Vietnam gradually becoming the global “headquarters” for Nike

By shipping half of its shoes and nearly a third of its clothing to Nike, Vietnam is gradually becoming the global "headquarters" for this American sports giant.

Recently, according to Nike's fiscal year 2024 report ending in May, the American footwear and sportswear giant's global revenue reached about $51.36 billion USD.

It is worth noting that Vietnam remains Nike's largest manufacturer. Nike's contract manufacturers operate 96 finished footwear factories across 11 countries. Among these, Vietnam accounts for 50% of Nike brand footwear, followed by China and Indonesia with 27% and 18%, respectively. These figures have remained unchanged compared to the fiscal year 2023.

In terms of apparel, Nike's contract manufacturers operate 291 finished goods factories across 31 countries. Of these, factories in Vietnam account for 28% of the total output, the highest among all countries. Other top apparel manufacturers for Nike are China and Cambodia, accounting for 16% and 15%, respectively. This figure for Vietnam is lower than the 29% reported in the fiscal year 2023.

In fact, all three major pillars of Nike's product lines-shoes, apparels, and equipment are manufactured in Vietnam, including products from Converse and Nike brands. Nike's largest investment in Vietnam is in the apparel industry, with 71 factories producing apparels for the sports giant. These factories are primarily located in southern Vietnam, but there are also a few dispersed in other regions of the country.

Additionally, there are 13 factories producing sports equipment for Nike, with 11 located in southern Vietnam and 2 in the northern part of the country. Vietnam is also a major manufacturer of Nike's footwear, with 13 factories producing a range of products from running shoes to athletic footwear.

Currently, Nike's supplier list in Vietnam includes 155 factories, mostly located in southern Vietnam, primarily around Ho Chi Minh City and its surrounding areas.

For nearly two decades, Nike has been closely linked with Vietnam. Vietnam is currently a major production center for Nike products, with over 530,000 workers employed in factories supplying this sportswear giant.