The export goal is prompting companies to focus on growth quality, cost optimisation and adaptability while trying to retain current orders, find new partners and diversify export markets. The target is being treated as a milestone requiring coordinated efforts from management agencies and businesses.
Vietnam targets about $48 billion in textile-garment exports in 2026; eight-month shipments rose 2.9 per cent YoY to nearly $31.7 billion.
Exporters face a 12.5 per cent US tariff, higher costs, fabric delays and uneven order cover for the final months.
Firms are prioritising higher-value orders, market diversification, digitalisation, input control and ESG compliance.
The sector is operating in a complex and unpredictable global market. Truong Van Cam, vice chairman of VITAS, said changes in trade policies and tariff barriers in major consumer markets were significantly affecting the industry, according to local media reports.
According to Cam, the US, Vietnam’s largest textile and garment export market, currently applies a 12.5 per cent tariff on Vietnamese textile and garment products, compared with a 10 per cent rate faced by some competitors.
He said the issue extends beyond the 2.5 percentage-point gap, as higher production and logistics costs can influence selling prices, order retention and export market share.
Manufacturers are also dealing with higher prices for raw materials, supplies and production equipment, along with rising transport and logistics costs. Delays in the delivery of fabrics and other input materials have disrupted production schedules and affected delivery deadlines.
Order books for the final months of the year are uneven. Some companies have orders secured through September or October, and some knitwear producers have enough work to maintain production until the end of the year, while many garment manufacturers have not finalised fourth-quarter orders as expected, added the reports.
In response, businesses are moving away from a focus on output volume and are giving priority to higher-value orders with suitable commercial terms and stronger production efficiency. Technical and sustainability requirements in demanding markets such as the EU and the US are also becoming more stringent, including conditions linked to labour standards, traceability, ESG practices, green production, circular economy and carbon emissions reduction.
To cope with market pressure, the industry is expanding trade promotion, joining major international trade fairs, accelerating digital transformation, improving product quality, strengthening control of input materials and increasing value added. Tran Van Quy, general director of Trung Quy Textile and Garment Co. in Ho Chi Minh City, said the company has secured orders through the end of the year and that effective cost control combined with product quality would help businesses stay adaptable.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
