According to data from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam's export value of wood and wood products reached $8.21 billion in the first half of 2025, an increase of 8.9% compared to the same period in 2024. The U.S. market continued to play a key role, with exports reaching $4.6 billion, a growth of 11.6%, accounting for 55.6% of the total export value. Japan and China ranked second and third, accounting for 12.6% and 10.4%, respectively.
Among the product categories exported to the United States, wooden furniture dominated, making up 85.7% of the total export value to this market in the first five months of this year. Wooden frame chairs were the main product, with sales nearing $1.2 billion, a year-on-year increase of 14.9%. Other products such as living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture also achieved considerable sales, reaching $793.1 million and $664 million, respectively.
However, U.S. tax policies and supply chain shifts have strongly impacted global trade. The U.S. government announced a 20% reciprocal tariff on Vietnam, which is expected to significantly affect Vietnam's export industry. The Vietnamese wood industry still faces numerous challenges, including reciprocal tariffs, increasingly stringent traceability requirements, and the risk of trade investigations due to non-compliance with regulations on origin and technical standards.
Yet, during the "2025 Business Forum: Breakthrough Solutions to Support Enterprises Entering New Markets," Mr. Ngo Sy Hoai, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association, commented that the wood industry still has advantages to remain optimistic. Currently, Vietnam's wood and wood products are exported to over 160 different markets. Among them, the five major markets-the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, and the EU-account for 90% of Vietnam's total wood and wood product exports, while the remaining small portion is shared by about 160 other countries. Specifically, 55% of Vietnam's wood products are exported to the United States, with a value of approximately $9 billion. This figure accounts for 38% to 40% of the total U.S. furniture imports.
Therefore, to achieve breakthrough growth in the wood industry, the most important solution now is not only to focus on expanding into new markets but also to "renew" old markets-such as investing directly in production in the United States!
To illustrate this more clearly, Mr. Ngo Sy Hoai stated: "Out of every 10 American women who walk into a kitchen, about four will stand next to a wooden cabinet made in Vietnam." This indicates the important role Vietnamese wood products play in the lives of U.S. consumers. On the other hand, Vietnam is one of the largest exporters of wood products to the United States but also imports $300 to $400 million worth of raw timber materials from the U.S. annually. Moreover, the United States still has abundant timber resources, offering significant potential for development. Currently, some Vietnamese enterprises have taken proactive measures by collaborating with foreign partners to ensure sustainable timber sources.
Mr. Ngo Sy Hoai believes this demonstrates the ability of Vietnamese enterprises to flexibly adapt to tariff barriers and the increasingly strict requirements of partners. It also highlights the potential for Vietnamese businesses to transform their operations and consider investing directly in production in the United States-by leveraging locally available raw timber resources and Vietnam's highly skilled workforce. This approach would not only help circumvent tariff barriers and trade defense risks but also optimize logistics and supply chain costs. This would shorten delivery times, enhance competitiveness, and strengthen the position of Vietnam's wood industry in one of the world's most important markets.
