Sourcing from Vietnam · Vietnam → World
Furniture and Wood Product Manufacturers in Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the world's largest furniture exporters, supplying indoor, outdoor and upholstered furniture to the US, Europe, Japan and Australia. GLG helps buyers find factories with the right materials, capacity and legal timber documentation, then handles inspection and shipping.
Key products
- Indoor wooden furniture in rubberwood, acacia, oak, ash or walnut
- Outdoor furniture in acacia, eucalyptus, teak, aluminium and synthetic rattan
- Upholstered sofas, armchairs and beds
- Kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and panel furniture (MDF, particleboard, plywood)
- Hotel and contract furniture (FF&E) made to drawings
- Office and school furniture
- Plywood, LVL, finger-jointed boards and wood panels
- Wood pellets and wood chips for energy
Sourcing regions
- Đông Nam Bộ (TP.HCM, Đồng Nai) – the largest furniture cluster, indoor, upholstered and export-scale panel furniture
- Quy Nhơn area (Gia Lai) – outdoor furniture from acacia and eucalyptus
- Hà Nội and Bắc Ninh – traditional craft furniture villages and carved wood
- Phú Thọ, Tuyên Quang and northern midlands – plantation acacia, plywood and veneer
- Huế, Quảng Trị and central coast – wood chips, pellets and sawn plantation timber
Common HS codes
| HS code | Description |
|---|---|
| 9403 | Other furniture and parts (wooden bedroom, kitchen, office) |
| 9401 | Seats, sofas and chairs and parts |
| 4412 | Plywood, veneered panels and laminated wood |
| 4418 | Builders' joinery and carpentry of wood |
| 4401 | Wood pellets, chips and fuel wood |
HS codes are indicative. Confirm the exact classification of your product before you declare it.
Certifications buyers ask for
- FSC Chain of Custody or PEFC for certified timber claims
- Legal timber due diligence for the EU and UK, and US Lacey Act declarations
- CARB Phase 2 or TSCA Title VI formaldehyde compliance for composite panels sold in the US
- amfori BSCI or SMETA social compliance audits
- ISPM 15 treatment for wooden packaging and pallets
- Product tests to EN, BIFMA or ASTM standards for strength, stability and flammability
Logistics notes
- Most furniture ships FCL in 40HC containers; knock-down (KD) designs greatly reduce freight cost per piece.
- Ask for a container loading plan and carton drop tests before bulk, as assembled furniture is easily damaged.
- Keep wood moisture content within the agreed range and add desiccants to avoid mould and cracking on long routes.
- Southern factories ship via Cát Lái and Cái Mép, central Vietnam via Quy Nhơn or Đà Nẵng, and the north via Hải Phòng.
- Order early for the autumn and pre-holiday peak, when space and container availability tighten.
Sourcing tips
- Match the factory to the material and style: solid wood, panel, upholstery and outdoor lines are different businesses.
- Request timber origin documents and certificates that cover the exact species and supplier.
- Check finishing lines, spray booths and drying kilns, as finish quality drives returns and claims.
- Run a pilot order or approve a pre-production sample with the real materials.
- Agree tolerance, finish standard and packaging specifications in the contract.
- Ask about any trade remedy or origin investigations that apply to the product in your market.
Why buyers source furniture from Vietnam
Vietnam has become one of the largest furniture exporters in the world. The industry combines domestic plantation timber such as acacia and rubberwood with imported species like oak, ash and walnut, and it covers everything from mass-market knock-down furniture to contract projects for hotels. Clusters in the Southeast region and the Quy Nhơn area have strong supporting industries: hardware, cushions, fabric, packaging and finishing materials.
Buyers value the balance of craftsmanship, capacity and price, as well as free trade agreements that lower duties into the EU, UK, Japan and other partner markets. Legal timber is a central concern, and Vietnamese exporters have built due diligence systems to meet EU, UK and US requirements.
Materials and quality grades
| Category | Common materials | What to specify |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor solid wood | Rubberwood, acacia, oak, ash, walnut | Species, grade (knots, colour), moisture content, finish type |
| Panel furniture | MDF, particleboard, plywood with veneer or melamine | Board grade, formaldehyde class, edge banding |
| Outdoor | Acacia, eucalyptus, teak, aluminium, synthetic rattan | Oil or stain finish, UV and weather resistance, hardware |
| Upholstery | Wood or metal frame, foam, fabric or leather | Foam density, fabric rub test, flammability standard |
How GLG sources and verifies furniture suppliers
- Shortlist factories with matching products, materials and export experience in your market.
- Verify business registration, export history and the legal entity that will issue invoices.
- Visit the factory to review machining, kilns, finishing lines and warehouse conditions.
- Check timber origin documents, FSC or PEFC certificates and social compliance audits.
- Coordinate samples, then run inline and pre-shipment inspections covering dimensions, finish, function and packing.
- Supervise container loading and arrange fumigation or ISPM 15 compliance where required.
For hotel and contract furniture made to drawings, GLG also helps check whether the factory has in-house engineering for shop drawings, can source the specified fabrics and hardware, and can deliver in phases that match the project schedule.
Buying process, payment and Incoterms
- Share drawings, reference photos, target price and annual volume.
- Compare shortlisted factory profiles and quotations prepared by GLG.
- Approve samples with the real wood, finish and packaging.
- Sign the contract directly with the supplier, including tolerance and finish standards.
- Inspect, load and ship under the agreed Incoterms.
Furniture is commonly bought FOB from the nearest port. A 30 percent deposit with the balance before shipment or against documents is typical; letters of credit are useful for first large orders. For multi-supplier programs, GLG can consolidate furniture from several factories in its warehouse and load mixed containers.
Risks to manage
- Wood moisture problems causing cracks, warping or mould after arrival.
- Timber documentation gaps that block customs clearance under legal timber rules.
- Finish and colour differences between sample and bulk.
- Trade remedy measures or origin investigations on certain wood products in some markets.
- Packaging failure leading to transit damage.
GLG does not act as a seller or guarantee supplier performance. Contracts are signed between buyer and supplier, with GLG supporting verification, inspection and logistics.
Frequently asked questions
Is acacia or rubberwood a good choice?
Both are plantation species widely used in Vietnam. Rubberwood suits indoor furniture with a painted or stained finish, while acacia is popular for both indoor and oiled outdoor furniture.
Can GLG help prove legal timber?
GLG can collect and review the supplier timber documents and certificates, but legal responsibility for due diligence remains with the importer under the rules of the destination market.
Can I mix products from several factories in one container?
Yes. GLG can receive goods from several suppliers into its warehouse and load a consolidated container with one set of export documents per supplier.
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.