HCM City (VNA) – A series of events were held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 10-12 to promote trade exchanges among leather and footwear businesses of Vietnam and Italy.

They were jointly organised by Italian Trade Office in Vietnam, the National Association of Italian Manufacturers of Footwear, Leathergoods and Tanning Technologies of Italy (Assomac), and the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso).

Assomac General Manager Agostino Apolito said that the association aims to support Italian firms to introduce more technologies to Vietnam, especially those that meet strict requirements in environment and sustainable development.

The official said the association will work with Lefaso and some other agencies to build a specific roadmap for the rest of 2024 and following years with practical activities to create favourable conditions for Italian and Vietnamese firms to strengthen their partnership.

Meanwhile, Italian Ambassador in Vietnam Marco Della Seta said that promoting trade with Vietnam, a strong exporter of leader and footwear products, will contribute to increasing trade between the two countries.

He said that Italy has coordinated with Vietnamese partners to set up the Vietnam-Italy Footwear Technology Centre in the southern province of Binh Duong to serve as a venue for technology transfer and human resources training for Vietnam’s leather and footwear sector.

Equipped with modern machineries and the latest technology imported directly from Italy and Europe, the centre will help small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Vietnamese leather and footwear industry to access, research, and develop new products, he held.

Over the recent years, along with updating Italian firms with Vietnamese market information, the Italian Trade Office in Vietnam has held many trade fairs and exhibitions in Vietnam, including the Shoes & Leather – Vietnam and Vietnam International Footwear & Leather Products Exhibition (IFLE – Vietnam). This year, the event was held in HCM City from July 10-12, drawing 18 leading firms in the industry.

At a conference on the leather and footwear industry’s future held on July 12, many Italian firms introduced their brands, products and technologies to Vietnamese peers. Participants had opportunities to meet, exchange and access information from domestic and foreign experts.

Lefaso President Diep Thanh Kiet predicted that by 2030, Vietnam's total export turnover of footwear and handbags will reach 38 - 40 billion USD.

The opportunities and potential for the industry’s development are huge. However, the "greening" trend in the world ✱is making it more challenging for businesses, especially exporters, he noted, advising Vietnamese firms to brace themselves with green technologies and prepare a “green passport” to enter the European market./.