A series of events were held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 10-12 to promote trade exchanges among leather and footwear businesses of Vietnam and Italy.

With orders secured for the second quarter, activities are in full swing in many leather and footwear production plants, bringing about the hope for a year of buoyant exports.

The 22nd International Shoe & Leather Exhibition – Vietnam is slated for November 16 – 18 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam's leather and footwear enterprises face many challenges in the remaining months of 2022, especially the lack of market information, according to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso).

The signing of a series of new-generation FTAs such as the CPTPP, the Vietnam-EU FTA, and the RCEP is expected to significantly impact the Vietnamese economy by helping expand import-export markets and open up new potential markets.

Export revenue of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is estimated to reach 731 million USD in 2021, a rise of 7.17 percent year on year.

Domestic leather and footwear firms have no choice but to convert their production activities as difficulties are expected to linger through this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have said.

Export turnover of leather and footwear is likely to rise again in the fourth quarter of this year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

Vietnam's leather and footwear industry was on course for a strong recovery as more international fashion brands were valuing the country as an important part of the global supply chain, according to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO).

Vietnam’s leather and footwear industry should improve its supply chain performance to take advantage of the milestone trade deal that the country has signed with the EU and to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis, speakers said at a recent international footwear conference.

Leather, footwear export turnover is expected to reach 21.5 billion USD in 2019, according the statistics from Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO).

Vietnam is targeting to earn between 24 billion USD to 26 billion USD from leather and footwear exports by 2020.

Vietnam’s leather and footwear industry will maintain its strong growth even if the TPP does not materialise, the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso) has said.

Many Vietnamese leather and footwear firms have been implementing new production and business strategies to seize opportunities offered by free trade agreements (FTAs).

Indian leather and footwear businesses have only recently discovered Vietnam is a huge market while their Vietnamese counterparts import massive quantities of leather but little from India.