The Vietnamese footwear industry has its long history and up to now it has been considered as one of the major export industries and contributed significantly to the national social-economic development course.
There are currently about 250 companies engaged in the industry, employing a workforce of over 400,000. They are mainly located in Ho chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong Provinces, Hanoi and Hai Phong Cities.
The annual production capacity is estimated at 420 million pairs. In 2001, Vietnam produced 320 million pairs of footwear and 292 out of them were exported and worthed at USD1575 million. The export value was increased by 7.29 per cent compared with 2000. A wide variety of footwear ranging from sandals, textile shoes to fashion leather shoes have been produced and exported to world markets.
The major export markets are EU countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Italy, accounting for 80 per cent of Vietnam's footwear export value. Besides, Japan, the USA, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan are also important markets.
The Vietnamese footwear industry like all most other industries is facing very tough competition from footwear exporters in the region and worldwide. To be efficient and competitive, the Vietnamese footwear industry must modernise their operation processes, enhance technology in shoemaking and designing as well as intensify their global marketing strategy.
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