Educational Factory Tours in Vietnam

Do you have kids? Imagine if you introduced them to manufacturing in a country like Vietnam. Would it have a big impact on their life? Inspire them? Imagine that you have an idea to produce like a poolside wrap. Would it be great to get inside the factory and see how it is made? We can get you inside Vietnamese factories for an educational tour.

How can we help you? Are you planning to visit Vietnam for business? For vacation? I am assuming you want to produce a product in Vietnam. Allow me to offer some thoughts about manufacturing soft goods in Vietnam; products like apparel, backpacks, baseball caps, socks, silk sleeping bags or leather wallets. Here are examples of information I, or my team, will share with you when you hire us for educational Vietnam factory tours.

The first nut to crack is sourcing raw materials like fabric and leather. Most raw materials that are made into finished products in Vietnam come from China, approximately 60%. Vietnam does produce fabric and leather but not on the same scale as China and not at the same price. 90% of the time raw material sourced in China are cheaper by 5 to 20%. If your country applies an extra import duty on Chinese products like the USA does (~7.5%) then Vietnam might be cheaper. Even with the tax advantage Vietnam has over China when producing for the USA, six out of 10 times China is still cheaper. The first step to know if Vietnam is cheaper than China is to figure out the cost or the raw materials in Vietnam compared to China.

China offers perks due to its size and current world economics. China has 1.4 billion people, Vietnam has 100 million. China is 10x's bigger than Vietnam. Whatever Vietnam can do, China can do better. At this point in history, China will roll out the red carpet for you to get your business because they can affrord to and they are desparate to get orders back. In Vietnam you will have to get in line and convince the factory owner why he or she should do business with you and not the person behind you. Vietnam is very poplular now and very small compared to the number of buyers looking for capacity in Vietnam. Don't expect to get too many perks in Vietnam. Following are the perks I am talking about.

China will help you with design and development. Vietnam won't in most cases.

China will offer samples for free. Vietnam might.

China will pay for shipping of samples to you. Vietnam won't.

Does it sound like I am promoting China? I am because I want to make sure you are in Vietnam for the right reasons. If you are moving out of China to find a cheaper price then nine out of 10 times China is still your best bet. I am not here to sell you Vietnam. I am here to help you find the right solution for your manufacturing problem.

One question I often ask is, what problem are you having in China? What makes you think that you won't face that same problem in Vietnam?

So, why come to Vietnam you might ask? Doing business here is a pleasant experience compared to countries like China, India, Bangladesh or Myanmar. The Vietnamese government is pro-business. The Vietnamese people are comfortable working with foreigners. They co-existed with the Chinese for 1,000 years, they tolerated French occupation for 200 years and the fought with and against Americans, Australians, Koreans and Taiwanese soldiers for 12 years during the American Vietnam war. In all three instances, Vietnam fought to get their independece back. They are smart, persistant, patient and perservering people. The food is delicious. The weather is warm. The hotels are comfortable and transportation convenient. Most people who come to Vietnam rant and rave about what a nice time they had traveling and working here. If ease of doing business is your priority then come to Vietnam.

Let's say a t-shirt cost $2 to make in Bangladesh and $3 dollars to make in China then it will cost $4 to make in Vietnam. If you can sell that t-shirt for $30 then your gross profit will be $26. Let's say it costs you $16 per t-shirt to run your company, market your t-shirt and sell it then your net profit will be $10.Does that work for you? If yes, then Vietnam will work for you.

One last point about quality. Often Vietnam gets accolades for producing quality. While it is true that Vietnam can produce quality but so can China, India, Bangladesh etc. Quality depends on you, not where you produce. Quality starts with you clearly describing the level of quality you demand, then doing an inline inspection to catch mistakes early and doing a final inspection before you make the final payment. You pay for the quality that you want regardless of what country you produce in.

Thanks for reading this far.

Sincerely,

Chris Walker, Vietnam Sourcing Expert

Are you coming to Vietnam? Would you like to go for a tour inside Vietnamese factories? Would you like to see how things are made like t-shirts, backpacks and baseball caps. Sound interesting?

Hi, my name is Chris. I am an American and I have been living here in Ho Chi Minh City since 2008. I work as a factory tour guide and manufacturing consultant. I have a curated list of over 400 factories based on my 14+ years of experience working in Vietnam. I earn a living by introducing start-ups annd professionals to factories in Vietnam so they can grow their businesses.

Enough about me. How about you? What is the product you would like to manufacture? Are you coming to Vietnam on vacation? Would you like to do more than enjoy the beaches of Nha Trang, visit fishing villages or walk the streets of Hoi An?

Are you planning to produce in Vietnam? May I offer some advice? How will the factory know what you want made? If you have an idea in your mind, can they read your mind? No, but they can read a tech pack. Tech packs are written documents that describe what you want made. They include images, written descriptions, measurements, and specific instructions that let the factory know exactly what to make. Without tech packs the factory will have to guess what you want. Guessing leads to mistakes which will cost you and the factory time and money. So, my advice is: start by creating your tech packs.

Remember that factories make things. They don't design things. If you show up with a clear design, documented in writing, then you will hit a home run your first time up to bat.

Thanks for reading and welcome to Vietnam. Are you ready to book a tour? Reserve your spot on our private tour and immerse yourself in the captivating world of manufacturing, prepare for a one-of-a-kind experience in Vietnam, where knowledge meets creativity, and passion weaves its way into products we use every day. Are you interested to see inside factories? Is now a good time to conntact us below for more information?

In anycase, I hope to see you in Vietnam and remember, thoughts are things; where there is a will, there is a way.

Our mission is to connect 100 buyers with 100 Vietnam factories each year so that everyone earns a fair profit. Our vision is to be known around the world as the best ambassador for Vietnam manufacturing.

I believe you are passionate about learning and like to learn by seeing. But, you don’t have access to factories in your home town nor overseas. If you are coming to Vietnam anyway, why not hire me to get you inside for a unique experience that could change your life. Let me show your dream of building your own brand can become a reality.

In case you don't have plans to visit Vietnam then check out our Youtube channel where we have interviewed dozens of factories. Contact them directly and see if they respond. Or read one of our how to books to start your journey manufacturing overseas.

We are standing by to show you the steps necessary to work with factories in far away countries like Vietnam.