Basic Exhibition Information: VFM Vietnam International Shoe Machinery and Footwear Materials Industry Exhibition + VTG Vietnam International Textile and Garment Industry Exhibition, October 14-17, 2026, SECC Exhibition Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This document is a research report by the co-organizer, used for market analysis, buyer invitation, EDM, and independent website SEO marketing.

1. Macro Background of the Era

In 2026, the global footwear and apparel supply chain is in a deep transformation cycle driven by technological restructuring, geopolitical competition, and consumption evolution. With tariff increases, geopolitical frictions, and the mandatory implementation of ESG and digital traceability regulations in Europe and the US, global footwear professional exhibitions are experiencing significant differentiation and structural transformation. This report covers exhibition trends across global regions, pain points of Vietnamese buyers, and industry trends.

2. Analysis of the Four Tiers of Global Footwear Exhibitions

First Tier | Super Growth & Order Source

Vietnam: Benefiting from the second wave of supply chain relocation, with procurement headquarters of leading contract manufacturers such as Pou Chen, Feng Tay, and TBS concentrated here; the October VFM/VTG is the most valuable industry exhibition in Southeast Asia. Internal pressures come from rising labor costs and environmental compliance. Demand for low-end shoe machinery is shrinking, while automated equipment, AI shoe-making machinery, and circular green footwear materials have become mainstream.

India: Driven by the 'Make in India' initiative, shoe exhibitions are highly popular with strong willingness to upgrade equipment; demand for basic shoe machinery and cost-effective footwear materials is robust. Risks: high barriers in BIS certification, customs clearance, and visas; strong name-card effect but long actual conversion cycles.

Second Tier | Transition Period & Cautious Optimism

Indonesia: Great potential, but import restrictions and high tariff policies suppress corporate investment willingness, leading to sluggish exhibitions; future shifts toward local brands and supply chain supporting industries, with domestic demand for mid-to-high-end footwear materials stronger than for shoe machinery exhibitions.

Bangladesh: Recovery after political turmoil, enjoying EU tariff-free dividends; after political stability, automated sewing and traditional shoe-making equipment will usher in a replenishment cycle.

Cambodia: Production base for Taiwanese and Chinese-funded large factories, with a single industry structure and reliance on external supporting facilities; there is no high-quality local professional exhibition; factory procurement groups are mainly covered by Vietnam VFM, so independent participation is not recommended.

Third tier | Mature/declining stage, focusing on redesigning channels rather than equipment

Japan and South Korea: The local shoe manufacturing industry has basically disappeared, making shoe machinery exhibition participation of low value; finished shoe exhibitions are an important window for Asian trends, ODM/OEM orders, and agency for high-end new materials.

Taiwan region of China: Holds OEM production for most global major brand sports shoes, with production lines relocated overseas, but R&D and equipment procurement decision-making headquarters remain; exhibitions focus on high-tech and green recycled materials, serving as an entry point into Taiwanese giant supply chains.

Hong Kong, China: The functions of re-export and supply chain finance are weakening; traditional hardware exhibitions such as APLF are fading in nature, retaining only the business matching and negotiation functions for multinational buyers.

Fourth Tier | Mainland China, polarized and fiercely competitive

Regional small shoe exhibitions compete on low prices; leading large exhibitions gather top technologies in AI and flexible manufacturing. With excess equipment production capacity, domestic exhibitions are gradually evolving into one-stop procurement platforms for overseas buyers from the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Russia, and other markets.

3. VFM/VTG Market Analysis: Structural Changes in Vietnamese Buyers

The procurement logic has undergone a fundamental shift: from buying equipment for capacity expansion in the past to reducing costs and securing supply chain positions for survival today.

Large factories (Taiwanese, Korean) have digitized and closed procurement processes; small and medium-sized supporting factories show high enthusiasm for visiting, but their purchasing power has shrunk.

Key to exhibition success: mobilize co-organizer resources, attract senior executives from large factories, and simultaneously draw incremental buyers from neighboring countries to Ho Chi Minh City.

4. Three Core Invitation Topics for Vietnam's Shoe Manufacturing

Invitations should not just say 'come see the exhibition', but directly address the survival pain points of factories.

1) Extreme Self-Rescue Cost Reduction: Machine Replacement + AI Intelligent Equipment Implementation

Vietnam's wages continue to rise, squeezing the profits of OEM factories. Cutting, gluing, and knitted uppers urgently need intelligent alternatives. Promotional benefits: Help factories reduce 30-50% of frontline labor costs, reaching factory managers and engineering directors.

2) Not Green Means Out: ESG Compliance and Green Procurement

Under pressure from regulations such as the EU Ecodesign Directive, brands like Nike and Adidas impose strict assessments on carbon footprint and raw materials for upstream OEM factories; VOC-free adhesives and bio-based recycled shoe materials become hard currency for supply assurance. Promotional benefits: The exhibition serves as a green access pass, securing supplier status with international brands.

3) Tariff Avoidance: Secondary Reorganization of Supply Chain Regions

Indonesia's trade protection policies have caused order spillover, highlighting the advantages of Vietnam's free trade agreements; local factories are urgently building near-shore mid-to-high-end supporting facilities. Promotional benefits: overseas buyers focus on supply chain risk avoidance and stability; local factories focus on undertaking spillover orders and entering the industrial ecosystem of Taiwanese and Korean giants.

5. Real Pain Points and Future Evolution of Global Shoe Exhibitions

Current Reality

1. More exhibitors than buyers, homogeneous competition, price wars weakening exhibition effectiveness;

2. Trade protection policies in multiple countries, enterprises adopt a wait-and-see attitude toward equipment procurement, "more visits, fewer orders";

3. Traditional booth-style equipment exhibitions are losing appeal, struggling to influence top management travel decisions of large factories.

Future Trends

1. Matthew effect intensifies: budget cuts, resources concentrate on super-center exhibitions like VFM/VTG and Guangzhou Exhibition, small regional exhibitions accelerate marginalization;

2. Two hardcore tracks dominate exhibitions: AI flexible smart manufacturing achieves small-batch quick response and cost reduction; ESG green solutions meet carbon footprint traceability;

3. Exhibitions upgrade from commodity trading to cross-border supply chain integration platforms: buyers simultaneously evaluate industrial park policies, bonded customs clearance, and local supporting ecosystems.

6. Strategic Value of 2026 VFM/VTG Exhibitions

1. Supply chain risk avoidance anchor point: compared to trade barriers in neighboring countries, Vietnam's free trade agreement advantages, the exhibition integrates policy briefings, industrial park visits, and investment matching, providing one-stop supply chain restructuring solutions.

2. Labor crisis technology breakthrough venue: Southeast Asia's demographic dividend is fading, showcasing practical machine-replacing-labor solutions, determining whether contract manufacturers can stay in top brand supply chains.

3. ESG compliance survival battlefield: green materials zone addresses the hard constraints of EU regulations; visiting and purchasing is no longer optional, but a survival battle to avoid being vetoed by brands.

2026 VFM & VTG Exhibition Product Preview

Exhibit 1 | AI Vision Cutting Machine

In response to the pain points of rising labor costs and significant waste in genuine leather nesting within the ASEAN footwear and apparel supply chain, our company's independently developed new-generation AI Vision Cutting Machine will make a major debut at the 2026 Vietnam VFM Exhibition. As a star smart equipment product at this Vietnam Footwear Machinery Exhibition (October 14-17), this machine is specially tailored for visitors of the Ho Chi Minh City Footwear Machinery Exhibition. It is equipped with high-precision industrial cameras, enabling second-level scanning of genuine leather defects and super-algorithm nesting. It not only helps shoe factories achieve automated cutting upgrades in fully automatic footwear production lines, but also increases genuine leather material utilization by 3%-5%, using technological dividends to thoroughly solve the skilled labor shortage problem that troubles buyers at the October Vietnam Footwear Exhibition the most. We welcome global footwear giants to visit the VFM 2026 (SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) site to inspect this revolutionary smart genuine leather cutting machine.

Exhibit 2 | Automated Shoe Lasting and Molding Line

Facing the survival crisis of high frontline labor turnover in local Vietnamese factories and persistently high defect rates caused by multi-process handoffs, our company's fully integrated Automated Shoe Lasting and Molding Line is officially entering the 2026 Vietnam VFM Exhibition. As the highlight of the October Vietnam Footwear Machinery Exhibition, this fully automatic footwear production line is an Industry 4.0 benchmark that visitors to this year's Ho Chi Minh City Footwear Machinery Exhibition cannot afford to miss. It breaks the limitations of traditional molding lines that heavily rely on manual gluing and bonding, perfectly integrating AI vision alignment, robotic arm precision bonding, and intelligent infrared drying tunnels. This not only helps buyers at the October Vietnam Footwear Exhibition directly cut 40% of high on-site labor costs, but also stabilizes the pull-out force and bonding quality pass rate of finished shoes at over 99.8%, using ultimate automation to secure stable long-term orders from international brands. We welcome all industry professionals to visit VFM 2026 (SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) to experience this intelligent revolution in molding technology up close.

Exhibit 3 | Supercritical Foaming Complete Equipment

Amid the urgent situation where traditional chemical foaming faces severe environmental customs inspections and high energy consumption is drastically reducing production profits, our company's innovative Supercritical Foaming Complete Equipment is taking the lead in landing at the 2026 Vietnam VFM Exhibition. This environmentally friendly physical foaming solution is a core highlight for mid-to-high-end sole manufacturing at this October Vietnam Footwear Machinery Exhibition, and serves as a technological benchmark specifically for visitors of the Ho Chi Minh City Footwear Machinery Exhibition seeking green equipment. The equipment uses nitrogen or carbon dioxide as the foaming medium, with zero chemical residue and zero pollution emissions. It helps buyers at the October Vietnam Footwear Exhibition fundamentally solve the EU's extremely stringent green procurement access requirements at the source, while achieving economic benefits of over 25% reduction in overall equipment energy consumption. We welcome executives from global mid-to-high-end contract manufacturers to visit the VFM 2026 (SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) booth to jointly witness the future direction of green physical foaming equipment.

Exhibit 4 | Ultra-lightweight Eco-friendly Sole Material

In view of the dual rigid requirements of international first-tier sports brands for "ultimate lightweight" and "low-carbon sustainability" in footwear, our core R&D ultra-lightweight eco-friendly sole material will make a comprehensive debut at the 2026 VFM Exhibition. As an innovative representative in the materials section of the October Vietnam Shoe Machinery Exhibition, this high-elasticity functional midsole material is the star exhibit locked in by numerous visitors to the Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Shoe Machinery Exhibition this year. While ensuring strong resilience and wear resistance, the material's density is significantly reduced by 30% compared to traditional materials, and it has an extremely high bio-based renewable content. It can help buyers at the October Vietnam Shoe Manufacturing Exhibition quickly overcome the latest carbon footprint traceability red lines in Europe and the US, directly obtaining the "green pass" to retain supplier seats with major brands such as Nike and Adidas. We sincerely invite procurement representatives and engineers from multinational brands to visit VFM 2026 (Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City SECC Exhibition) to jointly explore the lightweight future of shoe material technology.

Exhibit 5 | Water-based Non-toxic Shoe Adhesive

In response to the pain points of shoe factories repeatedly facing production suspensions and rectifications due to excessive VOCs in traditional solvent-based adhesives, and even being vetoed from major brand supplier lists, our upgraded water-based non-toxic shoe adhesive will make a comprehensive debut at the 2026 Vietnam VFM Exhibition. As the "compliance tool" in the chemical auxiliary materials section of the October Vietnam Shoe Machinery Exhibition, this product has become an environmentally friendly benchmark with extremely high consultation enthusiasm among visitors to this year's Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City Shoe Machinery Exhibition. Its formula completely abandons harmful solvents and features high initial adhesion, resistance to heat and humidity, and fast drying speed. It not only perfectly adapts to the spraying processes of fully automated shoe production lines, but also enables buyers at the October Vietnam Shoe Manufacturing Exhibition to pass the strictest harmful substance testing (RSL) in Europe and the US at the lowest cost. We welcome supply chain managers from various factories to visit VFM 2026 (Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City SECC Exhibition) to personally test this non-toxic green adhesive that ensures smooth and compliant factory operations.

Exhibition Information:

VTG 2026 | Vietnam International Textile & Garment Industry Exhibition

1. Exhibition positioning: A flagship textile machinery and intelligent manufacturing technology platform deeply rooted in Southeast Asia for nearly 20 years.

2. Exhibition Core: Focus on integrated hardware and software solutions for 'Textile 4.0 to 5.0'.

3. Core Exhibits: High-speed intelligent knitting machines, digital spinning and weaving equipment, nonwoven machinery, 3D intelligent body scanning garment systems, and factory intelligent management ERP systems.

4. Commercial Value: Directly addresses the stringent requirements of future supply chains for 'small orders, quick response', helping factories overcome the pain points of labor shortages and rising costs.

5. Visitor Pre-registration - VTG:https://www.chanchao.com.tw/en/entryApply.asp?id=FTXTHCM2026

VFM 2026 | Vietnam International Exhibition on Shoemaking Machinery and Shoe-Making Materials Industry

1. Exhibition Positioning: A professional trade channel covering over 70% of Vietnam's shoe factories, precisely connecting with the OEM systems of multinational footwear giants.

2. Technical Highlights: Supercritical physical foaming equipment and high-performance shoe materials.

3. Core Exhibits: AI vision cutting machines, automated shoe forming lines, supercritical foaming complete equipment, ultra-lightweight eco-friendly sole materials, and water-based non-toxic shoe adhesives, jointly showcased by member enterprises of the Guangdong Shoe Machinery Association and GISMA core exhibitors.

4. Commercial Value: On-site demonstrations of world-leading fully automated shoe production lines and green low-carbon sole material forming technologies, providing comprehensive intelligent and fully green cost-reduction and efficiency-enhancement solutions for overseas factories of multinational brands in Vietnam.

5. Visitor Pre-registration - VFM:https://www.chanchao.com.tw/en/entryApply.asp?id=FVNFLM2026