Vietnam’s footwear and handbag exports to the United States exceeded $8 billion in the first 8 months of 2026 while total exports from the country’s leather and footwear sector reached $19.54 billion up 2.4% year-on-year according to multiple local media reports.
The sector recorded more than $2.45 billion in exports in August 2026 alone down 9% from July but up 3% compared with the same month last year.
Footwear exports reached an estimated $16.20 billion during the first 8 months, increasing 1% from the same period in 2025.
Exports of handbags, suitcases and umbrellas performed better rising 12% to $3.34 billion.
The US remained Vietnam’s largest market, importing $6.46 billion worth of footwear and $1.55 billion of handbags, suitcases and umbrellas.
The EU was the 2nd largest market with exports increasing 4% to nearly $5 billion. Exports to France, Luxembourg and Denmark grew 10%, 61% and 33% respectively while shipments to Germany declined 5%.
Foreign invested companies continued to account for most exports generating more than $15.5 billion from footwear and handbags. This included $13.23 billion in footwear and $2.35 billion in handbags.
The sector is targeting $29-30 billion in exports for 2026. To reach the target, it will need to average more than $2.5 billion in monthly exports during the final 4 months of the year.
