How to Import Garments and Textiles from Vietnam: A Buyer's Guide

To import garments from Vietnam, a buyer first needs to decide which production model fits their business — CMT (buyer supplies fabric and design), FOB (factory sources materials and manufactures), or ODM (factory also designs) — because that choice determines what specs you must provide and how MOQ and pricing work. From there, the practical steps are: prepare a tech pack and size chart, request quotes from verified factories, check labor and chemical-safety certifications (BSCI/SMETA/WRAP and OEKO-TEX), approve samples, confirm MOQ per style-color-size combination, and arrange export documentation (commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and certificate of origin for preferential tariff treatment). Vietnam is now one of the largest garment exporters globally, with strong cut-and-sew capacity, but sourcing successfully still depends on picking the right factory type and communicating specs precisely.

Why Vietnam for Garment Sourcing

Vietnam has grown into one of the top global garment and textile exporters, built primarily on cut-and-sew (CMT/CM) manufacturing for international apparel brands. Decades of experience serving Western and Japanese retailers means many Vietnamese factories have mature quality systems and export compliance experience. That said, Vietnam's fabric and trims supply base is less vertically integrated than China's in some categories, so lead times can depend on where raw materials are sourced from — a detail worth clarifying with any factory before committing to a production model.

CMT vs. FOB vs. ODM: Choosing the Right Production Model

This is the single most consequential decision for a first-time buyer, because it changes what you're responsible for and how a factory prices your order.

CMT (Cut, Make, Trim)

Under CMT, the buyer supplies the fabric, trims, and full technical specifications; the factory's job is limited to cutting, sewing, and trimming. This gives buyers maximum control over material quality and cost, but it also means the buyer carries fabric sourcing risk, logistics for shipping materials to the factory, and full responsibility for tech-pack accuracy. CMT tends to suit buyers who already have fabric suppliers or specific material requirements (e.g., a proprietary blend, a compliance-certified fabric, or a print they own).

FOB (Free on Board)

Under FOB, the factory sources fabric and trims itself (often from its own vetted supplier network) and manages the full manufacturing process; the buyer receives a finished, packaged product ready to ship. FOB pricing includes materials, so unit costs are higher than CMT, but it removes the burden of fabric sourcing and logistics from the buyer. This is the most common model for buyers who don't have an existing fabric supply chain and want a single point of accountability.

ODM (Original Design Manufacturer)

ODM goes a step further: the factory also contributes to or fully handles design and pattern development, sometimes offering a catalog of styles the buyer can select from and customize (private label). This suits buyers who don't have in-house design capability but want a differentiated product rather than a generic one. Because ODM involves more factory intellectual input, expect higher MOQs and less negotiating room on cost per unit, plus clarity up front on who owns the resulting design/pattern IP.

Practical implication: when you send an RFQ, state the model you're expecting. A quote for the same garment can vary significantly between CMT and FOB simply because materials cost is or isn't included — comparing quotes across factories only works if you're comparing the same model.

Certifications and Compliance to Check

Western retailers increasingly require documented compliance before they'll accept a factory into their supply chain, and buyers importing on their behalf should check the same things.

• Social compliance audits — BSCI, SMETA (Sedex), or WRAP: These verify labor conditions, working hours, wages, and factory safety practices. Many Western retail buyers now treat one of these as a baseline requirement, not a nice-to-have. Ask a factory for its most recent audit report and expiry date rather than taking a logo on a website at face value.
• OEKO-TEX (e.g., Standard 100): Certifies that textiles are tested for harmful substances and are safe against human-ecological criteria. This matters especially for children's wear, activewear, and any product marketed on safety/chemical-safety grounds.
• Country- and product-specific import requirements: Depending on your destination market, additional labeling, flammability, or chemical-restriction rules (such as REACH in the EU or CPSIA in the US) may apply. These vary by product category and change over time, so confirm current requirements with a customs broker or compliance specialist rather than relying on general guidance.

On Seagoods, look for the Verified Manufacturer badge to confirm you're dealing with a factory that actually owns production, rather than a trading company reselling capacity it doesn't control — this matters for compliance audits, since the audit needs to cover the facility actually making your goods.

MOQ Realities: Per Style-Color-Size, Not Just Total Units

This is where many first-time apparel buyers get a surprise. A factory advertising "MOQ 500 units" usually does not mean 500 units of anything you like — it typically means 500 units per style, per color, per size run (sometimes phrased as per SKU or per colorway). If you want one style in three colors and five sizes, the factory may expect meaningful minimums across each size within each color, not just 500 units split however you please across the whole order.

Before finalizing an order, ask the factory directly: "Is your MOQ per total order, per style, per color, or per size/color combination?" Get the answer in writing as part of the quote. This single question prevents the most common cost and quantity misunderstanding in garment sourcing, and it directly affects how many SKUs you can realistically launch with a given budget.

Sampling and Tech Packs: What Factories Actually Need

A photo or a rough sketch is not enough to get an accurate quote or a sample that matches your intent. Factories price and produce against a tech pack — a document that typically includes:

• Flat sketches or line drawings of the garment (front and back)
• A size chart with measurements at each graded size (point-of-measure spec)
• Fabric and trim specifications (weight, composition, color references)
• Construction details (stitch types, seam allowances, labeling/placement)
• Any print, embroidery, or wash instructions

If you don't have a formal tech pack, most factories can help build one from a sample garment or detailed reference images plus measurements — but expect this to add time and possibly cost to the pre-production phase. Always request a pre-production sample before bulk production starts, and a shipping sample before the order ships, so you can catch fit, fabric, or construction issues while they're still cheap to fix.

Export Documentation

Standard documents for a garment shipment out of Vietnam typically include:

• Commercial invoice and packing list — itemized value, quantities, and carton breakdown
• Bill of lading (ocean) or air waybill — the shipping carrier's contract and receipt of goods
• Certificate of origin — often needed to claim preferential tariff treatment under applicable trade agreements
• Compliance/test certificates — as required by your destination market or retailer (e.g., OEKO-TEX test reports, flammability testing)

Tariff rates, duty treatment, and documentation requirements vary by destination country, trade agreement, and product classification, and they do change over time — confirm current, exact figures and required paperwork with a licensed customs broker or your compliance team before finalizing landed-cost calculations.

Using Escrow to Reduce Payment Risk

Garment orders typically involve a deposit before production and a balance before or at shipment, which is exactly the point in the process where buyers are most exposed if something goes wrong. On Seagoods, payments made through the platform are held in escrow and released as the order progresses through defined stages — pending payment, deposit paid, preparing, ready to ship, shipping, delivered, and completed (with dispute, cancellation, or refund paths available if issues arise). Paying a supplier directly, outside the platform, forfeits this protection entirely, so it's worth keeping payment flows on-platform even when a factory requests otherwise.

FAQ

What's the difference between CMT and FOB garment manufacturing?

CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) means the buyer supplies fabric and trims and the factory only cuts and sews; FOB (Free on Board) means the factory sources materials itself and delivers a finished product. CMT gives the buyer more control over materials but adds sourcing and logistics responsibility; FOB is simpler for buyers without an existing fabric supply chain but costs more per unit since materials are included.

Is MOQ per total order or per style and color?

In garment manufacturing, MOQ is usually set per style, per color, and sometimes per size within a color — not as one number you can freely allocate across your whole order. Always confirm the exact MOQ structure with the factory in writing before finalizing quantities, since this affects how many styles or colors you can realistically launch.

What certifications should I check before choosing a Vietnam garment supplier?

Check for a recent social compliance audit — BSCI, SMETA (Sedex), or WRAP — which verifies labor conditions and factory safety, and OEKO-TEX certification if chemical safety of the fabric matters for your market (e.g., children's wear or activewear). Ask for the actual audit report and its expiry date rather than relying on a certification logo alone.

Do I need a tech pack to get an accurate quote?

Yes. Factories need a tech pack with flat sketches, a size chart, fabric/trim specs, and construction details to quote and produce accurately — a photo or general description usually isn't sufficient. If you don't have one, many factories can help build it from a reference sample, though this may add time to the pre-production process.

How does escrow protect me when importing from a Vietnamese supplier?

Escrow holds your payment until delivery is confirmed, releasing funds as the order moves through stages like deposit paid, preparing, shipping, and delivered, with dispute or refund options if something goes wrong. Paying a supplier directly outside the platform means losing this protection entirely.