HCM CITY — The 2025 Vietnam Saigon Textile & Garment Industry – Fabric & Garment Accessories Expo (SaigonTex - SaigonFabric 2025) opened on April 9 in HCM City, offering a vital platform for domestic and international producers to connect, explore business opportunities, and understand market demand.

Spanning approximately 34,000 square meters, this year’s event features over 1,100 exhibitors, a 6 per cent increase compared to the 2024 event. 

Participants have come from 25 countries and territories, including Bangladesh, Belgium, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Việt Nam.

“All exhibitors are reputable suppliers in the global textile sector,” said Cao Hữu Hiếu, general director of the Việt Nam National Textile and Garment Group (VINATEX).

The expo showcases the full textile and garment supply chain — from raw materials and machinery to finished products.

One of the key highlights of the expo is the second Product Presentation Programme (PPP), which features eight themed showcases through static product displays, live technology demonstrations, and a dynamic fashion parade with professional dancers modeling outfits made from exhibitors' materials.

In addition, a tailor-made business matching programme organised by the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association (VITAS) aims to foster connections between exhibitors and buyers. It also offers visitors the chance to interact with top global brands and discover the latest innovations in textile and garment manufacturing.

At the opening ceremony, Trần Ngọc Liêm, general director of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (VCCI) HCM City branch, emphasised the industry’s role in Việt Nam’s economy.

The textile and garment sector is a leading industry in Việt Nam, significantly contributing to domestic and international trade, while attracting consistent foreign investment, he noted.

Việt Nam’s textile and garment exports reached US$44 billion in 2024, marking an 11.26 percent increase from the previous year. The country also surpassed Bangladesh to become the world’s second-largest textile and garment exporter, after China.

Despite these achievements, Liêm acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as labour shortages, order instability, raw material sourcing aligned with FTA origin requirements, and emerging trade barriers in traditional markets.

“To overcome these difficulties, companies must strengthen supply chain connections, invest in technology and automation, and embrace green practices, from sourcing sustainable raw materials to using renewable energy,” he said.

He added that from now until 2030, the industry will gradually transition from rapid to sustainable development. From 2031 to 2035, it will pursue deeper integration into the global supply chain and a shift toward a circular economy, while completing the domestic value chain.

Sharing this perspective, Hiếu highlighted that green and digital transformations are becoming long-term global trends. Vietnamese enterprises must adapt by producing high value-added products, utilising modern technologies to minimise energy and resource consumption, investing in advanced equipment, and pursuing dual transformation strategies.

The expo offers an excellent opportunity for companies to access cutting-edge technologies and promote trade between Vietnamese and international businesses, Hiếu added.

Co-organised by VCCI, VITAS, VINATEX, the HCM City Textile and Garment – Embroidery Knitting Association, CP Exhibition Ltd (Hong Kong), and CP Vietnam Exhibition Organising Co., Ltd, the expo is being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre and will run until April 12. — VNS