Sourcing natural pet toys from Vietnam instead of China: a buyer checklist
Many importers and Amazon sellers now add a Vietnamese supplier next to, or instead of, a Chinese one. For natural pet products the move is about more than duties: it is about the true origin of the goods, whether the material is really natural, and what paperwork comes with it. Here are the seven checks we suggest before you switch, with our own answers.
- For importers, brands and Amazon sellers
- Seven checks
- About 6 minutes to read
Check 1. Is the product really made in Vietnam?
Ask where the raw material comes from and where it is processed, not only where the goods are shipped from. Our coffee wood comes from mature Robusta trees (20+ years) cleared at the end of their productive life in the Central Highlands, and our coffee wood production is in Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces. For every other line, ask us where it is made and we answer per product. We only declare the true origin of the goods, and we refuse requests to declare anything else.
Check 2. Is the material really natural?
Words like "rattan" or "natural look" can describe plastic. Ask what the fibre is, and ask for a photo of the raw material.
- Coffee wood: solid Robusta wood, cut and dried
- Loofah: cut from dried loofah gourd
- Hemp: hemp fibre twisted into rope, balls and knots
- Coco coir: rope made from coconut fibre, machine-twisted, then hand-knotted. No glue, only twisting and knotting.
- Woven pet beds: seagrass, water hyacinth or rattan
Check 3. What testing can the supplier show?
Ask which product the report covers and to which standard, then ask to see it. Do not accept one report as proof for a whole range.
- Coffee wood: SGS heavy-metal test to ASTM F963-23, report on request.
- Hemp, coco coir and loofah: no lab test yet. We say so rather than show a report for another product.
Check 4. Duties: ask your customs broker, per HS code
US import duties have changed several times since 2025 and may change again before your goods arrive. In February 2026 the US Supreme Court ruled that tariffs imposed under IEEPA were unlawful, and other measures have followed. Section 301 duties on many Chinese-origin goods, in place since 2018–2019, were not part of that ruling. Vietnam is not outside this process: in 2026 USTR opened Section 301 investigations that cover Vietnam, so duties on Vietnamese-origin goods can change too.
Rates differ by product and change often, so we do not quote duty rates. Before you order, ask your customs broker for the current rate on your exact HS code for goods of Vietnamese origin and of Chinese origin. Official sources: USTR Section 301 and the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Check 5. Can you start small?
Switching is safer when you can test before you commit a full order.
- 3 free samples per customer, across the whole sample order. You pay the shipping, which is credited back on a qualifying production order.
- Minimum: 50 pcs per SKU on toy lines, 100 pcs per SKU on pet beds. Sizes can be split inside a SKU.
- Several lines in one order: one supplier, one shipment, one set of documents. How a mixed order works
Check 6. Can they pack for your channel?
Each SKU can arrive plain, under your brand, or ready for an Amazon fulfilment centre, and you can choose differently for each SKU in the same order. Private label uses the same minimum as plain goods.
Check 7. Which documents come with the shipment?
- Commercial invoice, packing list, and bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air)
- Phytosanitary and fumigation certificates when your market requires them
- Certificate of origin: not every product qualifies, so tell us before we quote if you need one, and we confirm it for each line.
Test a Vietnamese supplier with samples
Tell us the lines and sizes you buy today. We reply with sample terms, packing options and lead time for your mix.