Twenty seven Vietnamese furniture makers are displaying their goods at the International Furniture Fair Singapore, held in conjunction with the ASEAN Furniture Show (IFFS/ AFS ), the Décor Show and the Hospitality Show, in Singapore from March 9-12.

“Compared with other countries’, Vietnam’s furniture is very good, good materials, good designs and good deals,” said Wayne R. Smith, Principal Director of Australia’s Midway Tasmania furniture importer.

In an interview with Singapore-based Vietnam News Agency’s reporter, Wayne said that his company has over ten years imported Vietnam’s furniture products, mostly from the Brothers Furniture Co. Ltd. Annually, the Midway Tasmania buys from this company seven to eight containers of furniture and possibly no less this year.

According to Pham Van Sau, Director of Brothers Furniture Co. Ltd., a privately owned company with headquarters in the southern province of Binh Duong making furniture for export only, Midway Tasmania furniture importer is one of a dozen “loyal” customers, who came not only from Australia, but also from New Zealand, Canada, the UK, the EU, and Africa.

He said: “They ordered, with total value of 7 million USD a year, but a little bit less last year at more than 5 million USD, after we attended the International Furniture Fair Singapore”, adding that all items on display this year were sold out right in the morning of the opening day, March 9.

Kwanruen Ah-Tun, Managing Director of Luke Import company from France , said Vietnam’s furniture, handicrafts and bamboo-rattan wares are “very beautiful”. “We have imported Vietnam’s products for about 20 years,” she said. . Annually, Luke Import buys about 10 containers of Vietnam’s furniture and handicrafts and this year, it may go up because “we are very interested in items shown by Grass Co. at this year’s fair.”

The Director of the Grass Co., a bamboo furniture producer in Tay Ninh southern province, said that more people in many countries, especially from Europe, are using less wood to protect their forests from being destroyed. Therefore, the number of customers is going up.

The Grass Co., together with the Brothers Furniture Co. Ltd. and the Saigon Craft Co. Ltd., has received Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s award for attending the International Furniture Fair Singapore in 10 continuous years.

The IFFS/AFS are regarded by industry experts as Asia's premier sourcing platform and design-led exhibition. With nearly three decades of experience since its inaugural event in 1981, IFFS/AFS remains the most distinctive channel for regional and international companies to penetrate the global market.

Spanning 60,000 square metres, the IFFS 2013 showcases a total 466 exhibitors from 26 countries.

On this occasion, the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council awarded its token to Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Tran Hai Hau, for the country’s contributions to the regional industry.

With 4.5 billion USD of exports in 2012, up 19 percent from the previous year, Vietnam is the largest furniture exporter in ASEAN, the second largest in Asia and the 10th largest in the world. Vietnam’s furniture products have been sold to more than 120 countries, with the US, the EU, Japan and China being the main markets accounting for over 70 percent of export value in 2012.-VNA