Checklist: auditing a baby furniture manufacturer in Vietnam
Short answer: verify four things before you pay a deposit: the company is who it says it is, it can make your product to your market's standard, its production and finishing are controlled, and its paperwork matches the product. A video audit comes first; visit before a large order.
1. Company identity
- The legal name, tax code and registered address match the business registration.
- The address is a factory, not only an office, and the factory appears in photos or on a live video call.
- E-mail comes from the company's own domain, not a free mailbox.
- Several Vietnamese companies have similar names, so confirm the tax code.
- Many addresses changed in Vietnam's July 2025 administrative merger. Ask which address is current and which appears on older documents.
2. Capability
- You can see the production flow: material selection, machining, sanding, finishing, assembly check and packing.
- The factory shows finished products similar to yours.
- Ask about the product development and quality control staff, and about equipment such as CNC machines and a paint line.
- Ask what monthly capacity is stated in containers, and how much of it would be available for your order.
3. Compliance records
- Third-party test reports for the same type of product to your destination standard. Check the laboratory, the date and the standard edition.
- Evidence that paint and finishes are lead-free for children's products.
- Formaldehyde declarations (TSCA Title VI or CARB P2) for engineered wood panels.
- Labels: tracking labels, warning labels and registration cards for the US.
4. Quality control
- Lumber selection and moisture checks before cutting.
- In-process checks after shaping, sanding, assembly, finishing and packing.
- Final inspection with AQL sampling, and a carton drop test for flat-pack cartons.
- You or a third-party inspector may inspect before shipment.
5. Commercial terms
- MOQ, lead time, deposit and balance in writing.
- A sample approval process and a rule for handling changes.
- Incoterm, port and packing list.
- Ownership of your designs and tooling, and confidentiality.
6. Red flags
- The factory cannot be shown, only a showroom.
- Test reports belong to a different model or an old standard edition.
- The supplier will not name the legal entity.
- A price far below other quotes with no explanation of the material.
- A request for full payment before production.
How Tan Phuoc supports an audit
We welcome video audits and factory visits at our site in Binh Co Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. We share third-party test reports for our crib, bunk bed and dresser models with qualified buyers on request, and we send weekly production photo reports.
FAQ
Should I audit a Vietnamese factory in person or by video?
Start with a video audit to check identity and production flow. Visit in person, or hire a third-party inspector, before a large or first order.
Which documents should a factory show?
The business registration, third-party test reports for the destination standard, and material or paint declarations for children's products.
How do I avoid confusing similar company names?
Check the tax code and the registered address against the business registration, and use e-mail on the company's own domain.