With support from the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, ten Vietnamese companies showcased a wide range of garments and fashion accessories, including dresses, suits, children's clothing, sportswear, workwear, uniforms, handbags, hats, and silk scarves. Among these, silk scarves and fashion accessories were particularly well received.

Held twice a year in one of the world’s fashion capitals, Source Fashion London is the UK’s largest business-to-business fashion trade exhibition. This year’s event featured 350 businesses from around the world, presenting products such as fabrics, yarns, garments, and fashion accessories. Thousands of visitors, including buyers, designers, and small to medium-sized retailers, attended the event to seek suppliers and production partners.

According to Le Dinh Ba, trade counselor at the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK, the Vietnamese pavilion at the fair aims to support domestic businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, in showcasing their products and designs even if they cannot attend in person. Participants were able to send samples, designs, and catalogues for display at this key trade event.

Pietro Lessi, client relations director at Source Fashion London, described the event as an ideal platform for Vietnamese textile manufacturers to explore export opportunities in Europe. The fair features a comprehensive fashion supply chain, from raw materials to finished goods, making it a cost-effective way to find partners and establish long-term business relationships within the global fashion industry.

Vietnam currently ranks as the UK’s sixth-largest supplier of textiles and apparel, following China, Bangladesh, Italy, Turkey, and India. Many “Made in Vietnam” products are already present in major UK retail chains such as M&S, Next, Zara, and Primark.

Last year, Vietnamese exports of textile and garment products and fashion accessories to the UK reached about US$920 million, up 15% compared to the previous year. With the UK’s total textile and fashion import demand reaching £16.7 billion (about USD 22.5 billion) in 2024, there is still considerable room for Vietnamese exporters to grow.

Meanwhile, Lessi revealed that the demand for sourcing from Asia is increasing, pointing out that 68% of the UK fashion market is private label, meaning that designers want to source directly from manufacturers. He expressed his hope that future editions of Source Fashion would see even greater participation from Vietnamese exporters.

Source: VOV