At a press conference to introduce VIFA ASEAN 2026 in HCM City on Tuesday. — VNS Photo Xuân Hương

HCM CITY — The fourth Vietnam ASEAN International Furniture & Home Accessories Fair will take place from September 2 to 5 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City with more than 200 local and foreign businesses putting up 600 booths.

With the theme “Gathering the Best of Southeast Asian Furniture” this year, VIFA ASEAN 2026 aims to strengthen connections across the regional furniture industry and support HCM City’s development as a regional trading hub for furniture and interior and exterior products.

The exhibition will showcase indoor and outdoor furniture, handicrafts, home décor, design and architecture, machinery, equipment, raw materials, and supporting services.

As part of Asia’s 2026 autumn furniture fair chain, spanning South Korea, Việt Nam, and China, VIFA ASEAN is positioned as a strategic stop for international buyers seeking to optimise sourcing trips and look for new suppliers.

Đặng Quốc Hùng, general director of Liên Minh Company, the fair’s organiser, said the exhibition is designed to strengthen links between Vietnamese furniture, décor and handicraft businesses, ASEAN manufacturers, and international buyers.

The organiser will host a so-called VIP Buyer programme, B2B meetings, seminars, and networking activities, giving businesses the opportunity to meet potential customers and partners, gain insights into export market demand, and expand cooperation.

The seminars will focus on global furniture production and consumption trends, as well as the links between design, manufacturing, import-export, and e-commerce.

The expo will coincide with the Vietnam International Sourcing – VIS 2026 organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade from September 3 to 5 at the same venue.

Hùng said VIS 2026 is expected to bring together more than 400 local businesses in key export sectors like food and beverages, household goods and furniture, lifestyle and health products, and export supply chains.

“The simultaneous events are expected to create additional opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to connect with overseas buyers, importers, distributors, and regional partners,” he said.

Trần Ngọc Liêm, director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s HCM City branch, said citing customs figures that exports of wood and wood products rose by 5.6 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026 to US$10.2 billion.

The US remained the largest market at $5.1 billion even after exports fell by 5.8 per cent.

China was second at $1.5 billion, up 46.4 per cent, while exports to Japan were worth $1.3 billion, up 5.8 per cent.

Exports to the Netherlands surged by 104 per cent.

Liêm said the market is entering a new phase in which businesses must compete not just on price and production capacity, but increasingly on design, branding, quality, sustainability, and innovation.

He highlighted the growing requirements related to environmental standards, legal sourcing, and traceability.

“VIFA ASEAN 2026 is expected to serve as a platform not only to showcase products, but also to generate new business opportunities, partnerships and ideas for Việt Nam’s furniture industry.” — VNS