Vietnam earned over $6.5 billion from exporting  leather, footwear and handbag products in the first half of 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.7%, according to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso), as quoted by the Government News.

The US was the biggest importer, making up 35% of the sector’s total export value, followed by the EU, Japan and South Korea.

The sector set a target of $26-27 billion in export turnover in 2024 on the basis of the positive results so far.

To fulfill the goal, the sector is determined to expand and diversify market and sustain traditional markets including the US and the EU.

The leather and footwear sector has over 1,000 production factories with 1.5 million workers, contributing around 8% of the country's GDP.