Benefits of PEFC certification on show at Viet Nam International Furniture Fair

17 December 2019 Event report

The 2019 Viet Nam International Furniture Fair (VIFF) took place from 27 to 30 November in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

The event welcomed participants from the furniture sector, including manufacturers of wood-based panels, joinery products, furniture and flooring, as well as interior designers and architects.

PEFC was present at the fair with a booth, where we invited participants to discuss the important role of sustainably managed forests for the furniture sector.

In addition, PEFC and the Viet Nam Forest Certification Office (VFCS), our national member for Vietnam, held a seminar on 'Market Demand and Availability of PEFC/VFCS Certification', discussing possibilities to increase both the market demand for and the availability of PEFC-certified products.

Good news for PEFC certification in Vietnam

The seminar also included an update on the development of the Viet Nam Forest Certification System, and the potential for using VFCS/PEFC-certified timber in Vietnam. VFCS hopes to achieve PEFC endorsement of its national system in early 2020.

“The endorsement of our national system will promote sustainable forest management in Vietnam. Together with new agreements we have with the European Union, this will help to increase the competitiveness of Vietnamese wood products and expand access to international markets,” said Mr. Bui Chinh Nghia, Deputy Director of VFCS.

Pilot projects demonstrate interest in PEFC certification

The seminar also gave an introduction to a number of pilot projects, aiming at the certification of rubber and Acacia timber in Central Vietnam.

“The Vietnam Rubber Industry Corporation is implementing a sustainable development program with the goal of applying Vietnam's national forest certification system. We want to achieve VFCS/PEFC certification for 13,000 hectares of rubber and PEFC Chain of Custody certification for six rubber processing factories,” explained Diep Xuan Truong, Deputy Director of Industry Department, Vietnam Rubber Group.

Dr. Ho Thanh Ha, Director of the Center for Climate Change Study in Central Viet Nam (CCCSC) presented another interesting pilot project. Supported by FFD (AgriCord and EU), IFAD/FFP and ASEAN, the project aims to achieve VFCS/PEFC certification of 2,637 hectares of Acacias timber by helping smallholders achieve group certification.

VFCS hopes to have first PEFC-certified rubber and Acacia timber by mid-2020.