What Products are Made in Vietnam // Vietnam Product Manufacturing and Sourcing
Are you looking to source from Vietnam but are unsure what's made there? Want to know more about Vietnam's manufacturing landscape? We made this guide to help you understand Vietnam's industry better and be more prepared when you source products from Vietnam.
Vietnam is an excellent place to source products, assuming your product can be made here. While Vietnam has a massive industrial base that is still rapidly growing, it still doesn't cover every industry like a particular country to the north. If your product is made in Vietnam, it will likely be cheaper or of a higher quality than the identical product from China. Many people are finding that products can be cheaper AND better in Vietnam. We'll go over what products can be made in Vietnam.
Popular products made in Vietnam
Clothing and Textiles
Check out our ultimate guide to clothing, textile, garment, and apparel manufacturers in Vietnam.
Vietnam produced and exported over $30 Billion in textiles and apparel in 2017 and experienced over 10% growth yearly. Several large companies do the bulk of their manufacturing here. Patagonia and The North Face do most of their production in Vietnam, as do H&M, Uniqlo, Gap, and J.Crew, among many others. Vietnam is also leading the way in sustainable manufacturing practices in the industry. So next time you buy a shirt or clothing item, check the label to see where it is made; there's a good chance it's made in Vietnam.
Wood at a Factory in Vietnam
Vietnam is currently the world's second-largest furniture manufacturer, behind only China. However, Vietnam is the fastest-growing furniture manufacturer globally, while Chinese furniture production is decreasing—Vietnam's diverse furniture industry, from high-end custom-made wood furniture to small boutique shops. Companies like IKEA, Ashley Furniture, and West Elm manufacture furniture in Vietnam.
Wooden goods
Vietnam exports over $5 Billion in finished wooden goods a year. Most of this focuses on furniture but includes products for industrial uses, such as wooden reels and handles for tools such as shovels. Vietnam has tremendous access to high-quality hardwoods and the manufacturing capability to make high-end finished goods.
Footwear
Vietnam is one of the largest manufacturers of shoes globally and has the most significant export capacity globally. Vietnam produces over $12 Billion worth of shoes annually and is growing fast. Vietnam exports over 90% of its shoes, the world's highest rate. Vietnam isn't limited by whose style either. Nike, Adidas, and many other brands have a vast manufacturing presence here. The output ranges from high-end leather shoes and sneakers to cheap flip-flops.
Iron and Steel
Iron and steel are among Vietnam’s fastest-growing industries, growing at over 20% annually for almost a decade. Vietnam is the largest consumer and producer of steel in Southeast Asia. Vietnam can make over 16 million tons of steel and over 5 million tons of iron annually. In addition to manufacturing, Raw Steel Vietnam is also one of the largest importers of Scrap metals and has a tremendous capacity to recycle the scrap into finished goods.
Consumer Goods
Consumer goods, admittedly an extensive category, is Vietnam’s largest industry. In 2017, Vietnam exported over 70 billion dollars worth of consumer goods. Consumer goods are anything that ends up being used by an end consumer (as opposed to a business). For FBA sellers, this is good news since most of what is already sold on Amazon is classified as a consumer good.
Packaging
Vietnam is one of the world’s leaders in packaging. Packaging that factories can manufacture in Vietnam ranges from cardboard boxes, soda cans, plastic packaging, and much, much more. Vietnam exported over $1.7 Billion in packaging. Packing includes but isn’t limited to the food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, bottling and beverages, barcoding, printing, and labeling industries. Besides, ProPak Vietnam is the largest trade show for packaging globally and is held every March in Ho Chi Minh City. So, if you want to create high-quality custom packaging, Vietnam would be a great place to look.
Plastic Sheets at a Factory in Vietnam
Plastic and rubber goods
Vietnam exports over $5 Billion a year in Rubber and plastic goods. These are essential consumer goods such as rubber dog toys and sunglasses. Vietnam has a large capacity to produce products. The most common method is plastic injections, but you can find any methods here, including plastic extrusion and plastic welding. Rubber manufacturers in Vietnam are easy to find. They can cover all rubber needs, such as extrusion, latex dipping, molding, and calendaring. Therefore, Vietnam is an excellent option if you are sourcing a product or components made of Rubber or Plastic.
Coffee
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee by volume, exporting over 1.3 million tons in 2012. We should note that 97% of the beans are Robusta beans, not higher-quality Arabica beans. Nonetheless, Vietnamese coffee farmers are quickly improving their quality and targeting the specialty coffee market. Vietnam’s coffee industry already has several significant players and exports to almost every major country globally. Exports totaled 1.55 Million tons, and Cosmo has a dedicated team for sourcing coffee.
Electronics
Vietnam has many major electronic companies with major manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, HP, Canon, Foxconn, and many more, with significant operations in the country. Most notably, Samsung makes most of its Galaxy Smartphones in Vietnam and exports around USD 58 Billion worth of goods a year from Vietnam. In addition, Vietnam can make integrated circuits, Smartphones, Cameras, Televisions, and much more. Intel has a significant manufacturing presence as well. Vietnam’s main appeal over China isn’t that it’s cheaper but that Vietnam has a large and highly skilled workforce capable of performing complex tasks. Vietnam has leveraged its skilled labor force to compete with China and almost anywhere else in the world for high-tech manufacturing.
Construction Materials
Vietnam has a vast and dynamic construction material industry. The materials found in Vietnam range from cement to steel supports and screws, bolts, fasteners, and rebar.
Seafood
Vietnam is the world’s third-largest seafood exporter, behind Norway and China. Vietnam exported USD 5.8 billion of seafood and directly and indirectly employed over 8 million people. Vietnam has over 2,000 miles of coastline stretching north to south, allowing diverse fish environments. Besides, Vietnam has a large number of aquaculture farms built inland as well as in the ocean. Please Note that Cosmo Sourcing cannot source seafood.
This is not a complete list; many goods I have not mentioned can be found here. If you are interested, I will look at the list of Alibaba alternatives and suppliers’ databases to see what products can be made.
Where in Vietnam can you find products?
If you focus on a particular industry, the production tends to cluster into a specific region or industrial area. Therefore, Vietnam has set up a few industrial zones that promote free trade and focus on a particular industry. In addition, Vietnam has set up several Industrial Investment Zones (IZ) to encourage Foreign Direct Investments. To date, there are over 220 Industrial zones and 16 Economic Zones.
These zones have several benefits for foreign investors:
10% tax rate locked in for 15 years
50% tax benefit for all employees
0 Corporate taxes for four years
50% discount on Corporate taxes for up to 9 years after the first four years
In addition, there are some specific benefits to encouraging certain industries to set up in Vietnam. First, We should note that Vietnam uses the terminology Economic Zone or Investment Zone, which is the same as a Free Trade Zone for all legal intents and purposes.
Where are these industrial zones?
While there are many, there are a few major ones to note:
Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park
They were founded in 1996 as a joint project between Vietnam And Singapore. VSIP started with one industrial park in Binh Duong, about 40 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, they have expanded to several other major industrial parks. The others are located in Bac Ninh, just outside Hanoi and Haiphong, on the coast near Hanoi and Quang Ngai in central Vietnam.
Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park
Located in the Nha Be District of Ho Chi Minh City, Hiep Phuoc is a massive industrial park that maintains its port. The park contains over 200 companies.
Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone
It is a massive 22,000 hectares free trade zone in the two provinces that bear its name. The Economic Zone is located on the coast near Hanoi and has three ports, including a deepwater port.
Dong Nai Industrial Zone Authority
It is located in Dong Nai, about 20 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. The park has projects from hundreds of investors from over 30 different countries. The total investment in the park is over USD 7 billion. DIZA is very active in promoting the park, and if you are interested in setting up manufacturing in the country, you can reach out to them directly.
Cosmo Sourcing // Your Trusted Partner In Vietnam
Please email us at info@cosmosourcing.com
If you want to source from Vietnam, contact the Cosmo Sourcing team; we have been helping clients source from Vietnam since 2014. Cosmo Sourcing has the skills and the team to find you the best supplier possible. We are also established in China and are among the only companies that can find suppliers in China and Vietnam. Pick the one you think is best.
Our Vietnam Sourcing services allow you to access new manufacturers that you would not be able to in China and avoid Tariffs. Our services are designed to do everything to take your idea, turn it into a product, and ship it to the final destination. Cosmo can do everything from creating a product spec sheet, validation, sourcing, ordering and evaluating samples, arranging inspections, finding freight forwarders, quality assurance, negotiations, and shipping. We aim to handle every single step of your business in Vietnam for you.
If you start a new business, finding products and suppliers for your products is one of many things you need to handle. Our services are designed to handle every part of your business in China and Vietnam so you can focus on the rest of growing your own business.
We have helped clients from Fortune 500 companies, brick-and-mortar stores, FBA sellers, and brand-new businesses. So don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help you.