Sourcing from Vietnam · Vietnam → World
Footwear and Bag Manufacturers in Vietnam: Sourcing Verified Factories
Vietnam is one of the world's largest footwear exporters and a major production base for handbags, backpacks and travel goods. GLG helps brands and importers find factories that match their category, volume and compliance needs, then manages samples, inspection and shipping in one flow.
Key products
- Athletic and running shoes (EVA/PU midsoles, knit or mesh uppers)
- Casual sneakers, vulcanised canvas shoes
- Leather dress shoes, boots and safety footwear
- Sandals, slides and injection-moulded EVA/PVC footwear
- Children's shoes and slippers
- Handbags and wallets in genuine leather, PU or recycled materials
- Backpacks, laptop bags, outdoor and travel bags
- Luggage, soft-sided and hard-shell suitcases
- Shoe components: outsoles, insoles, uppers and lasts
Sourcing regions
- Đông Nam Bộ (TP.HCM, Đồng Nai, Tây Ninh) – large-scale athletic and casual footwear plants, bag and luggage factories
- Hải Phòng and Hưng Yên – footwear and component clusters serving northern export lanes
- Hà Nội and Bắc Ninh – leather goods workshops, bags and small-lot fashion accessories
- Thanh Hóa and Nghệ An – newer footwear factories with competitive labour costs
- Vĩnh Long and Mekong Delta provinces – shoe and bag sewing satellites for southern groups
Common HS codes
| HS code | Description |
|---|---|
| 6402 | Footwear with rubber or plastic outer soles and uppers |
| 6403 | Footwear with leather uppers |
| 6404 | Footwear with textile uppers |
| 6406 | Parts of footwear, insoles, outsoles |
| 4202 | Trunks, suitcases, handbags, wallets and similar containers |
HS codes are indicative. Confirm the exact classification of your product before you declare it.
Certifications buyers ask for
- amfori BSCI, SMETA or WRAP social compliance audits
- Higg Index modules (FEM, FSLM) for sustainability reporting
- Leather Working Group (LWG) certified tanneries for leather inputs
- REACH, CPSIA and California Proposition 65 chemical testing
- ISO 9001 quality management
- GRS or RCS for recycled materials claims
Logistics notes
- Most orders ship as FCL in 40HC dry containers; cartons are light but bulky, so plan by volume rather than weight.
- Use silica gel, ventilated cartons and moisture checks before stuffing to prevent mould during long voyages, especially in the rainy season.
- Southern cargo usually leaves Cát Lái or Cái Mép to the US and Europe; northern factories ship via Hải Phòng.
- Book space early for the July to October peak before holiday retail seasons.
- Samples and urgent re-orders move by air or express courier; small first orders can go LCL through GLG consolidation.
- Check the product-specific rules of origin under EVFTA, CPTPP or UKVFTA to claim preferential duty in the destination market.
Sourcing tips
- Match the factory to your category: athletic, leather and injection footwear use different machinery and skills.
- Ask for the brands and price tiers the factory currently serves, then check minimum order quantities per colour and size run.
- Confirm where uppers, soles and materials come from and who owns the moulds and lasts.
- Require recent social audit reports and chemical test reports from accredited labs.
- Approve a size set and pre-production sample before bulk, and keep a sealed reference sample.
- Book an inline inspection at first production and a final random inspection before shipment.
Vietnam's position in footwear and bags
Vietnam is one of the largest footwear exporters in the world and a long-standing production base for global sportswear and fashion brands. Over decades the country has built deep supply chains for lasts, moulds, outsoles, EVA, textiles and leather finishing. Bags, backpacks and luggage have grown alongside footwear, often in the same industrial zones and sometimes under the same groups.
The largest factories are dedicated to major brands and rarely accept new customers, but there is a broad middle tier of mid-sized plants and component makers that work with private labels, regional brands and importers. Free trade agreements with the EU, the UK and CPTPP members give many Vietnamese-made shoes and bags a duty advantage, provided origin rules are met.
Product groups and typical specifications
| Product group | Typical specifications buyers state | Usual MOQ range |
|---|---|---|
| Athletic and casual shoes | Upper material, midsole (EVA, PU, phylon), outsole rubber hardness, size run | Per colour per style, often several hundred pairs and up |
| Leather footwear | Leather type and tannery, lining, construction (cemented, Goodyear, Blake) | Lower volumes possible in smaller workshops |
| Injection EVA/PVC | Material compound, weight per pair, mould ownership | High, driven by mould cost |
| Handbags and wallets | Leather or PU grade, hardware finish, lining, stitching per inch | Flexible, from small lots in workshops |
| Backpacks and luggage | Fabric denier, coating, zipper brand, wheels and trolley system | Per colour per model, usually higher for hard-shell |
How GLG sources and verifies footwear and bag suppliers
GLG starts from your request for quotation: product, target price, quantity, materials, compliance requirements and destination. We then shortlist factories that already make similar products and check the basics before you spend time on samples.
- Business registration, export licence history and the customs export record of the legal entity you will contract with.
- Factory visit to confirm that production lines, cutting, stitching and lasting capacity exist and are not fully subcontracted.
- Review of social and environmental audit reports and their validity dates.
- Coordination of samples, courier shipping and your feedback rounds.
- Pre-shipment inspection under AQL sampling, including measurement, function, adhesion and needle detection where needed.
Buying process, payment and Incoterms
- Send the RFQ with tech packs or reference samples.
- Receive shortlisted factory profiles and initial quotations.
- Develop and approve samples, then confirm the size set and materials.
- Sign the purchase contract directly with the supplier, with quality standards and penalties.
- Run inline and final inspections, then book freight and export customs.
FOB Cát Lái, Cái Mép or Hải Phòng is the common basis, letting you control ocean freight. A deposit of around 30 percent with balance against copy documents is a usual starting point; letters of credit suit larger first orders. GLG can quote EXW to DDP if you want a single logistics partner from factory to warehouse.
Risks to manage
- Undisclosed subcontracting to workshops that have not been audited.
- Colour and material variation between sample and bulk, especially for leather and dyed textiles.
- Late delivery when factories prioritise larger brand orders in peak season.
- Origin rules not met when materials come from non-partner countries, removing the expected duty preference.
GLG is not a trading company and does not guarantee supplier performance. The purchase contract is between buyer and supplier; GLG supports verification, inspection and logistics.
Frequently asked questions
Can small brands source footwear in Vietnam?
Yes, but the largest factories focus on major brands. Smaller and mid-sized factories accept lower volumes, usually at a higher unit price and with longer development times.
Who owns the moulds and lasts?
This should be agreed in writing. If the buyer pays for moulds, the contract should state ownership and that they cannot be used for other customers.
Does GLG inspect goods before shipment?
Yes. GLG can arrange inline and pre-shipment inspections under AQL sampling and share a photo report before you release the balance payment.
GLG connects, verifies and coordinates, but is not a party to the sales contract: the purchase agreement, price and performance obligations are between buyer and seller. Verification and inspection results reflect conditions at the time of the check and do not guarantee future performance.