APLF ASEAN to bring together the sector’s global supply chain in Vietnam
From November 13 to 15, 2025, Ho Chi Minh City will host a new edition of APLF ASEAN, one of Southeast Asia’s leading trade events focused on hides, leather, supplies, technology, and manufacturing solutions.
The exhibition will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) and, according to the organizers, will feature the participation of more than one hundred internationally active supplier companies.
The event will bring together manufacturers, buyers, and suppliers operating in the footwear, leather goods, furniture and apparel sectors, with an exhibition offer that includes crust and finished leather; sustainable, synthetic and alternative materials; components for footwear and handbags; technology and tools.
The relocation of APLF ASEAN to Vietnam marks the third edition of the fair, following its two previous stagings in Bangkok. The exhibition thus maintains its focus on interconnecting international suppliers with manufacturers in the ASEAN region.
The structure of APLF ASEAN is articulated around the M.E.E.T. concept, which organizes exhibitor and visitor participation across four main axes: Matching, Experience, Education and Tradeshow.
Under the Matching axis, the fair highlights its direct matchmaking service between suppliers and qualified buyers, which enables pre-scheduled business meetings and facilitates efficient contact with suppliers aligned to specific sourcing needs.
Experience focuses on the discovery of materials and innovation. In specially designed spaces such as the Leather Trends Space and the Innovation Lab, visitors will be able to touch, observe and evaluate functional components and materials, as well as leather intended for 2026-2027 collections.
The Education axis includes a program of training activities, with seminars, technical sessions, and roundtables led by international experts. These spaces will present advances in new materials, market trends, and sourcing strategies.
Finally, Tradeshow refers to the event’s business-oriented format. APLF ASEAN is conceived as a specialized platform for brands, OEM manufacturers, and other industry players seeking to source from the exhibitors’ proposals.
Vietnam produces leather-upper footwear, leather goods, garments, handbags and accessories, as well as including the furniture and automotive upholstery industries. To this end, and in general, the country sources annually an average of more than 500 million square feet of leather, imported from Brazil, Italy, the United States, and India.
In the current context of reconfiguration of international trade, manufacturers in Southeast Asia are redirecting their strategies toward closer sourcing schemes. The priority is to secure supplies -such as hides and skins, components and materials- within the region itself, allowing them to respond more quickly and efficiently to demand.
This trend is being driven by the decline in international orders, which has prompted a reorganization of sourcing in favor of shorter circuits. At the same time, the region benefits from a scenario marked by the relocation of the supply chain out of China and by agreements such as CPTPP, RCEP and EVFTA.
