Vietnam’s Textile Exports Rise 9% In First Five Months
Vietnam’s garment and textile exports reached US$ 17.58 billion in the first five months of 2025, marking a 9% year-on-year increase, according to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS). With imports totaling US$ 10.63 billion during the same period, the sector achieved a trade surplus of US$ 6.95 billion.
Truong Van Cam, Vice Chairman of VITAS, acknowledged that despite persistent global challenges including slow demand recovery and geopolitical uncertainties, many Vietnamese enterprises have managed to maintain stable production, enhance operational efficiency, and penetrate niche markets to fuel growth.
Highlighting recent shifts in U.S. tariff policies affecting multiple countries, including Vietnam, Cam encouraged domestic businesses to diversify their export destinations and tap into high-potential markets.
He also cited findings from a comparative survey conducted across six countries i.e. Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, China, and Vietnam, which revealed that Vietnam lags behind China in only a few indicators but outperforms the other countries in most areas. “This shows that Vietnamese textile and garment products are now positioned in the mid to high-end market segments in terms of quality and pricing,” he noted.
However, Cam emphasized a critical challenge: Vietnam’s limited control over raw material sources. This weakens traceability, a key requirement for qualifying for preferential tariffs and restricts design innovation, ultimately diminishing global competitiveness.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia, Dang Minh Khoi, added that Russia, currently ranked as the world’s fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity, is actively seeking to deepen economic ties with Vietnam. He noted that Vietnamese apparel is well-suited to Russian fashion tastes and trends, and urged Vietnamese companies to proactively seize emerging opportunities in the Russian market.
While Vietnam’s textile and garment exports to Russia have witnessed rapid growth in recent years, economists point out that their overall market share remains modest, signaling substantial untapped potential for future collaboration.
