According to the Ho Chi Minh City Trade and Investment Promotion Center (ITPC), North America is currently a large consumption market, accounting for about 1/3 of Vietnam's total export turnover in recent years. In 2025 alone, the United States continues to be Vietnam's largest export market with a turnover of 37.85 billion USD.
Notably, 2025 also recorded an important milestone for Vietnam's wood industry when the export turnover of wood and wood products for the first time exceeded the 17 billion USD mark. Vietnam continues to maintain its position as the largest supplier of wooden furniture to the US market with an export value of 9.46 billion USD.
On June 11, at a training conference with the theme "Improving the capacity for international economic integration in the North American market and interior and exterior industry", Ms. Ho Thi Quyen - Deputy Director of ITPC - said that maintaining and expanding market share in North America is posing many new requirements for interior and exterior industry businesses. In addition to improving management capacity, businesses need to quickly adapt to green consumption trends, develop sustainable products, solve the problem of working capital and proactively access modern distribution channels.
Sharing about the difficulties when exporting, Ms. La Kim Nhung - representative of IMITI Co., Ltd. - said that export activities to North America are facing many difficulties due to changes in US trade and tariff policies. This has caused the export revenue of businesses in this market to tend to decrease.
For the European market, businesses are actively looking for new partners. However, this is a market with many technical barriers, especially strict requirements on traceability. Although demand from European importers is still very large, finding wood and raw material sources that meet current standards is not easy. Many customers have a need to buy goods, but standard raw material sources in Vietnam are still limited, making it difficult to meet their requirements.
To promote exports in the current context, businesses are implementing many solutions. With the US market, businesses continue to expand customer networks, prioritizing segments that require high quality and are less pressured by prices. At the same time, businesses diversify customer sources to minimize risks from trade policy fluctuations.
Ms. Nguyen Yen Ngoc - Head of the Foreign Trade Remedies Processing Department, Trade Remedies Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade) - recommends that businesses proactively equip themselves with legal knowledge, regularly monitor early warning systems, build transparent supply chains and complete accounting systems according to international standards to limit risks in export activities.
Mr. Huynh Le Dai Thang - Member of the HAWA Executive Committee, Director of Nghia Son Wooden Furniture Co., Ltd. - said that businesses need to change their thinking from "selling the products they have" to "selling the products customers need". In addition, brand protection, preparing financial resources, investing in warehouse systems and specialized human resources to manage data are also important factors to help businesses improve their competitiveness in the international market.
To optimize the efficiency of the supply chain, businesses need to proactively plan transportation early, prepare a complete set of documents according to the requirements of the import market. In particular, for products originating from wood, businesses must comply with specialized inspection regulations.
