Ho Chi Minh City, 14 March 2024. As the inaugural Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) drew curtains on 1 March 2024, Messe Frankfurt’s first integrated textile fair in Asia has positioned itself as an essential platform for the entire textile value chain. Covering three major industry sectors, the three-day fair attracted 17,262 visits from 55 countries and regions, connecting with 409 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions. In addition to attracting top-quality suppliers, participants also noted the high caliber of buyers and the clear potential for growth at future editions.
Hosted by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), VIATT 2024 was the first trade fair organized 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 organize VIATT 2024. Held for the first time in Vietnam, the fair is dedicated to creating favorable conditions for international businesses in the textile sector, and to integrating 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 which 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 fibers, 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 & fibers, and garments
“The first edition of VIATT has given us a good idea of 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 neighboring 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.”
Mr M Usman Arshad, Chief Marketing Officer, Kintex Group/Abdullah Textile, Pakistan
“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 Joe Zhou, General Manager, Idole Trading Co Ltd, China
“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 fulfill 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 Paul Nguyen, Sales Director, Mainland Southeast Asia, Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison, Hong Kong
“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.”
Mr Raymond Kong, Market Development Manager – Asia Pacific, Testex Swiss Textile-Testing Ltd, Switzerland
“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.”
Ms Trinh Phi Yen, Marketing Team – R & BD Dept., Eland Group – (TC) Thanh Cong Textile & Garment Investment Trading Join Stock Co, Vietnam
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.”
Mr Andreas Schwarzbach, Sales Director, Hohmann GmbH & Co KG, Germany
“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 we plan to first establish a strong presence in Vietnam and then consider local production to offer a more affordable price.”
Mr Ryosuke Nishida, Business Promotion Department, Kitsutaka Co Ltd, Japan
“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 in surveying 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.”
Mr Seung Jin Choi, Assistant Manager, Research & Development Dept, Hangyang Eco-Tex, Korea
Technical textiles and nonwovens, textile processing, and printing technology
“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, and 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 Daniel Ohndorf, Sales Area Manager, emtec Electronic GmbH, Germany
“We are the only global manufacturer of polyacrylate in fiber form. We sell a lot of superabsorbent fiber 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.”
Mr Paul Rushton, Commercial Director, Technical Absorbents, UK
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.”
Mr Marco Corrado, Director of Sales, Textile Asia Pte Ltd, Vietnam
“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 to be an exhibitor in the future. I believe that in the next two – three years the market will become more positive.”
Ms Sara Pelizzoli, Marketing Manager, Hung Yen Knitting & Dyeing, Vietnam
“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.”
Ms Astrid Bonnet, General Manager, ASEAN Region, LBX Asie, Vietnam
“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.”
Mr Tony Tan, Business Development Manager, VNPOLIFIBER, Vietnam
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.”
Mr Winston A. Mulyadi, Commercial Head, Southeast Asia & Oceania, Lenzing, Austria
“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.”
Ms Sharon Deidre Leyson, Vice President: International Affairs, Thai Industrial Hemp Trade Association (TIHTA), Thailand
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.
