VN footwear boasts strong development prospectsViet Nam’s leather and footwear industry will continue to develop in the coming years, according to the Viet Nam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso). Delegates exchange information on the sidelines of the two-day Viet Nam Footwear Summit which opened in HCM City yesterday. Speaking at the two-day Viet Nam Footwear Summit which opened in HCM City on Wednesday, Diep Thanh Kiet, Lefaso’s deputy chairman, said exports of footwear and bags increased to US$18.1 billion last year from $16.2 billion in 2016. ChallengesKiet also spoke about the challenges faced by the industry such as increasing labour costs, automation, protectionism, and competition from other countries. “Large customers tend to shift orders to countries with cheaper labour costs, especially for simple and manual items.