# Importing furniture from Vietnam: sourcing, compliance and shipping to the US and Australia

> Import furniture from Vietnam: sourcing regions, FOB vs FCA, QC, container loading, Lacey Act, TSCA Title VI, BICON, duties, shipping to the US and Australia.

Canonical: https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/importing-furniture-from-vietnam/
Last updated: 2026-09-28

Vietnam is one of the world's largest furniture exporters, supplying wooden indoor furniture, outdoor sets, upholstered seating, rattan and handicraft pieces to retailers, hospitality groups and e-commerce brands in the United States, Australia and Europe. For an importer, the product is only half the job. The other half is buying on the right terms, getting the compliance paperwork right for wood, and shipping it so that it arrives undamaged and clears customs without delay. This guide covers that second half, from the factory gate to your warehouse.

## Where Vietnamese furniture is made

- **The former Binh Duong province and Dong Nai:** the largest concentration of export furniture factories, shipping through Cat Lai and the deep-water Cai Mep terminals. Since the July 2025 provincial merger, the former Binh Duong (Thu Dau Mot, Di An, Thuan An, Tan Uyen) is part of Ho Chi Minh City, so supplier addresses may show either name.
- **Quy Nhon** (formerly Binh Dinh province, now Gia Lai): long known for outdoor furniture.
- **Hanoi and the north:** furniture and handicraft producers shipping through Haiphong.
- **Craft villages nationwide:** rattan, bamboo, lacquerware and carved pieces, often consolidated in Ho Chi Minh City before export.

Where your supplier sits decides the export port and the trucking cost to it. Our overview of [Vietnam's main container ports](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/vietnam-ports/) explains the options.

## Buying terms: FOB, FCA or CIF?

The Incoterm on your purchase order decides who books the ocean freight and where your risk begins:

<div class="overflow-x-auto">

| Term | Supplier's job ends | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| **FCA** (factory or port) | When the container is handed to the carrier | Full containers stuffed at the factory; recommended by the ICC for containerized cargo |
| **FOB** (Cat Lai, Cai Mep or Haiphong) | When the goods are on board | You have your own forwarder and want to control freight |
| **CIF / CIP** (your port) | Supplier pays freight and insurance to your port, but risk still passes in Vietnam | You have no forwarder and want a delivered-to-port price |
| **DAP / DDP** (your warehouse) | At your door, with DDP including import duties | Rare for furniture; the supplier needs a US or Australian importer of record for DDP |

</div>

Always write the exact place and version, for example "FCA Supplier's factory, Thu Dau Mot ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Incoterms® 2020".

## Quality control before the container is sealed

Once the container is sealed, fixing a problem means a claim, not a repair. Most importers book a **pre-shipment inspection** when production is about 80-100% complete, checking dimensions, finish, moisture content of solid wood, hardware, labeling and a sample of packed cartons. For repeat orders, a **container loading check** confirms the right quantities go in and are braced properly. Agree the inspection standard and the acceptable defect levels in the purchase contract.

## Packing and container loading

- **Knock-down (KD) or flat-pack** where the design allows: it cuts volume, and ocean freight is priced by volume.
- **Corner protection and moisture control:** foam corners, edge guards, and desiccants or moisture-absorbing strips for solid wood crossing the tropics.
- **Wooden crates and pallets must be ISPM 15 treated** and marked, for both the US and Australia.
- **Container choice:** furniture fills space before weight, so a 40ft high cube usually gives the lowest cost per CBM for full orders. Plan on roughly 55-58 CBM loadable in a 40ft and 65-68 CBM in a 40ft high cube.

Use the [CBM calculator](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tools/cbm-calculator/) with your carton list to see whether the order is an LCL or FCL shipment, and [LCL vs FCL](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/lcl-vs-fcl/) to compare the two.

## US compliance for imported furniture

- **Lacey Act declaration (PPQ 505):** declare the genus and species and country of harvest of the wood. Since 1 January 2026 APHIS accepts it only electronically, through ACE or LAWGS.
- **TSCA Title VI:** composite wood (MDF, particleboard, hardwood plywood) in the furniture must meet the EPA formaldehyde emission standard, be labeled as compliant, and the importer certifies compliance at entry.
- **STURDY Act:** clothing storage units such as dressers and chests of drawers must meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission tip-over stability standard.
- **ISF 10+2** before loading in Vietnam; see [ISF filing](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/isf-filing/).
- **Duties:** many wooden furniture items carry 0% normal duty plus 12.5% Section 301 on Vietnamese goods; specific upholstered wooden-frame seating and cabinet codes carry 25% Section 232 instead. Details and a worked example are in [US tariffs on Vietnam goods in 2026](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/us-tariffs-on-vietnam-goods/).

Rules for specific products change; have your customs broker confirm HS codes and product requirements before you place the order.

## Australian compliance for imported furniture

- **Biosecurity:** check the import conditions for timber and wooden articles in **BICON**. Solid wood may need a treatment certificate or will be inspected on arrival; bark and insect damage are common reasons for holds.
- **BMSB season:** goods made in and shipped directly from Vietnam are generally outside the mandatory brown marmorated stink bug measures, but LCL cargo sharing a container with goods from target countries can be caught. See [shipping from Vietnam to Australia](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/vietnam-to-australia/).
- **Duty and GST:** around 5% general duty on Chapter 94 furniture, 0% with a valid AANZFTA certificate of origin, plus 10% GST.

## How the shipment moves

1. **Booking:** confirm the Incoterm, the pickup address, cargo-ready date and volume. We reserve space on a sailing that matches.
2. **Documents:** commercial invoice, packing list with carton dimensions, certificate of origin (for AANZFTA or other preferences), fumigation or ISPM 15 evidence, and wood species details for the Lacey Act.
3. **Stuffing and export clearance:** the container is loaded at the factory (FCL) or cartons go to the CFS warehouse (LCL); we file the Vietnamese export declaration.
4. **Ocean transit:** roughly 14-22 days to the US West Coast, 28-45 days to the East Coast, 18-35 days to Australian ports, port to port.
5. **Import clearance and delivery:** your broker or our partner clears customs and biosecurity, then the container or cartons are delivered to your warehouse or venue.

## Related

- [Sea freight from Vietnam to the US and Australia](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/)
- [Shipping from Vietnam to the USA by sea](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/vietnam-to-usa/)
- [Shipping from Vietnam to Australia by sea](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/sea-freight/vietnam-to-australia/)
- [Ship art and furniture from Vietnam (small pieces by air)](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-art-furniture-from-vietnam/)

[Get a sea freight quote](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/get-a-quote/) with your supplier's address and carton list, or message us on [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/84938373343).