u/ChrisInNam

I see this a lot when buyers are looking for factories in Vietnam. Manufacturers aren’t sitting there waiting for someone to give them an order.

They’re looking for customers that can give them consistent, long-term work and keep their factory running. They’ll reject plenty of projects if they don’t see the value or don’t think the business is sustainable.

So if you send a vague enquiry, ask for a catalogue, or give them little information about your business, don’t be surprised if you get no response.

The factory is assessing you just as much as you’re assessing them.

They need to understand your positioning, your potential volumes, and whether there’s a realistic long-term opportunity.

So prepare enough detail before reaching out.

If you’re a new brand or building a new product, you’re still figuring out if people actually want to buy it.

Factories are built for production, not testing ideas. They have MOQ’s for a reason, material purchasing, production line setup, machine changeovers, labour efficiency… the list goes on.

If you’re just testing the market, I’d seriously look at starting with a trading company selling something similar. Many can add your branding or make small changes, so you can get your product out there without committing to huge orders.

Your margins might be a bit lower, but that’s a lot better than having a warehouse full of stock for a product you’re struggling to sell.

Once you’ve proven there’s demand, then go and fin the right factory.

Just my 2 cents from helping businesses find manufacturers in Vietnam over the years.

Hi everyone, I’m new to the subreddit and wanted to introduce myself.

I’m originally from England and have been based in Vietnam for the past 10 years. During that time I’ve been working with Vietnamese manufacturers and have seen firsthand how the country’s manufacturing sector has developed.

With the recent UAE–Vietnam CEPA and more companies exploring Vietnam as part of a China+1 strategy, I thought it might be useful to join the community. Vietnam is still less familiar to many businesses than China, so if anyone has questions about manufacturing, sourcing, or working with Vietnamese factories, I’m happy to share my experience and perspective.

Looking forward to being part of the discussions here.

Everybody knows China, but Vietnam has become a major manufacturing hub in recent years.

There are still plenty of myths around Vietnam though. Things like Vietnam is always cheaper than China, or factories here always accept lower MOQs. In many cases, that’s simply not true.

I’ve visited hundreds of factories and craft villages over recent years, so if you have any questions about sourcing from Vietnam, feel free to ask and I’ll answer if I can.