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Factory matching
We match your product and volume to factories with relevant lines, and explain realistic minimums.
Global garment sourcing · Vietnam
Garment Sourcing in Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the world's top garment exporters and a major alternative to China for technical and branded apparel. Large, well-run factories, many owned by Korean, Taiwanese and Chinese groups, make outerwear, sportswear and performance garments for global brands.
Our team in Vietnam helps buyers find factories that fit their product and volume, check compliance and origin rules, follow production, and inspect quality before shipment.
- Best known for
- Outerwear, sportswear, performance and technical apparel
- Fabric base
- Growing, but much fabric still imported
- Typical buyers
- Sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands, large retailers
- Main export ports
- Cat Lai, Cai Mep, Hai Phong, Da Nang
What Vietnamese garment manufacturing does well
Vietnam's factories combine skilled, disciplined sewing with the management systems of large international groups. They are especially strong in jackets, padded and down outerwear, sportswear, performance knits and trousers, and many already work to the standards of leading sports brands. Vietnam's free trade agreements with the EU, the UK and CPTPP partners give it duty advantages in several markets, provided origin rules are met.
Constraints include reliance on imported fabric for many programmes, minimums suited to established brands, and strong demand that can fill capacity during peak seasons. Changing US tariff policy since 2025 also means buyers should check current rates and transhipment rules.
Product specialisations
Outerwear
Down, padded and shell jackets, parkas and gilets, often with technical features.Sportswear and activewear
Training wear, running apparel, team wear and leggings in performance fabrics.Trousers and bottoms
Chinos, cargo and outdoor trousers, and some denim.Knit tops
T-shirts, polos and sweatshirts for lifestyle and sports brands.Kidswear
Children's outerwear and sets from larger factories with retail compliance experience.Workwear
Functional workwear and uniforms with reinforced construction.Vietnamese garment manufacturing clusters
Vietnam merged many provinces in mid-2025. Binh Duong is now part of Ho Chi Minh City and Nam Dinh part of Ninh Binh province, but the old names are still widely used for industrial areas.
Ho Chi Minh City
The southern commercial centre with head offices, sampling rooms and many small and medium garment factories.Binh Duong
Large industrial parks north of the city with major foreign-owned garment and footwear factories.Dong Nai
Industrial zones east of the city with textile mills and garment plants.Hanoi
The northern centre, with state-linked textile groups, sourcing offices and garment factories in the surrounding provinces.Hai Phong
The main northern port city, with industrial zones that include apparel producers.Nam Dinh
A historic textile city south of Hanoi with spinning, weaving and garment production.Da Nang
Central Vietnam's hub, with garment factories and a deep-water port.Fabric sourcing in Vietnam
Vietnam's spinning and fabric capacity is growing, but many factories still import fabric from China, Korea and Taiwan, especially technical synthetics and fashion wovens. This affects both lead time and duty: under the EU–Vietnam FTA, garments generally need fabric woven or knitted in Vietnam (or in the EU or certain partner countries, under cumulation rules) to qualify for preference, while CPTPP generally requires yarn-forward origin.
We confirm the fabric source before costing so you know whether a preference can be claimed and how long fabric will take to arrive.
How our Vietnam team manages your order
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Audit and verification
On-site checks of capacity, subcontracting, social audits and quality systems.
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Origin planning
We map fabric and trim origins against FTA rules for your destination market.
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Development
Sample, fit and fabric approvals managed with the factory's technical team.
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Inspection
In-line, final AQL and loading inspections with photo reports.
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Shipment
Coordination through Cat Lai, Cai Mep, Hai Phong or Da Nang.
Sampling and product development in Vietnam
Large Vietnamese factories have experienced technical teams and work well with detailed tech packs and pattern files. Many are used to brand development calendars with fixed sample milestones, which suits buyers with clear seasons.
Where fabric is imported, sample yardage may arrive before bulk fabric, so we confirm that bulk matches the approved sample in colour, hand-feel and performance before cutting.
Quality assurance: what we watch in Vietnam
On outerwear and sportswear, we focus on construction details that are expensive to fix later: seam strength, taping, fill distribution, zip function and logo application. We also check that labels and origin markings match the declared country of origin, which matters for FTA claims and customs.
Seam strength and tapingFill distribution and weightZip, snap and Velcro functionHeat-transfer and logo durabilityOrigin marking on labelsBulk vs sample fabric check
Compliance, trade agreements and duty
Vietnamese export factories commonly hold amfori BSCI, SMETA, WRAP, Higg FEM or brand-specific audits, and fabric suppliers offer OEKO-TEX, GRS and bluesign options. The EU–Vietnam FTA (in force since 2020), the UK–Vietnam FTA and CPTPP reduce or remove duty for qualifying garments in the EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and other partners.
The US has no FTA with Vietnam and has applied additional tariffs and transhipment rules since 2025, which have changed several times. Check the current rate and origin rules for your HS code before you cost a programme.
MOQ considerations in Vietnam
Large Vietnamese factories serving global sports and outdoor brands usually need meaningful volumes per style. Mid-sized and smaller factories, particularly around Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, can take smaller programmes, especially with available fabrics. We match your volume to the right tier rather than trying to force a small order into a large factory.
Is Vietnam the right garment sourcing country for you?
A good fit when
You make outerwear, sportswear or technical garments at meaningful volumes, sell in the EU, UK, Canada or Australia where FTAs can apply, and want an alternative to China.Think twice when
Your orders are very small, you need fast fashion changes with local fabric, or US tariff changes make the landed cost uncertain.Often combined with
China for fabric and trims, Thailand for specialist activewear, and India or Bangladesh for cotton basics.Lead times and seasonality in Vietnam
Lead times in Vietnam depend largely on fabric. Programmes using imported fabric must allow for the fabric to be produced and shipped in before cutting, while domestic or nominated fabric already in stock shortens the cycle. Large factories serving global brands book capacity months ahead for peak seasons.
Tet, the Lunar New Year in January or February, is the major holiday. Factories close for one to two weeks or more, and staff turnover after the holiday can affect output. We plan production and shipments around it.
What drives FOB prices for Vietnamese garments
Making costs in Vietnam are generally competitive for technical and sewn products, but imported fabric and trims can be a large share of the price. Order size, factory tier, construction complexity and compliance requirements also affect quotes. Duty in your market, which varies sharply with FTA eligibility, is part of the real cost comparison.
We compare landed costs that include duty and freight, and confirm whether your fabric choice allows an FTA preference before you commit.
Buyer checklist before you place an order in Vietnam
Factory tier matched to your volumeFabric origin mapped for FTA rulesCurrent US tariff and transhipment rules checkedSocial audit reviewedSealed pre-production sampleCapacity booked for your delivery windowTet in the planAgreed AQL levelsPacking and labelling standard
Common garment sourcing mistakes in Vietnam
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Forcing small orders into large factories
Large factories may accept, then deprioritise, small orders. Match your volume to the right tier.
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Assuming FTA duty automatically
Without the right fabric origin, EU or UK preferences may not apply.
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Ignoring US transhipment rules
Goods with significant Chinese content can face higher US duties; document origin carefully.
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Late fabric shipments
Imported fabric arriving late is a frequent cause of delay.
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Tet planning
Production around the Lunar New Year needs early planning to avoid missed deliveries.
Sourcing from Vietnam for your market
Duty and compliance depend on where you sell as much as where you make. These notes summarise the main points; always confirm the current rate and rules for your HS code.
USA
There is no FTA, and additional tariffs and transhipment rules have been applied since 2025. Confirm the current rate and origin evidence before costing.UK
The UK–Vietnam FTA can reduce or remove duty for qualifying garments that meet fabric origin rules.EU
The EU–Vietnam FTA phases out duty on qualifying garments; origin generally requires fabric made in Vietnam, the EU or permitted partners.Canada and Australia
CPTPP can give duty-free access to both markets for garments that meet its yarn-forward rules.Export documentation
Enterprise and customs registrationCommercial invoice and packing listBill of lading or air waybillCertificate of origin (EUR.1, statement on origin or CPTPP certification)Fabric origin recordsTest reports and certificatesInspection certificate
Packaging and logistics
Southern factories ship through Cat Lai or the deep-water Cai Mep terminals, northern factories through Hai Phong, and central factories through Da Nang. Direct services to the US West Coast and Europe are frequent. We agree packing and labelling standards up front and check them at final inspection and loading.
Compare Vietnam with other sourcing countries
India
Deep cotton fabric base and handwork; strong for organic and printed programmes.
Garment sourcing in India
Bangladesh
Best value at volume for cotton basics, denim and sweaters.
Garment sourcing in Bangladesh
Nepal
Handmade, small-batch cashmere, knitwear and felt; longer lead times.
Garment sourcing in Nepal
China
Fastest development and widest fabric choice; check US tariffs and cotton traceability.
Garment sourcing in China
Thailand
Specialist quality for activewear, swim and intimates; higher unit cost.
Garment sourcing in ThailandVietnam garment sourcing questions
What garments is Vietnam best for?
Outerwear, sportswear, performance and technical apparel, trousers and knit tops for established brands.
Do Vietnamese garments get duty-free access to the EU?
Under the EU–Vietnam FTA, qualifying garments get reduced or zero duty if fabric origin rules are met. We check this at costing stage.
Is Vietnam cheaper than China?
For many sewn products labour is lower, but imported fabric can offset part of the saving. We compare landed costs, not just FOB.
What are typical minimums in Vietnam?
Large factories need higher volumes; smaller factories around Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi can take smaller programmes. We match you to the right tier.
Do you have staff in Vietnam?
Yes. Our Vietnam team handles factory verification, production follow-up and inspections.
Does Vietnamese fabric matter for duty?
Yes. EU and UK preferences generally require fabric made in Vietnam or a permitted partner, so we map fabric origin before costing.
Can you work with Korean- or Taiwanese-owned factories in Vietnam?
Yes. Many of Vietnam's largest garment factories are foreign-owned, and we verify and inspect them in the same way as local factories.
What payment terms do Vietnamese factories use?
Deposits with balance before shipment, letters of credit, or open account for established buyers are all common.
Can Vietnamese factories make small sportswear runs?
Smaller factories around Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi can, particularly with available fabrics.
Global garment sourcing enquiry
Source garments from Vietnam
Tell us what you want to make and where you are considering. Our teams in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, China, Thailand and Vietnam will recommend the right country and factories, with no obligation.