Vietnam’s textile and garment sector has once again demonstrated its solid performance in international trade by the middle of 2026. Based on the latest report from the Customs IT and Statistics Department under the Ministry of Finance, total shipments of textile and apparel products—excluding yarn and fiber categories—successfully reached 22.863 billion dollars from January through July 2026. This achievement reflects a slight upward trend of 1.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
The United States, as one of the world’s largest consumer markets for textile and apparel products, recorded a significant downward trend throughout the first half of 2026. Based on the latest international trade data released by the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) under the US Department of Commerce, total US textile and apparel imports contracted by 7.12 percent, falling to 47.670 billion dollars from 51.326 billion dollars in the same period last year. This figure reflects clear pressure on the purchasing power of US buyers and shifting consumption patterns amidst a challenging global economic landscape.
The global manufacturing landscape appears to be on a steady path of recovery in early 2026. According to the latest data from UNIDO, world manufacturing output recorded an impressive year-on-year increase of 3.1 percent in the first quarter. However, behind these encouraging growth figures lies a striking irony on the garment production floor. Unlike other industrial sectors, apparel production actually contracted by nearly 3 percent, creating a structural divide that has now become a focus for industry players and market analysts.
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