About US$12 billion worth of footwear produced in Vietnam were exported to global markets in the first half of 2025, an increase of more than 10% compared to the same period in 2024.

Along with that, nearly US$19 billion worth of textiles and garments were also successfully shipped abroad, an increase of about 12.3% year-on-year.

The sectors that contribute tens of billions of US dollars in revenue such as phones and computers maintain their export performance, despite the unfavourable global trade context.

The above statistics show that large manufacturers and enterprises still trust and choose Vietnam as a base for manufacturing goods for global sales.

According to Nike’s fiscal 2025 report (ending May 31, 2025), Vietnam accounted for 51% of the company’s global footwear production, ahead of Indonesia (28%) and China (17%). Vietnam also accounted for 31% of Nike’s apparel production, surpassing China and Cambodia, each with only 15%.

As of January 2025, Nike had 98 suppliers operating 162 factories across Vietnam, employing over 493,000 workers, with operations focused on footwear, apparel, and equipment.

Over the past five years, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has increasingly been chosen as a key manufacturing location amid shifts in global supply chains. Its advantages lie in consistent foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, even during the pandemic period.

FDI registered in Vietnam reached US$28.53 billion in 2020, US$31.15 billion in 2021, US$27.72 billion in 2022, US$39.39 billion in 2023, and nearly US$38.23 billion in 2024.

Vietnam is now positioning itself as a global manufacturing hub with a diversified export portfolio, improved product quality, and enhanced price competitiveness. It currently ranks second in the world for phone and footwear exports, third for textiles, and fifth for wooden products. Key export markets include the US, EU, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea.

Foreign-invested firms drive export boom

As of July 15, Vietnam’s total export turnover was US$239.19 billion, up US$30.62 billion year-on-year. The FDI sector contributed US$175.8 billion, accounting for 73.5% of total exports, and growing by 17.5% over the same period last year.

The strong growth of the FDI sector affirms Vietnam’s role as a key node in the global supply chain, with leading global brands in fashion, electronics, and consumer goods maintaining major operations in the country.

Most recently, US-based Coherent Corporation inaugurated a semiconductor components factory in Nhon Trach Industrial Park in the southern province of Dong Nai, reflecting a growing trend of American tech companies investing in Vietnam.

Gary Kapusta, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Coherent Corp, said Vietnam now plays a central role in the firm’s global production and photonics innovation strategy.

Meanwhile, Huali Group from China is investing an additional US$100 million to build a new flooring export factory in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

According to Deputy General Director of the Huali Vietnam Ltd Company Henry Xu, the company is committed to long-term, sustainable investment, with a strong focus on green technologies.

In the first half of 2025 alone, foreign investors poured US$21.51 billion into Vietnam, a 32.6% increase year-on-year. The manufacturing and processing sector continues to dominate, attracting nearly US$12 billion, or 55.6% of total registered capital.

Source: VOV