Vietnamese shoe exporters advised to foster trademarks
Industry officials in Vietnam have said that Vietnamese businesses in the footwear industry have not been successful in building global trademarks, despite the country being a top rgest producer of leather and footwear.
Diep Thanh Kiet, vice president of the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (LEFASO), said that Vietnamese footwear products had not been branded well and were not of high quality. Addressing a two-day seminar that began yesterday in HCM City, Mr Kiet said that Vietnamese footwear producers had not made their trademarks known worldwide.
“People only know about footwear made in Italy, Hong Kong and mainland China, not in Vietnam,” he said.
Co-hosted by the European Delegation and LEFASO, the seminar is being held to promote the building of brands and to improve competitiveness in the industry. Mr Kiet said that Vietnamese footwear companies’ main disadvantage had been a lack of awareness of the importance of building trademarks.
By only registering trademarks for their products, local producers are dominated by well-known foreign brands, even in the domestic market.
According to LEFASO, Vietnam ranks fourth in the world in leather and footwear exports, with export value around $3 billion in the first six months of the year, up 30% against the same period last year.
To help the local industry fulfil its 2020 target of increasing exports and helping local producers achieve an 80% market share, LEFASO has signed a partnership with Italian and Belgian businesses. European partners are helping Vietnamese footwear producers improve their international trade knowledge, and Italian technology and skills are being transferred to local footwear manufacturers.
