Workers are making anti-bacterial cloth masks at a factory of the Chien Thang Garment JSCHanoi (VNA) - A webinar co-held by the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association(VITAS) and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on May 4 answered questionsfrom producers regarding the EU and the US’s rules on the import of face masksand medical equipment.
COVID-19has severely damaged the garment and textile industry, VITAS Vice PresidentTruong Van Cam said, with exports in the first four months of this year totalling10.64 billion USD, down 6.6 percent year-on-year.
Thesector seems likely to experience further damage in May and June as most ordersare cancelled or postponed, he added.
In thewake of the pandemic ravaging the globe, many producers have shifted from garmentsto cloth and anti-bacterial face masks for domestic and foreign markets inorder to keep production going and to minimise losses, said Tran Thanh Hai,Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Agency of Foreign Trade.
FromJanuary 1 to April 19, Vietnam exported 415.7 million protective masks, mostlyto Japan, the Republic of Korea, Germany, the US, and Singapore, earning 63.19million USD.
To exportmasks to the EU and the US, Vietnamese firms must obtain a CE marking and FDAcertification, respectively, which indicate that a product meets theappropriate safety and environmental protection standards.
As manyproducers have found the process of applying for CE and FDA approval to be disconcerting,the webinar provided them with basic knowledge on quality standards and how to meetthem./.
VNA
