The Smartest China + Vietnam Setup We’ve Seen (And What It Means for Your Supply Chain)

Hi everyone, 

We’ve been looking forward to sharing this one.

After recently touring a Vietnam-based manufacturing plant—run by a Chinese owner with operations in both countries—our team walked away with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how hybrid sourcing is evolving on the ground.

If you’re a DTC brand looking to diversify beyond China (or streamline ops without sacrificing quality), this model might be one of the smartest we’ve seen.

👀 A Hybrid Setup That Just Makes Sense 

Here’s what stood out:

✅ All molds (2D & 3D) are still made in China. Precision still lives there—and it’s not worth compromising.
✅ Production happens in Vietnam, with an output of 300–400 pcs/day for large silicone SKUs.
✅ They run on Odoo ERP, not spreadsheets—think SAP, but cleaner, faster, and built for DTC timelines.
✅ They keep 20 tons of silicone stocked on-site in Vietnam. That’s weeks of lead time saved.
✅ Standard lead time for 1,000 pcs? 10 days. Start to finish. 

And perhaps most important: you're speaking directly with the owner. No layers. No lost-in-translation. Just fast decisions and clear answers.

🧠 What You Should Take From This

• Vietnam is viable—but only if you're working directly with ownership, not agents.
  

• China still leads on molds and materials (70% of the world’s silicone still comes from there).
  

• Freight from Vietnam is slightly more expensive but manageable with the right forwarder.
  

• Odoo gives you full visibility, which means no more guessing what’s happening on the floor.

This is what a future-ready supply chain looks like: 

✅ Precision where it matters.
Use China’s unmatched capabilities for mold-making and raw material access—especially for components like 3D/2D molds and high-quality silicone.

✅ Flexibility where it counts.
Run production in Vietnam to take advantage of faster lead times, lower labor costs, and the ability to produce 300–400 units/day—even for larger SKUs.

✅ Clarity all the way through.
Operate with real-time visibility through modern tools like Odoo ERP, and cut down on delays by working directly with the owner—no middle layers, no miscommunication.

Thinking of Exploring Vietnam?

We’re actively helping brands build dual-country sourcing strategies like this inside Move.

If you’re considering test batches, vendor vetting, or just want to understand how a setup like this might work for your SKUs—reply with “VIETNAM” and we’ll walk you through it.

Or go straight to our 4-week Sourcing Optimization Trial here → [Insert link]

Vietnam isn’t just a cost-saving move.
💡 It’s a smart, scalable solution—when you work with the right people.

We’ll help you find them.

All the best,
Lara

P.S. We’ll be unpacking more of this in next week’s Unboxed Weekly. If you want a preview of our sourcing templates or vendor checklists, just reply and we’ll send them over early.