How To Find Clothing Manufacturers In Vietnam
The most reliable ways to find clothing manufacturers in Vietnam are through on-the-ground sourcing agents, industry trade shows such as SaigonTex and VTG, and verified directories such as VITAS (the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association). Online platforms like Alibaba and Global Sources can generate initial leads, but factory visits and sample testing are essential before committing to production.
Vietnam is the world's third-largest garment exporter. In 2024, the country's textile and garment exports reached $44 billion, an 11% increase over the previous year, with projections for 2025 targeting $46 to $48 billion. The industry employs roughly 2.7 million workers across more than 7,000 registered factories. For brands looking to source clothing outside China, Vietnam is one of the most reliable alternatives.
I've been sourcing products from Vietnam since 2012, and our team at Cosmo Sourcing has helped thousands of clients navigate the garment manufacturing landscape here. This guide covers what actually works when you're looking for a reliable clothing manufacturer in Vietnam, what to watch out for, and how the process typically unfolds from initial contact through production.
updated Feb 17, 2026
Why Vietnam for Clothing Manufacturing
Vietnam's garment industry has earned its position through a combination of competitive labor costs, strong trade agreements, and decades of investment in textile infrastructure.
Several factors make Vietnam especially attractive for apparel sourcing. Labor costs remain significantly lower than in China, with Vietnamese garment workers earning roughly $300 to $400 per month, compared with $600 to $800 in major Chinese manufacturing regions. Vietnam also benefits from 17 active free trade agreements, including the CPTPP and EVFTA, which reduce or eliminate tariffs on exports to the EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, and other CPTPP members.
The workforce has deep experience in apparel. Major brands like Nike, Adidas, Uniqlo, Lululemon, Gap, H&M, and The North Face all manufacture significant portions of their product lines in Vietnam. That track record means Vietnamese factories understand international quality standards, compliance requirements, and production timelines.
Manufacturing hubs are concentrated in three main regions. The south, centered on Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai, is the largest cluster and handles the majority of export-oriented garment production. Northern Vietnam, around Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Hai Phong, has grown rapidly and is strong in knitting, yarn production, and finished garments. Central Vietnam, including Da Nang, is a smaller but emerging hub for technical garments.
Vietnam produces virtually every clothing category: casualwear, sportswear and activewear, denim, knitwear, outerwear, workwear, underwear, swimwear, children's clothing, formal wear, and private label fashion. The country is particularly strong in activewear and performance apparel, which requires technical fabrics and precision construction.
Step-by-Step: How to Find a Clothing Manufacturer in Vietnam
Step 1: Define Your Product Requirements Before You Search
Most sourcing problems start here. Before you contact a single factory, you need to know what you're making, how many you need, and what your budget can support.
Prepare the following before you reach out to manufacturers:
Product type and category (e.g., heavyweight cotton hoodies, moisture-wicking running shorts, woven linen dresses)
A tech pack with measurements, materials, construction details, and artwork placement
Target quantity per style and per colorway
Target FOB price
Timeline for sampling and bulk production
Any specific compliance or certification requirements (OEKO-TEX, GOTS, WRAP, SA8000)
Factories take you seriously when you come prepared. Vague inquiries like "I want to make clothes in Vietnam, what can you do?" are deprioritized or ignored entirely, especially by better factories with plenty of existing order volume.
Step 2: Choose Your Sourcing Channel
There are several ways to find Vietnamese garment factories. Each has trade-offs.
Online B2B platforms (Alibaba, Global Sources, Made-in-Vietnam): These are useful for generating an initial list of potential suppliers. You can filter by product type, certifications, and minimum order quantities. The limitation is that listings can be outdated, middlemen frequently pose as factories, and you can't verify production capabilities from a product page. Treat these as lead generation tools, not as final sourcing decisions.
Industry directories (VITAS, VietnamExport, Vietnam AZ): The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) maintains a member directory of legitimate garment manufacturers. These tend to be more established, export-oriented factories. VietnamExport and Vietnam AZ are additional government-affiliated directories worth checking.
Trade shows (SaigonTex, VTG, HanoiTex): The Vietnam International Textile & Garment Industry Exhibition (VTG) and SaigonTex are the two most important annual trade shows. Attending in person lets you see product samples, meet factory management, and compare multiple manufacturers in one trip. If you're serious about finding the right partner, a visit to a trade show, combined with factory tours, is the most effective approach.
Sourcing agents and sourcing companies: A sourcing company with a team on the ground in Vietnam can shortlist vetted factories, arrange samples, negotiate pricing, and manage quality control. This is especially valuable if you don't have existing contacts in Vietnam, don't speak Vietnamese, or can't visit factories yourself. The trade-off is cost: a good sourcing partner typically saves you more than they charge by avoiding bad factories and negotiating better terms.
LinkedIn and industry referrals: LinkedIn is underrated for factory sourcing. Many Vietnamese garment manufacturers have active company pages and English-speaking sales teams. Referrals from other brands or industry contacts are also valuable since someone else has already tested the factory's reliability.
Step 3: Make Initial Contact and Request Samples
Once you've identified 5 to 10 potential factories, send each one a clear inquiry that includes your tech pack, target quantity, target price, and timeline. Pay attention to how they respond.
Strong indicators include a factory that asks clarifying questions about your specifications, provides a realistic quote range, offers a clear timeline for sampling, and shares photos of similar products they've produced. Red flags include factories that quote immediately without reviewing your tech pack, promise unrealistically low prices, or claim they can make everything from handbags to heavy machinery.
Request samples from your top 3 to 5 candidates. Expect to pay $50 to $200 per sample, depending on complexity. Evaluate samples on construction quality, fabric hand feel, stitching consistency, sizing accuracy, and print or embroidery quality. Compare samples side by side.
Step 4: Vet the Factory
Sampling is only part of the evaluation. Before placing a production order, you need to verify the factory's actual capabilities. Key areas to assess:
Production capacity and specialization. A factory that specializes in knitted sportswear may not be the right fit for woven formalwear, even if it says it can do it. Ask what percentage of their production comes from the category you need, who their current clients are, and what their monthly output looks like.
Minimum order quantities. MOQs in Vietnam typically range from 200 to 500 pieces per style per color for smaller factories, and 1,000 to 3,000+ pieces for larger, more established operations. Factories with very low MOQs (under 100 pieces) are often trading companies or very small workshops, which can work for initial runs but may struggle with consistency at scale.
Compliance and certifications. If you're selling to retailers or need to meet specific market requirements, verify that the factory holds relevant certifications. Common certifications in Vietnamese garment manufacturing include SA8000 (social accountability), WRAP (workplace conditions), BSCI (business social compliance), OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (textile safety), and GOTS (organic textiles).
Factory visit. If at all possible, visit the factory in person or have a trusted representative visit on your behalf. A factory visit reveals things that no amount of email communication can: the condition of the equipment, the organization of the production floor, worker conditions, and how management communicates. In our experience, factory visits are the single most important step in the vetting process.
Step 5: Negotiate Terms and Place Your Order
Once you've selected a factory, negotiate clear terms before production begins. Key points to agree on in writing:
FOB price per unit
Payment terms (typically 30% deposit, 70% before shipment, though this varies)
Production timeline from order confirmation to shipment
Quality standards and inspection protocol (AQL levels)
Packaging and labeling specifications
Shipping terms (FOB, CIF, or other)
Get everything documented in a purchase order or contract. Vietnamese factories generally expect payment via bank wire transfer (T/T). Letters of credit are used for larger orders but are less common among small- to mid-size buyers.
What to Expect: Lead Times, Pricing, and Production Realities
Lead times. For a typical apparel order in Vietnam, expect 2 to 4 weeks for sampling, followed by 30 to 60 days for bulk production, depending on order size and complexity. Add shipping time on top: approximately 3 to 5 weeks by sea to the US West Coast, 5 to 7 weeks to the US East Coast or Europe. Rush production is sometimes possible, but usually comes at a premium.
Pricing. Vietnam is not the cheapest garment manufacturing country (Bangladesh has lower labor costs), but it offers a strong balance of price, quality, and reliability. For a basic cotton t-shirt, expect FOB pricing in the range of $3 to $6, depending on fabric weight, print complexity, and quantity. A more complex item, like a technical jacket, might range from $15 to $40+ FOB. Pricing always depends on materials, construction, order volume, and factory overhead.
Raw material sourcing. Vietnam imports over 80% of its textile raw materials, primarily from China, South Korea, and Taiwan. This means that disruptions to Chinese textile exports can affect Vietnamese garment production timelines and costs. Some larger Vietnamese manufacturers are vertically integrated and produce their own fabrics, which reduces this dependency.
Communication. English proficiency varies widely. Larger export-oriented factories typically have English-speaking merchandising teams. Smaller factories may require a translator or sourcing agent to facilitate communication. Either way, put everything in writing and confirm details via email after any verbal discussion.
US Tariff Considerations for Vietnam Apparel
If you're importing Vietnamese-made clothing into the United States, you need to account for the current tariff environment.
As of late 2025, the US maintains a 20% reciprocal tariff on most Vietnamese imports, set under Executive Order 14257 (April 2025) and subsequently confirmed at the 20% level in August 2025. This is in addition to the standard MFN (Most Favored Nation) duty rates that apply to specific product categories under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
The US and Vietnam reached a framework agreement in October 2025 that maintains the 20% rate but opens the possibility of zero-percent reciprocal tariffs on certain product categories, which have not yet been finalized.
For brands exporting to other markets, Vietnam's extensive FTA network provides significant advantages. The EVFTA eliminates most tariffs on Vietnamese garments exported to the EU (provided rules of origin are met). The CPTPP similarly reduces tariffs for exports to Japan, Canada, Australia, and other member nations. For a deeper comparison of sourcing between Vietnam and China, see our Vietnam vs. China sourcing guide.
Tariff policy changes frequently. Always verify current rates with a licensed customs broker before making sourcing decisions based on duty assumptions.
Common Mistakes When Sourcing Clothing from Vietnam
After more than a decade of helping clients source apparel in Vietnam, these are the mistakes we see most often:
Skipping the tech pack. Sending a photo and asking a factory to "make something like this" almost always leads to misunderstandings, wasted samples, and delays. Invest in a proper tech pack before you start. We have a complete guide to creating a clothing tech pack if you need help with this step.
Choosing based on price alone. The cheapest quote is rarely the best value. Factories that undercut significantly may be cutting corners on materials, using subcontractors you haven't vetted, or quoting unrealistically to win the order and then requesting price adjustments mid-production.
Not visiting the factory. Even one visit dramatically reduces the risk of working with the wrong partner. If you can't visit, have a sourcing agent or third-party inspector conduct a factory audit on your behalf.
Ignoring MOQ realities. If you need 50 pieces in 5 colors, you're looking at very small per-SKU quantities that most established factories won't accept. Either consolidate your order into fewer SKUs, find a small-batch specialist, or plan a phased approach that starts with a limited range and scales up.
Assuming all factories are the same. Vietnamese garment factories range from 20-person workshops to complexes with 10,000+ employees. A factory that excels at mass-market basics may be completely wrong for a premium fashion line, and vice versa. Match the factory to your product, not just your budget.
Is Vietnam Right for Your Clothing Brand?
Vietnam is an excellent choice for brands that need consistent quality, competitive pricing, and production capacity in the hundreds to tens of thousands of units range. It's particularly strong for sportswear, casualwear, knitwear, denim, and technical outerwear.
Vietnam may not be the best fit if you need very small initial runs (under 100 to 200 pieces per style) and don't have the budget for higher per-unit costs that come with small orders. In those cases, domestic production or a sourcing country with lower MOQs might be a better starting point.
For brands currently manufacturing in China and exploring diversification, Vietnam is one of the most established China+1 options in the apparel space. The infrastructure, workforce skill level, and factory compliance standards are strong enough that many of the world's largest fashion brands have already made the shift. For a complete list of manufacturers we've vetted, see our top clothing manufacturers in Vietnam.
If you're starting a clothing brand from scratch, getting the manufacturing partner right is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make. Take the time to do it properly.
Work With Cosmo Sourcing For your Clothing Brand!
Cosmo Sourcing has been based in Vietnam since 2012. We've helped over 4,000 clients source more than 10,000 products from Vietnamese factories, including hundreds of apparel projects across every major garment category.
We work on a transparent flat-fee model, not commission-based, so our recommendations are based on which factory is the best fit for your project rather than which one pays us the highest margin. Our team in Ho Chi Minh City handles supplier identification, factory vetting, sample management, price negotiation, quality control inspections, and logistics coordination.
If you're looking for a clothing manufacturer in Vietnam and want experienced on-the-ground support, reach out to our team.
Email: info@cosmosourcing.com Get started: cosmosourcing.com/contact-us