Vietnam is among the world’s largest shoe manufacturers, offering cost-effective and high-quality products. If you plan to import leather shoes from Vietnam, it is important to clearly understand the import processes to ensure smooth transactions and avoid potential risks.
With this guide, you will learn where to find reliable leather shoe suppliers and follow a step-by-step approach to importing from Vietnam efficiently.
Overview of the Vietnam leather shoes export market
According to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO), Vietnam currently ranks second in the world for footwear exports. In 2024, the industry’s export value reached 27.04 billion USD, an increase of 11.45 percent compared with 2023, of which footwear exports account for 23.24 billion USD.
The United States remains the largest market for Vietnam’s footwear sector, accounting for 36.5 percent of total global footwear exports. Some key markets include China (8.5%), Japan (4.7%), and South Korea (2.9%). Other important destinations include Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Spain, Italy, Australia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. This highlights Vietnam’s strong global presence in leather shoe exports.
Why Global Buyers Choose Vietnam for Leather Shoes?
Vietnam is the preferred destination that many global importers choose to import leather shoes because of the cost advantages and the reliability of quality and on-time delivery.
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High-quality products
Vietnamese footwear is highly appreciated for its durability, design, and comfort, meeting the expectations of even the most demanding international consumers. Exported leather shoes usually undergo rigorous quality inspections required by partners and international regulations. These include testing material durability, chemical safety, user comfort, and precision in craftsmanship.
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An abundant, skilled workforce
With the working-age population (15-64), which represents 59.2% of the total population, Vietnam provides a stable labor supply. At present, Vietnam’s footwear industry has more than 1,000 manufacturing factories that employ about 1.5 million workers and contribute 8 percent of the national GDP.
In addition, Vietnamese workers are especially known for their skillfulness, diligence, attention to detail, and ability to quickly adapt to new technologies. They possess valuable experience in manufacturing high-quality, precise products. Their skills include cutting, stitching, bonding, and finishing the final product. This ensures consistency and excellence in every pair of leather shoes. These strengths have helped Vietnam become a leading exporter of leather shoes.
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Competitive manufacturing cost
Compared to other major manufacturing hubs in the world, such as China and India, Vietnamese labor wages are highly competitive. This allows manufacturers to offer reasonable quotes to importers, giving buyers greater profit margins, especially for bulk orders. Combined with skilled craftsmanship and high-quality production, Vietnam provides an attractive balance of cost and quality for global buyers.
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Various design
Vietnamese designers are quick at capturing global fashion trends and creating unique, competitive leather shoe styles. This diversity in design allows manufacturers to meet the wide-ranging demands of international customers. In particular, their ability to customize products according to specific requirements enables global buyers to create exclusive collections.
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Free trade agreements
Vietnam has signed multiple free trade agreements, such as EVFTA, CPTPP, and UKVFTA. These agreements allow products from Vietnam to enter countries like Korea and Japan with 0% tariffs.
Recently, the United States raised import taxes on goods from other countries, 55% for China and 50% for India, making it more challenging to import products from these countries into the US. However, Vietnam faces a lower tariff, only 20%. This provides buyers with easier tariff advantages when sourcing leather shoes from Vietnam.
How to import leather shoes from Vietnam?
When importing leather shoes from Vietnam, it is essential to complete prior preparations to clearly understand the importing process and identify reliable suppliers.
The following are the preliminary steps to note before starting the import process:
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Find a supplier
Choosing the right partner is a crucial step that determines the success of the import process. You should conduct thorough research to identify leather shoe suppliers with a strong reputation and reliability. There are many ways to find trustworthy suppliers, which are discussed in detail in the next section.
Once you have a shortlist of potential suppliers, evaluate them carefully by checking the following:
- Review the supplier’s background, including their official website, business registration, manufacturing licenses, and other legal documents to ensure legitimacy.
- Check their experience of exporting leather shoes and their track record with international buyers.
- Check references and customer feedback to assess the supplier’s reliability.
- Request samples to evaluate the material quality, craftsmanship, and overall finishing of the leather shoes.
- Verify international certifications such as ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), the OEKO-TEX® LEATHER STANDARD, etc.
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Define your needs
To ensure efficient manufacturing, it is essential to clearly communicate your leather shoe requirements with the supplier. You can choose to order ready-made designs, which usually offer faster production and lower MOQs.
If you want to customize your own design, you need to specify some key details, including leather type (full-grain, top-grain, genuine, etc), size range, and size chart, logo placement (if required), and other design specifications.
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Place a sample order
Before placing a bulk order, always request samples to evaluate the overall quality of the leather shoes.
When receiving samples, you have to pay attention to the following key points:
- Check leather quality: Assess the softness, grain, thickness, flexibility, and whether the leather is full-grain, top-grain, or corrected grain. Look for natural defects or uneven textures.
- Check the color: Ensure the color is consistent, evenly applied, and matches your Pantone or reference sample.
- Check the design: Verify that the shoe shape, patterns, logo placement, and overall design follow your approved specifications.
- Stitching and craftsmanship: Inspect the stitching lines for tightness, uniformity, and strength.
- Lining and durability of accessories: Inspect the stitching lines for tightness, uniformity, and strength.
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Request a quotation
When requesting a quotation from suppliers, make sure to clarify the MOQ (minimum order quantity), lead time, and costs.
Each supplier has a different MOQ, which is the smallest number of units they are willing to produce in a single order. Lead time includes the total production period, quality inspection, and shipping to your destination.
For leather shoes, the MOQ typically ranges from 100 to 1,000 units, and the lead time usually takes 4 to 8 weeks, depending on some factors such as the level of customization, material availability, and factory workload.
Below are the typical MOQ and lead time for several types of leather shoes:
| # | Type of Leather Shoes | Typical MOQ | Lead time (days) |
| 1 | Leather boots | 300 | 45-60 |
| 2 | Leather sandals | 150 | 25-45 |
| 3 | Leather dress shoes | 200 | 30-45 |
In particular, always ensure you have a legally binding written contract with your supplier. The contract should clearly specify all important terms to protect both parties and prevent misunderstandings.
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Handle custom clearance
With the proper documentation, export and import clearance can proceed smoothly. You should prepare key documents such as: Commercial invoices, Packing lists, Certificates of origin, Quality certificates, etc.
When importing leather shoes from Vietnam, you must account for customs duties, taxes, and clearance fees. Unless exempt, all imported commercial goods are subject to customs duties and taxes based on their HS codes, declared value, and applicable trade agreements. For example, under the US-Vietnam trade agreement, leather shoes imported from Vietnam may benefit from a reduced tariff of 20%.
To simplify the process, you can hire a local customs clearance agent. They can help calculate import duties, prepare documentation, and ensure compliance with all regulations, reducing the risk of delays or additional costs.
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Logistics agreements
The next step is to plan how the goods will be shipped from Vietnam to your destination. There are two main shipping methods: air freight and ocean freight. You should choose the method based on your priorities, such as cost, speed, and order size.
- Air Freight: Fast but more expensive, suitable for urgent or smaller shipments.
- Ocean Freight: Slower but cost-effective for large or bulk orders.
How to find reliable leather shoe suppliers in Vietnam
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Direct manufacturing
Vietnam is home to thousands of footwear manufacturers. The following are some of the most well-known companies specializing in leather shoe production:
An Ba Leather Shoes One Member Co., Ltd: Established in 2013, An Ba has extensive experience in manufacturing and exporting high-quality leather shoes to countries worldwide. The company specializes in a variety of footwear styles, combining skilled craftsmanship with modern production techniques to meet international standards.
- Location: 23A Street 1, Quarter 22, Binh Hung Hoa A Ward, Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://giayanba.com/
Vina Shoes Trading and Production Co., Ltd: One of the leading leather shoe manufacturers in Ho Chi Minh. It has around 35 years of experience in producing high-quality shoes for men and women. The company offers a wide range of designs, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern production techniques. Its products comply with international standards, including ISO and CE, making them suitable for global export markets.
- Location: 180-182 Ly Chinh Thang Street, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://vinagiay.vn/
Binh Tien Consumer Goods Manufacturing Limited Company (Biti’s): Established in 1982, one of the leading shoe companies in Asia. Strong exporting to all over the world, such as Europe, the US, and Japan. There are hundreds of branches in many provinces in Vietnam
- Location: 22 Ly Chieu Hoang Street, Ward 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: bitis.com.vn
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Sourcing through online B2B platforms
B2B sourcing platforms provide extensive supplier databases across various industries, including textiles, garments, agriculture, and more. These platforms enable you to access thousands of footwear suppliers.
Some of the top-rated platforms include:
Alibaba: The world’s largest B2B e-commerce platform, which is built to connect Chinese manufacturers with global buyers. While it primarily features suppliers from China, you can also find a growing number of Vietnamese manufacturers on the platform.
- Advantages: You can browse millions of leather shoe products in a wide range of styles, and price points. The platform offers competitive pricing, advanced search filters, and convenient communication tools that make sourcing easier.
- Disadvantages: Although Alibaba is recognized as a reputable platform for global trade, you still need to pay attention to some common issues, such as inconsistent product quality. Besides, although Alibaba has stringent measures to verify sellers, scams and fraudulent activities can still occur. You should always review seller ratings, transaction history, and customer feedback carefully.
VinaSources: A trusted B2B sourcing platform for buyers looking to source products from Vietnam. It serves as a direct bridge connecting global importers with reliable, export-ready Vietnamese suppliers.
- Advantages: The platform offers a wide range of leather shoes at competitive prices, along with flexible MOQs that are ideal for small-volume orders and bulk purchases. All suppliers listed on VinaSources are thoroughly vetted to ensure they meet export standards, product quality requirements, and compliance expectations.
- Disadvantages: Compared to global giants like Alibaba, the number of suppliers is more limited because the platform focuses only on Vietnam.
Global Sources: A leading B2B platform that connects global buyers with manufacturers primarily in Asia. It mainly focuses on specific categories such as electronics, fashion, and gifts.
- Advantages: The platform features high-quality suppliers who undergo a rigorous verification process, ensuring reliability and trustworthiness. The platform is user-friendly, easy to navigate with effective search filters, which make it easier for buyers to find the right manufacturers.
- Disadvantages: Global Sources generally has a higher average MOQ than local platforms, which may be challenging for small or new buyers. Furthermore, prices are sometimes higher compared to more general B2B marketplaces.
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Visiting trade shows
Trade shows are key events where footwear manufacturers, brands, and suppliers showcase their products and connect with international buyers. Attending these events allows you to discover new suppliers, evaluate product quality, and build valuable business relationships.
Before attending, remember to check the official websites for each event to find detailed information such as dates, locations, and registration requirements.
- Global Sourcing Fair Vietnam: An international exhibition for sourcing fashion and accessories (apparel, footwear, and leather, bags and luggage), handicrafts, and other related products. In 2025, the exhibition was held from April 24-26, in Ho Chi Minh City, featuring over 550 booths and attracting around 10,000 visitors from across the globe.
- International Footwear & Leather Products Exhibition (IFLE): This is the leading event in the ASEAN region, providing an excellent platform for Vietnamese footwear manufacturers and international businesses to connect and exchange cooperation opportunities. In 2026, it is scheduled to take place from July 8-10 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The exhibition is expected to attract approximately 15,000 professional visitors and 750 exhibitors, showcasing the latest innovations and trends in the footwear and leather industry.
VinaSources – A Trusted B2B Platform Supporting Leather Shoe Sourcing
VinaSources is a trusted B2B sourcing platform that serves as a bridge, connecting Vietnamese suppliers with global buyers.
With over 12 years of hands-on experience in cross-border eCommerce, supply chain management, and supplier sourcing, we specialize in making your sourcing process seamless and stress-free. Whether you need help finding reliable leather shoe suppliers, ensuring product quality, or managing logistics, we’ve got you covered.
Our platform offers a wide selection of ready-to-export shoes, including leather shoes in various designs and styles. With easy-to-use filtering tools, you can quickly find suppliers that match your specific business needs.
Our services also include inspection and quality checks directly at suppliers’ warehouses, ensuring only top-quality products reach our clients. For businesses looking for a reliable partner to find trustworthy suppliers and manage the entire importing process, VinaSources is your one-stop solution. Get in touch with us at 1900.4356 or submit a request through our quotation form to get started.