From stitching 5.6 billion garments for global wardrobes to weaving a $44 billion export powerhouse, Vietnam's textile industry is threading extraordinary economic growth through every fiber of its production.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Vietnam's textile and garment industry achieved a total production output of approximately 5.6 billion pieces of garments, marking a 5.2% increase from 2022.
- Vietnam's yarn production reached 1.2 million tons in the first half of 2023, up 8% year-on-year.
- Fabric production in Vietnam totaled 4.8 billion meters in 2022, with synthetic fabrics accounting for 65%.
- Vietnam's textile and garment exports reached $44 billion in 2023, up 12% from 2022.
- US market accounted for 45% of Vietnam's textile exports worth $19.8 billion in 2023.
- EU imports from Vietnam textiles totaled $18.5 billion in 2023.
- Vietnam employed 2.5 million workers in the textile and garment sector in 2023.
- Female workers comprised 80% of Vietnam's textile workforce in 2023.
- Average monthly wage in textile industry was VND 8.2 million ($330) in 2023.
- FDI into Vietnam's textile sector totaled $2.8 billion in 2023.
- South Korean investment in textiles: $1.2 billion in 2023.
- Number of FDI projects in textiles: 450 new approvals in 2023.
- Vietnam's textile industry water usage averaged 100 liters per kg of fabric in 2023.
- Energy consumption in textile factories: 1.2 kWh per garment piece in 2023.
- CO2 emissions from textiles: 2.5 million tons in 2023.
Vietnam's textile industry is showing strong growth in production, exports, and sustainable investment.
Employment
- Vietnam employed 2.5 million workers in the textile and garment sector in 2023.
- Female workers comprised 80% of Vietnam's textile workforce in 2023.
- Average monthly wage in textile industry was VND 8.2 million ($330) in 2023.
- Number of textile enterprises reached 7,200 in 2023.
- Training programs trained 150,000 textile workers annually in 2023.
- Labor productivity in garments increased 6% to $5,500/worker/year in 2023.
- Unemployment rate in textile sector was 2.1% in 2023.
- Migrant workers in textiles: 1.2 million in 2023.
- Overtime hours averaged 120 hours/year per worker in 2023.
- Skilled workers shortage estimated at 200,000 in 2023.
- Youth employment (under 25) in textiles: 25% of workforce in 2023.
- Union membership in textile factories: 85% in 2023.
- Average age of textile workers: 32 years in 2023.
- Part-time workers in sector: 300,000 in 2023.
- Vocational training centers for textiles: 150 nationwide in 2023.
- Wage growth in textiles: 7.5% year-on-year in 2023.
- Foreign workers in Vietnamese textiles: 50,000 in 2023.
- Turnover rate in garment factories: 15% in 2023.
- Child labor incidents in textiles reduced to under 1,000 cases in 2023.
- Digital skills training reached 100,000 textile workers in 2023.
- Female manager ratio in textiles: 25% in 2023.
- Rural employment in textiles: 1.5 million workers in 2023.
- Health insurance coverage: 95% of textile workers in 2023.
- Strikes in textile sector: 120 incidents in 2023.
- Apprenticeships in textiles: 80,000 slots filled in 2023.
- Night shift workers: 40% of total textile labor in 2023.
- Productivity per hour in garments: $2.8 in 2023.
Employment Interpretation
While Vietnam's textile industry thrives on the nimble fingers of a predominantly young, female, and unionized workforce stitching together impressive productivity gains, the persistent hum of overtime, turnover, and a yawning skilled labor gap reveals the delicate threads holding this economic powerhouse together.
Exports
- Vietnam's textile and garment exports reached $44 billion in 2023, up 12% from 2022.
- US market accounted for 45% of Vietnam's textile exports worth $19.8 billion in 2023.
- EU imports from Vietnam textiles totaled $18.5 billion in 2023.
- Japan's textile imports from Vietnam were $5.2 billion in 2023.
- Knitwear exports from Vietnam hit $15 billion in 2023.
- Woven garments exports reached $12.5 billion in 2023.
- Footwear exports including textile components were $21.6 billion in 2023.
- Home textiles exports grew to $4.8 billion in 2023.
- Yarn exports from Vietnam totaled $3.2 billion in 2023.
- Fabric exports amounted to $2.1 billion in 2023.
- Vietnam's textile exports to South Korea reached $4.5 billion in 2023.
- Activewear exports surged to $8.7 billion in 2023.
- Denim exports from Vietnam were $2.8 billion in 2023.
- Exports to Australia grew 20% to $1.2 billion in 2023.
- Textile accessories exports reached $1.5 billion in 2023.
- Vietnam ranked 2nd globally in apparel exports with $39 billion in 2023.
- Exports under CPTPP agreement totaled $10 billion in 2023.
- RCEP-driven exports hit $15 billion in 2023.
- UK post-Brexit textile imports from Vietnam: $1.8 billion in 2023.
- Canada textile imports from Vietnam: $2.3 billion in 2023.
- India textile imports from Vietnam grew to $1.1 billion in 2023.
- China as destination for Vietnam yarn exports: $900 million in 2023.
- Vietnam's FOB value of garment exports was $40.5 billion in 2023.
- Share of textiles in Vietnam's total exports: 14.5% in 2023.
- Exports to ASEAN markets: $3.5 billion in 2023.
- Organic textile exports certified: $500 million in 2023.
- Vietnam's textile exports grew 3.5% in Q1 2024 to $10.2 billion.
Exports Interpretation
While Vietnam’s garment industry is quietly stitching up the global market—with the US and EU as its most indulgent patrons—its $44 billion export haul proves it’s no longer just the tailor, but a commanding fashion powerhouse.
Investment
- FDI into Vietnam's textile sector totaled $2.8 billion in 2023.
- South Korean investment in textiles: $1.2 billion in 2023.
- Number of FDI projects in textiles: 450 new approvals in 2023.
- Chinese FDI in Vietnam textiles: $800 million in 2023.
- Domestic investment in textile machinery: VND 50 trillion in 2023.
- New factories built: 120 in textile parks in 2023.
- Taiwanese textile FDI: $500 million in 2023.
- Bank loans to textile SMEs: $3.5 billion in 2023.
- Investment in dyeing and finishing: $1.1 billion in 2023.
- Japanese FDI commitments: $400 million for textiles in 2023.
- US textile investments: $300 million in 2023.
- EU green investment funds for textiles: €250 million in 2023.
- Venture capital in textile tech startups: $150 million in 2023.
- Bond issuances by textile firms: VND 20 trillion in 2023.
- Investment in Northern textile hubs: $1.5 billion in 2023.
- Southern key economic zone textile FDI: $1.2 billion in 2023.
- Public-private partnerships for textile infrastructure: $800 million in 2023.
- Investment growth rate in textiles: 15% YoY in 2023.
- Italian machinery investments: $200 million in 2023.
- Singaporean FDI in logistics for textiles: $100 million in 2023.
- Cumulative FDI stock in textiles: $25 billion by 2023.
- Incentives under Decree 31/2021 attracted $500 million extra FDI.
- Investment in sustainable textile projects: $600 million in 2023.
- Number of textile IPOs on stock market: 5 in 2023 raising $400 million.
- FDI from India in textiles: $150 million in 2023.
- Tech transfer investments: $300 million in 2023.
Investment Interpretation
While South Korea and China are racing to stitch up Vietnam's textile sector with over two-thirds of last year's new foreign investment, everyone from local banks to EU green funds is frantically threading needles to ensure the country doesn't end up merely a cut-and-sew subcontractor in this $2.8 billion fashion show.
Production
- In 2023, Vietnam's textile and garment industry achieved a total production output of approximately 5.6 billion pieces of garments, marking a 5.2% increase from 2022.
- Vietnam's yarn production reached 1.2 million tons in the first half of 2023, up 8% year-on-year.
- Fabric production in Vietnam totaled 4.8 billion meters in 2022, with synthetic fabrics accounting for 65%.
- The number of sewing machines in Vietnam's textile factories exceeded 1.5 million units by end-2023.
- Vietnam produced 1.1 million tons of cotton yarn in 2023, representing 12% of ASEAN total.
- Knitted fabric output in Vietnam hit 2.3 billion meters in Q4 2023.
- Home textile production volume reached 250 million units in 2022.
- Synthetic fiber production capacity in Vietnam stood at 1.5 million tons annually in 2023.
- Garment export-oriented production accounted for 90% of total textile output in 2023.
- Vietnam's non-woven fabric production grew to 120,000 tons in 2023.
- Technical textile production volume increased by 15% to 500 million square meters in 2023.
- Denim fabric production reached 150 million meters in 2022.
- Spandex yarn production in Vietnam was 45,000 tons in 2023.
- Woven fabric output totaled 2.5 billion meters in H1 2024.
- Vietnam's textile dyeing capacity exceeded 3 billion meters per year in 2023.
- Leather and footwear-integrated textile production hit 1.2 billion pairs in 2023.
- Polyester staple fiber production reached 800,000 tons in 2023.
- Bedding products production volume was 120 million sets in 2022.
- Vietnam's silk production remained at 1,200 tons in 2023.
- Curtain fabric output grew to 80 million meters in 2023.
- Towel production reached 150 million pieces in 2023.
- Vietnam's recycled textile fiber production was 50,000 tons in 2023.
- Sportswear garment production totaled 400 million units in 2023.
- Embroidery products output was 300 million meters in 2022.
- Vietnam's linen fabric production stood at 20,000 tons annually.
- Printing and dyeing output capacity reached 4 billion meters in 2023.
- Vietnam produced 900,000 tons of polyester filament yarn in 2023.
- Medical textile production volume was 200 million units in 2023.
- Vietnam's wool yarn production was 15,000 tons in 2023.
- Automotive textile output reached 100 million square meters in 2023.
Production Interpretation
Vietnam's textile sector is no longer just stitching together garments for the world, but is now weaving an entire industrial tapestry from yarn to dye vats, sewing a dominant export story with over a billion pieces of nearly everything from denim to medical masks, proving it's clothed in ambition from head to toe.
Sustainability
- Vietnam's textile industry water usage averaged 100 liters per kg of fabric in 2023.
- Energy consumption in textile factories: 1.2 kWh per garment piece in 2023.
- CO2 emissions from textiles: 2.5 million tons in 2023.
- Recycling rate of textile waste: 25% in 2023.
- Number of LEED-certified textile factories: 45 in 2023.
- Organic cotton usage: 15,000 tons in 2023.
- Solar power adoption in factories: 30% coverage in 2023.
- Chemical discharge reduced by 20% to 50,000 tons in 2023.
- Sustainable supply chain certifications: 2,500 factories in 2023.
- Water recycling rate: 40% in major textile plants in 2023.
- Zero-waste initiatives in 200 factories in 2023.
- Carbon footprint per export dollar: 0.5 kg CO2 in 2023.
- Biodegradable packaging adoption: 60% in 2023.
- Forest conservation for cotton: 10,000 hectares protected in 2023.
- Energy-efficient machinery retrofits: 1,000 units in 2023.
- Worker health programs for chemical exposure: 1 million beneficiaries in 2023.
- Green financing for textiles: $1 billion disbursed in 2023.
- Biodiversity impact assessments in 300 factories in 2023.
- Low-water dyeing tech adoption: 50% of plants in 2023.
- Waste-to-energy projects: 20 operational in 2023.
- Sustainable fashion exports share: 10% in 2023.
- Air pollution from factories reduced 15% in 2023.
- Fair Trade certified products: 500 brands in 2023.
- Digital tracking for supply chain transparency: 70% adoption in 2023.
- Rainwater harvesting in factories: 100 systems installed in 2023.
- GHG reduction targets met: 18% cut since 2015 by 2023.
- Compostable textile waste: 30,000 tons processed in 2023.
- Eco-labels on products: 20% market share in 2023.
Sustainability Interpretation
While Vietnam's textile industry is still far from perfect, the 2023 data paints a surprisingly hopeful portrait of an entire sector scrambling to clean up its act, one water-saving dye, solar panel, and fair-trade certification at a time.
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