Amid an unprecedented global crisis caused by the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), local garment manufacturers have quickly shifted their efforts to produce additional medical face masks and protective clothing for the purpose of exporting to countries that have been hit hard by the pandemic.

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Indeed, the dire need for the United States and EU members to import protective medical items and masks in large quantities has presented a wealth of opportunities for domestic textile and garment enterprises.

Nguyen Tuan Viet, Director of VietGo Company, stated that although the demand for traditional products has plummeted, local firms have signed approximately 300 export orders for face masks. This has therefore created plenty of opportunities for the apparel and textile industry to produce cloth masks and medical protective clothing to be exported. 

Economists believe that despite the US and EU being in great need of protective medical clothing and masks, Vietnamese enterprises must step up efforts to meet the required standards and regulations set by these markets. 

Truong Van Cam, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, emphasised that despite bright export prospects caused by recent events, local businesses must obtain the necessary medical certificates to export medical products to these markets. 

Following this, Dao Van Phuong, General Director of the Nam Dinh Silk Textile Joint Stock Company, said that many European countries have been using medical face masks as there are no standards set on cloth masks, leading to challenges when exporting masks. 

Vietnam’s trade office based in Belgium has also warned that domestic enterprises who wish to export masks and protective medical clothing to the EU must first obtain CE marking in order to comply with EU regulations, or alternatively meet the 11 standards set forth by the EU and its members.

As a result of these tight regulations, the mass production of face masks and protective medical items without any technical standards is not permitted for goods hoping to be sold within the EU, causing an abundant supply and economic losses for businesses. 

Despite facing difficulties in exporting cloth masks and protective gear, experts believe there is a range of opportunities open to textile enterprises that can restructure goods to meet the requirements of foreign partners, serving to increase export turnover as a means of offsetting the decline in orders caused by the COVID-19. 

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, DuPont Company of the US has ordered Vietnamese garment enterprises to produce 450,000 protective items in order to address the urgent need of health workers as they respond to the spread of the pandemic.

It is expected that over the course of the next five weeks, the US Department of Health and Human Services will continue to receive 2.25 million sets of medical protective clothing from the country, with it being likely that they will place new orders for an additional 4.5 million sets from Vietnamese textile enterprises.