How to Find a Sportswear Manufacturer in Vietnam

To keep up with the increased demand, many established brands have been finding sportswear manufacturers in Asian countries, especially Vietnam. Whether you want to become the next big athletic brand or simply want to make a profit out of your sportswear business, this article will assist you in finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam that can take your business to the next level.

What can a sportswear manufacturer in Vietnam make?

Types of clothing made by sportswear manufacturer

Custom sportswear is specifically designed products that require expertise and dexterity to produce. When finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam, you can see that a standard producer will offer some of these common items:

• Tanktop
• T-shirt
• Crop top
• Sports bra
• Rashguard
• Hoodie
• Jacket
• Leggings
• Joggers
• Gym shorts

Brands that are finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam

Several well-known brands have their activewear made from Vietnam sportswear manufacturers, as Vietnam is famous for being one of the biggest clothing manufacturers in the world. We can name some top brands with made in Vietnam products:

• Walmart
• Tommy Hilfiger
• The North Face
• Nike
• Under Armour
• Lacoste
• Calvin Klein 
• DKNY
• Fjallraven
• Levi’s
• Converse

Factors to consider when finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam

When finding sportswear manufacturers to do business with, there are some crucial factors that you, as the owner of the clothing brand, should consider before committing yourself to a contract.

Expertise in sportswear manufacturing

It is obvious that before deciding on a deal with a supplier, you must finish finding sportswear manufacturers’ expertise in fitness clothing manufacturing. Not all clothing manufacturers in Vietnam are capable of producing every type of attire, and activewear is especially difficult to produce as it requires particular fabrics and designs to endure all the intensive movements while still ensuring comfortability and durability.

Background research can be done through a third-party inspection company or with a past client. You can also get more information by asking about the supplier’s certifications, production procedures, and recommendations to see how much they know about the specific niche and your product of interest.

Production capacity & capability

Service quality might be one of the biggest concerns for businesses working with activewear suppliers, especially for established clothing brands that are finding sportswear manufacturers for large orders. To make sure that your Vietnamese supplier is physically capable of taking on your high-volume order, you should aim for the ones who can produce at least 300,000 pieces per month.

Besides production capacity, you need to consider timely delivery as a key factor when finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam. This is extremely important, especially if you are a major brand that requires your garments to arrive on time, as guaranteed to be able to be displayed & sold.

Moreover, as sportswear requires dexterity to manufacture, you need to inspect the current machines & production system of a supplier. You may also ask for some information on the R&D program and the introduction of new products/materials/techniques. It is vital that the sportswear manufacturer have technical proficiency to cater to your specifications.

Reliable customer services

Customer service is usually one of the most important factors that go unnoticed. An experienced & reliable sportswear manufacturer must be able to provide some advice and tips for his client’s venture. 

When finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam, you need to make sure the supplier is transparent about all the basic due diligence like production costs & capacity, shipping fees, lead time, and additional costs. 

Beyond that, you can ask for support on designs, fabric selection, and product sampling. Suggestions and inputs can positively impact the development of your project and therefore, customer support service is highly valued.

Furthermore, while long-term cooperation is not obligatory, success can be more easily achieved if both parties commit to a healthy and steady relationship. This means they should share a common goal or vision for the fitness clothing business project and are willing to work hard to reach that goal.

Sustainable production

When finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam, you need to ensure that the factories produce their garments sustainably & ethically. Sustainability & ethics should be more than a concept or a claim, presented in various aspects of the production. 

When looking for manufacturers, you should ask for not only certifications such as SA 8000, WRAP, and OEKO-TEX but also the use of chemicals & eco-friendly materials. Similarly, you can inspect the supplier’s social responsibility by both knowing their values & the working conditions under which their laborers work.

Where to find a trustworthy sportswear manufacturer

Business Directories

A common way of finding sportswear manufacturers is using directories. With this approach, a piece of advice is to stick to well-known and experienced directories. These directories usually offer you a lot of options. 

You can take a look at the directories in some common markets below. These options include:

• For the US market: CFDA Production Directory, OTEXA Made in the USA Sourcing & Products Directory, Real Yellow Pages, Yellowbook, Superpages
• For the China market: Global Source, Alibaba China, Made in China
• For the UK market: Make it British Clothing Manufacturer Directory, UKFT Let’s Make It Here, UK Business Directory
• For Vietnam market: Vietnam AZ, Yes Asia (Vietnam Manufacturers), Vietnam Yellow Pages, Vietnam Export, Global Sources Vietnam, Alibaba Vietnam Pavilion

Industry meetups and trade shows

You can find reputable sportswear manufacturers at trade shows and industry meetups where suppliers showcase their products and services. Meeting suppliers face to face at meetups may help you discuss your particular needs and is also a chance for both parties to build trust and confidence for a mutual business relationship.

For finding sportswear manufacturers in Vietnam, you should first check out some well-known domestic trade shows:

• The Vietnam International Textile & Apparel Accessories Exhibition
• Vietnam International Textile & Garment Industry Exhibition:
• Vietnam Hanoi Fabric & Garment Accessories Expo (HanoiFabric)
• Vietnam Saigon International Textile and Garment Industry Expo (SaigonTex)

In addition, Here are some international trade shows, where you can connect to some qualified sportswear manufacturers: 

• Texworld Paris
• Who’s Next: 
• Intertextile Fair Shanghai

Online marketplaces

Popular online marketplaces are also a great place where you can search for activewear manufacturers. These digital directories provide a rich listing of clothing manufacturers. You can benefit from reading the reviews on the sites and contacting past customers. However, be cautious of scams and undertake due diligence when entering a deal with a manufacturer from these online platforms.