#Textiles & Apparel / Garment
First ever VIATT attracts 17,262 visits, lays foundation to ‘harness growth of Vietnam’s textile market’
Hosted by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), VIATT 2024 was the first trade fair organised by Messe Frankfurt and VIETRADE. The fair's opening ceremony was officiated by Ms Phan Thi Thang, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and Mr Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board, Messe Frankfurt GmbH. Addressing the fair’s positioning, Ms Phan said: “The Ministry of Industry and Trade coordinated with Messe Frankfurt to organise VIATT 2024. Held for the first time in Vietnam, the fair is dedicated to creating favourable conditions for international businesses in the textile sector, and to integrate Vietnam's industry with the global textile and garment production chains. With abundant international resources in technology and experience, VIATT will foster the growth of Vietnam’s supply chain in a sustainable direction.”
During his speech, Mr Braun underscored the show’s potential: “Vietnam, as a rising hotspot for the textile industry, is a major market for us. Together with our trusted partners Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and VIETRADE, we will work closely to expand this show, and increase the competitive edge of the Vietnamese textile industry in the global market. Today is just the beginning for VIATT, and we believe it will achieve enduring success.”
The ceremony was followed by the VIATT Fashion Show that featured Kilomet 109, a well-known Vietnamese fashion brand. Under the theme of “Sustainable Fashion, Around the World”, the event mirrored Vietnam’s increasing attention paid to its fashion industry, as well as the global demand for sustainable products. Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), Thai Industrial Hemp Trade Association (TiHTA), and XYX Material also joined hands to showcase their sustainable collections.
Across 15,000 sqm of exhibition space in two halls, the fair reflected the latest trends and innovations in the product sectors of apparel fabrics, yarns and fibres, and garments; home textiles; as well as technical textiles and nonwovens, textile processing, and printing technology. Many of the industry’s most well-known players, including Groz Beckert, Hohmann GmbH & Co KG, Kitsutaka Co, Kurabo Industries Ltd, Lenzing, Multi Glory USA Corporation, Nice Dyeing Factory, Stäubli International AG, and VEIT GmbH were in attendance, sharing similar views that Vietnam represents a crucial link in the global textile value chain.
“VIATT stands on the shoulders of one of the world’s fastest growing economies,” said Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “The fair was launched to help the industry supplement and harness the growth of Vietnam’s textile market. We are delighted that our expectations were met, as a strong contingent of domestic and international buyers connected with our exhibitors. The response from key suppliers was also very encouraging, laying a solid foundation for VIATT to build upon in the coming years.”
Exhibitors’ feedback
Apparel fabrics, yarns & fibres, and garments
“The first edition of VIATT has given us a good idea how the local market mechanism works. I can see a lot of serious buyers from not only Vietnam, but also from China, Malaysia, Japan and neighbouring countries. I am especially impressed by the machinery manufacturers and their innovative ideas. We will surely join the next edition and will bring a wider product range across different sectors of the industry”, said Mr M Usman Arshad, Chief Marketing Officer, Kintex Group/Abdullah Textile, Pakistan
Mr Joe Zhou, General Manager, Idole Trading Co Ltd, China, stated: “Our company's enthusiasm for the Southeast Asian market led us to establish an office in Vietnam last year. After realising the potential for larger industry exhibitions, we chose VIATT this year, combining targeted exposure for our products with our trust in Messe Frankfurt’s expertise. In addition to engaging domestic buyers, we've connected with customers from Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.”
Mr Paul Nguyen, Sales Director, Mainland Southeast Asia, Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison, Hong Kong, stated: “We've seen a lot of the production volume migrating to Vietnam, several companies are now establishing or growing their presence here in Vietnam, and we're very excited to support that growth. We are investing significantly to expand our facility and ensure that we have the right capacity to fulfil the future demand. At VIATT, we've seen tremendous traffic at our booth. There is a mix between local and foreign visitors, and international companies and domestic entities.”
Mr Raymond Kong, Market Development Manager – Asia Pacific, Testex Swiss Textile-Testing Ltd, Switzerland, said: “Vietnam has a large textile industry, not only for garments but also for home textiles and accessories. This show is a very good idea, as all the buyers want to visit Vietnam, and here they can visit the whole industry together. The visitor flow has been good, not only from domestic factories, but also some buyers from Europe and the US. Every buyer is looking for a sustainability strategy, but they want a partner to support them in planning and achieving their goals.”
And Ms Trinh Phi Yen, Marketing Team – R & BD Dept., Eland Group – (TC) Thanh Cong Textile & Garment Investment Trading Join Stock Co, Vietnam, commented: “The quality of yarns and fabrics in Vietnam is improving every day. With the ASEAN market opening up various business opportunities, we are here to find new, high-end buyers. VIATT has a very strong lineup of overseas exhibitors, and so far we have met buyers from major companies such as Columbia, Hansae, GAP, YGM Trading, and S&G. We will join the next edition and hopefully establish further connections with buyers from Europe, Australia, the US and Canada.”
Home textiles
“We are looking for new contacts in Vietnam, as we have made contacts in more or less the whole Asian market, but Vietnam is a new market for us. I have to say the first day was a very good start. We met some good contacts from countries outside Vietnam, from the Far East, and even from Europe. We have also arranged some meetings with Vietnamese customers. Through this fair we have a good start in this market”, stated Mr Andreas Schwarzbach, Sales Director, Hohmann GmbH & Co KG, Germany.
Mr Ryosuke Nishida, Business Promotion Department, Kitsutaka Co Ltd, Japan, said: “At VIATT, we’ve had the opportunity to meet with real estate companies, design offices, and interior stores. We believe that our products are a perfect way to create a Japanese space anywhere, and we’re confident they will sell well in Vietnam. Our ultimate goal is to sell our products all over the world, and our plan is to first establish a strong presence in Vietnam and then consider local production to offer a more affordable price.”
“We export our products to many countries, such as the US, Mexico, the UK, France, Australia, China, and more. But this fair is our first step to survey the Vietnamese and Southeast Asia markets. We have also met customers from Ecuador, China, and Japan. At the other booths, we found so many potential downstream business partners and some companies from our region. We can join together, discuss our market, and maintain good relationships with each other", commented Mr Seung Jin Choi, Assistant Manager, Research & Development Dept, Hangyang Eco Tex, Korea.
Technical textiles and nonwovens, textile processing, and printing technology
For this segment Mr Daniel Ohndorf, Sales Area Manager, emtec Electronic GmbH, Germany, said: “Our TSA Tactile Sensation Analyzer is the only machine that simulates the feeling of a human hand, measuring fabrics’ texture, softness, and flexibility or stiffness. For this show, we are targeting mainly Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, even Taiwan, and we have had some good contacts and discussions already. Our long-term contact with Messe Frankfurt, paired with the cooperation from our new Vietnam sales partner, led to us deciding that this fair could be a good starting point.”
Mr Paul Rushton, Commercial Director, Technical Absorbents, UK, stated: “We are the only global manufacturer of polyacrylate in fibre form. We sell a lot of superabsorbent fibre to sectors such as food packaging; converters that supply yarn for wrapping around underwater cables beneath the sheath; filtration, primarily for polishing of fuels; and medical. The Vietnam market is growing at a phenomenal rate, many businesses are setting up here with a need for superabsorbent technology.”
Meanwhile, a host of buyers were pleased with the range of sourcing options on their doorstep, relishing the opportunity to connect with exhibitors from Southeast Asia, China, Europe, and beyond.
Buyers’ experiences
“We are a 100%-for-export sourcing company and garment manufacturer, especially outerwear and jackets. Our company is headquartered in Belgium, and our market is mostly in Europe, towards the high end. We have just arrived, but we have visited a few booths and are seeing what we like. We are looking for all kinds of fabrics and textiles, including wool, polyester, nylon, and of course sustainable materials", explained Mr Marco Corrado, Director of Sales, Textyle Asia Pte Ltd, Vietnam.
Ms Sara Pelizzoli, Marketing Manager, Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing, Vietnam, said: “Our company is located in Northern Vietnam, and it has been producing fabrics for swimwear and sportswear applications for 15 years. We came to the first edition of VIATT to explore the wide range of suppliers across the textile value chain, as well as the opportunity of being an exhibitor in the future. I believe that in the next two – three years the market will become more positive.”
“I’m from France but based in Vietnam. I’m looking for inspiration, and some information about printing. We sell shopping bags, and everything related to bags and containers. We mainly use polypropylene woven bags, and also cotton. Today is my first day visiting – I have finished with the fabrics section, and I will check the machinery. There are many options, and the best so far have been finished products”, commented Ms Astrid Bonnet, General Manager, ASEAN Region, LBX Asie, Vietnam
Mr Tony Tan, Business Development Manager, VNPOLIFIBER, Vietnam, stated: “As a trading company, we specialise in silk and yarn for furniture, bedding, fabric, and curtain frames. Most of our products are exported from Vietnam to international markets such as America and Europe. At this fair, I've found a lot of interesting products, such as Hometech-style blankets and their production machines. We've also discovered some potential silk suppliers.”
In addition to business matching, helping shape the industry’s future was also on the agenda. Key players from across Asia shared their insights on topics spanning Design & Trends, Market Strategies, Textile & Nonwoven Technologies, and Sustainability, while providing an edge to attendees looking to stay ahead in a competitive market.
Speakers’ insights
“My presentation is about sustainability circularity. Textile sustainability is a big topic and a collaborative effort between all stakeholders, from supply chains to consumers. However, the textile value chain, including fibre spinning, fabric, and garment industries, is very fragmented. So VIATT’s idea of bringing everyone under one roof is great because buyers can come to one place and get all the complete information”, commented Mr Winston A. Mulyadi, Commercial Head, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Lenzing, Austria
And Ms Sharon Deidre Leyson, Vice President: International Affairs, Thai Industrial Hemp Trade Association (TIHTA), Thailand, said: “VIATT is an excellent platform for delivering key information to the industry. My presentation aimed to educate people on industrial hemp and fibre hemp. These materials are relatively new to the market, so seminars such as this are a must-have, as they allow us to share innovative ideas and help industry players gain a greater understanding of the latest market trends.”
The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE), covering the entire textile industry value chain. For more details on this fair, please visit www.viatt.com.vn or contact textile@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.
The next edition will be held from 26 – 28 February 2025.
