Vietnam has to boost its efforts to export around US $ 3.3 billion worth garments each month till December 2019 if it has to attain the projected target of US $ 40 billion. Exports in first 6 months of current year were just US $ 17.9 billion, instead of the targeted US $ 20 billion. The industry has also realised that it needs to significantly increase foreign direct investment.

Interestingly, there’s also lot of talk in the industry on whether the weekly working hours in Vietnam’s garment, textile and footwear sector should be reduced from 48 to 44. In a workshop on draft amendments to the Labour Code held recently in Ho Chi Minh City, the proposal to lessen the weekly working hours was rejected outright majorly due to the lack of practicality. Most in the apparel and footwear sector opined that this will lead to workers’ loss, especially those who are either paid for every product they make or those who work on an hourly basis.

The issue also gives vast coverage to CISMA 2019, recorded as one of the best editions as it beckoned the world with wide range of ‘Intelligent Manufacturing’ technologies under the theme ‘Smart Sewing Factory – Technologies and Solutions’, grabbing the attention of apparel manufacturing giants from various parts of Asia.