Textile Industry Attracts Investment in Raw Material Production

With new tariff policies, synthetic fiber products currently require proof of origin. Therefore, to boost export revenue, the only way for the Vietnamese textile industry is to enhance automation and raise the localization rate.

Dr. Le Tien Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), said that in recent years, the trend of producing synthetic fiber products has been rising, with polyester staple fiber (PSF) being a key raw material for chief value cotton (CVC) and polyester (PE) products. While the demand for PSF was about 100,000 tons per year in 2020, it is expected to reach 550,000 tons by 2025.

Recently, to build sustainability in the chemical fiber textile supply chain and aim for proactive domestic sourcing, higher added value, and greater competitiveness in the global market, Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) and the Vietnam National Industry–Energy Group (Petrovietnam) have cooperated based on a product consumption agreement between PetroVietnam Petrochemical and Textile Fiber Joint Stock Company (VNPoly) and Vinatex’s member units.

According to Mr. Tran Huy Thu, General Director of VNPoly, based on each party’s existing capacity and experience, they agreed to sign a principle contract for the consumption of PSF products produced by VNPoly. VNPoly cooperated with Vinatex to select 1–2 post-sewing factories to test spinning, weaving, and dyeing VNPoly products to evaluate their quality before supplying to PSF fiber customers, with a commitment to offer preferential policies to support testing in line with market prices.

Research data shows that Vietnam's demand for PSF products is about 492,000 tons per year, most of which must be imported. Meanwhile, textile products exported to the U.S. account for 20% of the country's total textile export output. Therefore, localizing raw materials for Vietnam’s textile industry has become urgent, especially in light of U.S. tariff policies on imported textile products. The cooperation between VNPoly and Vinatex’s subsidiaries aims to enhance the competitiveness of all parties in both domestic and international markets.

Mr. Le Tien Truong affirmed that 12 Vinatex enterprises attended the signing ceremony for practical benefits and long-term, substantive cooperation. He noted that the actual demand for PSF fiber in Vietnam has grown significantly, along with a rising trend in the use of PSF blended yarn. Vinatex enterprises have a strong need for VNPoly’s PSF supply to meet origin requirements in major markets such as the United States and Europe.

“Since 2022, fiber enterprises have had to shift from producing 100% cotton products to manufacturing CVC and PE products. Therefore, the demand for PSF products is a practical need for Vinatex's fiber manufacturers. In addition, under new tariff policies, synthetic fiber products must now prove their origin. Since Vietnam cannot produce cotton, it must ensure over 50% domestic content to meet technical requirements of fabric producers. As a result, the only way to increase export revenue is to boost automation and expand the domestic raw material supply,” Mr. Truong said.

Although demand is high, the implementation still faces challenges as Vinatex cannot purchase fiber at prices higher than the market, while Chinese fiber remains relatively competitive. Currently, 70% of Vinatex's yarn output must meet "dyeing guarantee" commitments, ensuring consistent yarn quality during the fabric dyeing process. Therefore, close coordination is essential between fiber suppliers and yarn manufacturers to meet strict requirements on the post-sale dyeing structure of the yarn.

Faced with strict requirements on the origin of raw materials for textile production, Vinatex leaders suggested that businesses should classify and clearly identify fabric types that can be sourced domestically to reduce reliance on imports. They emphasized the need to fully utilize local material sources to prioritize the use of imported fabrics more strategically. At the same time, enterprises are encouraged to collaborate with customers to diversify imported raw material sources and accelerate the adoption of digital solutions for product origin traceability.

Speaking at the recent conference between the Prime Minister and heads of Vietnam’s overseas diplomatic missions, Mr. Truong Van Cam, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), emphasized the need to strengthen the internal capacity of the textile and garment industry, including human resource training.

In the first six months of 2025, the industry's total export turnover is estimated at US$21.8 billion, up 10.6%; import turnover is estimated at US$12.7 billion, up 9.3%, resulting in a trade surplus of US$9.1 billion. For the whole year, export turnover is forecast to reach US$46–47 billion.

By Le Hien, Vietnam Business Forum