Vietnam garment exports rise to $30.3 billion in 9 months amid slower growth

Clothing exports reached US$30.32 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up just 1.9% year on year, compared with 8.6% growth during the same period of 2025.

TCF POST Report

Hanoi, October 3. -Vietnam’s textile and garment industry generated US$30.323 billion in exports during January–September 2026, according to the General Statistics Office, an increase of about US$580 million from the US$29.743 billion recorded in the same period of 2025.

The increase, however, represents a significant slowdown in sector growth. During January–September 2025, textile and garment exports had risen 8.6% year on year, according to the Customs IT and Statistics Department of the General Department of Customs under Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance.

The latest figures therefore show that while Vietnam’s textile and garment export value has moved above the previous year’s level, the pace of expansion has weakened considerably.

Vietnam’s merchandise exports reached a record US$59.48 billion in September 2026, up 39.1% year on year and 8.5% from August. For the first nine months, total merchandise exports rose 24.5% to US$434.30 billion.

Textile and garment exports therefore represented roughly 7% of Vietnam’s total merchandise exports during the first nine months.

The sector also lagged well behind several of Vietnam’s major export categories. Electronics, computers and components generated US$123.66 billion, up 59.6% year on year. Machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts reached US$55.01 billion, up 27.9%, while phones and components generated US$51.77 billion, up 18.8%.

For the Textile, Clothing and Footwear industry, the data highlight an uneven export recovery. Vietnam’s broader manufacturing and export economy is expanding rapidly, while textile and garment shipments are growing only marginally.

In September 2025, textile and garment exports had fallen 15.6% month on month to US$3.260 billion from August. No September 2026 textile-and-garment figure is provided in the latest data, so a direct monthly sector comparison cannot be established from the available figures.

Vietnam’s total merchandise exports reached US$167.85 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 30.4% year on year and 17% compared with the second quarter.

The country recorded 35 export product categories above US$1 billion in the first nine months, accounting for 94.3% of total export turnover. Seven categories exceeded US$10 billion.