries for better business, said Al-Shehary.
The holding of the goods at the port for long periods of time make them more vulnerable to damage, especially since the port environment is not suitable for many types of fabric.
Al-Shehary said the alleged hesitation and changes in the decisions of SASO has weakened the prestige of and confidence in Saudi importers on the global markets.
The fabric and clothing dealers and importers are also resentful over the laboratories specifications commission’s alleged continuous rejection of the global source certifications, which are internationally accredited.
The commission’s insistence on re-testing the fabrics, whether raw materials or manufactured clothing of all types, is problematic, he said.
Al-Shehary said the committee on textiles and garments at the JCCI is seeking a meeting to resolve these issues with officials from the laboratory management department at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the head of the fraud department at the Jeddah Islamic Port and the director of laboratories at SASO.
