Major garment producer says did not lose Nike orders due to Covid restrictions

By Dat Nguyen November 15, 2021 | 08:14 pm PT

Nike shoes are seen on display in New York, U.S., March 18, 2019. Photo by Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Viettien Garment Corporation has not lost any of its Nike orders to other countries since the American company could not find suitable alternatives, its chairman said.

"Until October, when we reopened, Nike has not moved any of its orders from Viettien [to another country] because it could not find an appropriate manufacturer in terms of delivery time and quality," Lao Dong newspaper quoted Vu Duc Giang as saying at a press conference Monday.

Giang, also chairman of the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association, said during the restrictions in the third quarter, 13-14 percent of garment orders were moved from Vietnam to other countries.

But there are signs that orders are coming back for next year, he said.

"This is why we have set an export target of $43.5 billion."

Last year, exports had fallen by 9 percent to $35 billion.

Giang said that foreign companies only move orders to other countries when the deadline is too close, and they continue to have confidence in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s garment exports in the first 10 months of this year fell by 5 percent year-on-year to $24.74 billion.