How to export abayas to Gulf and global markets

How to export your abayas to the Gulf and global markets

Last updated: Saturday 29 August 2026.

Your abaya brand is steady at home — so what would it take to sell it abroad?

The global modest fashion market is projected to reach USD 400 billion by 2030, and the largest markets for it are not in Saudi Arabia. They are Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. For a brand that already sells reliably at home, learning how to export abayas is not an ambitious side project — it is the natural next step. In this guide, you'll learn how to prepare your store for international buyers, which markets to enter first, and how to handle shipping, customs and multi-currency pricing.

To export abayas from your Salla store, start with the Gulf markets, turn on multi-currency pricing, connect an international carrier, add an HS code to every product, publish an English version of your store, then choose one global market at a time and adapt the collection to it.

📌 Article overview

- The seven steps for taking an abaya brand international

- Which markets to enter, and in what order

- Shipping, customs and HS codes

- Important notes before you expand

- Frequently asked questions

🚀 How to export abayas step by step

Work through these steps in order. Each one depends on the one before it.

1. Start with the Gulf markets. The UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain are the most logical first move: the same taste, the same language, faster delivery, and simplified customs rules under the Gulf Cooperation Council.

2. Turn on multi-currency in Salla. Add the UAE dirham, the Kuwaiti dinar and the Qatari riyal. Shoppers trust a store far more when the price is shown in the currency they think in.

3. Choose a reliable international carrier. DHL, FedEx and Aramex handle express international delivery. For Gulf destinations, SMSA and Aramex offer discounted regional shipping options.

4. Add the HS code (Harmonized System code) to your products in Salla. This code is mandatory for international shipping and it speeds up customs clearance. Salla lets you add it to each product without any extra tooling.

5. Publish an English version of your store for non-Arabic markets. Salla supports multiple languages out of the box, with either instant translation or a professional manual translation you write yourself.

6. Target the major modest fashion markets. Indonesia has 270 million Muslims. Malaysia is growing fast in contemporary modest fashion. The United Kingdom has a well-organized Muslim community, and France is a growing market.

7. Adapt the product to the market you are entering. An abaya that sells in Indonesia is not the same abaya that sells in Europe. Research local preferences, pick fabrics suited to the climate, and adjust the collection accordingly.

📝 Important notes

💡 Salla includes international shipping readiness in its plans, with direct integrations to DHL, Aramex and others. You do not need complicated infrastructure to start.

✅ Enter one market and master it before you open the next. Launching in five markets at once is a reliable way to fail in all five. One country per month is a sensible pace.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Which market should I export to first?

The Gulf. The UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain share your language and your customers' taste, deliver faster than any other destination, and sit under simplified GCC customs rules. Prove the process there before you take on Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom or France.

Do I need a commercial registration in every country I export to?

No. Your Saudi commercial registration is enough. Some markets, Europe among them, may ask for a local tax registration to make selling easier, but you can start without one by shipping directly from Saudi Arabia.

How do I handle customs in different countries?

Every international shipment needs a commercial invoice and an HS code. International carriers such as DHL and Aramex handle the customs paperwork automatically once they are connected to Salla.

What is the minimum order size that makes exporting worthwhile?

For direct-to-consumer exporting through an online store there is no minimum, since every order ships on its own. For wholesale to international retailers, the minimum is usually 50 pieces or more, to cover the cost of sea freight.