Develop Fabric in Vietnam with Chris Walker
Dear Reader,I am developing a hoodie fabric in Vietnam and facing delays and technical challenges. The good news is that I have learned a lot and I can help you. If you are planning to produce apparel in Vietnam and need to nail down the fabric first, then let's talk. Here is my latest hoodie fabric development story with lessons learned. Plus introductions to fabric mills in Vietnam. Fabric Requirements:
Top Layer: Formosa polyester (DTY 75/72 SD (+)) Bottom Layer: Tencel 10/s or 20/s The use case for the fabric is sublimation printing on the top face and soft handfeel against the skin on the bottom face. Hoodies look like this: Setbacks - Not Giving UpSeveral fabric mills straight up refused to help me even though I was willing to pay. I have never developed a fabric from scratch hence did not know how much resistance I would get. Now I understand that it is natural for fabric mills to focus their attention on large volume business. Fabric manufacturing is all about high volume low price. Once fabric mills figure out that you are a start up they will try to ghost you. Don't give up but prepare for the worst. My first breakthrough was when I met Million Hills fabric mill at the Saigon tex trade show and they produced 20 kg for me but they used available yarn which is not exactly what I asked for. I appreciate fabric they made for me but it is not the hoodie fabric I want. Tony Thang and Ankur Shrimali have been supporting me to find TENCEL™ yarn which apparently is in high demand on the market and not easily purchased in small quantity. Hopefully, working with Phong Phu International JSC (PPJ) will work out well. If not, then I will have to start all over again. I started this journey Dec 2025. I have never tried to buy Tencel yarn before but the mills are telling me that it is very difficult to buy Tencel yarn. Apparently it is in high demand and limited supply. Tencel is a branded yarn made by Lenzing. It is a regenerated cellulosic fiber made from wood pulp. Similar to bamboo fiber/yarn/fabric. I did a print test on the fabric I got from Million Hills. It is polyester on the front face and cotton on the back face. Specs of cotton fiber somehow made it to the surface of the fabric and after printing the specs flew away leaving a white spot. Apparently this is known as mis-prints. Not good. Need to make sure this defect does not happen. A friend of mine, who also is trying to develop a fabric for tracksuits that have polyester on one side and cotton on the other side (French Terry), shared his experience that because the cotton yarn does not absorb the sublimation ink, after the tracksuits were worn three or four times, gray patches start to appear where there was a lot of rubbing. Apparently, the cotton yarn on the backside, somehow works it's way through to the surface after abrasion. I will be keeping a close eye on this problem and hopefully solve it by using Tencel instead of Cotton. Fabric Mills I Recommend
Lessons LearnedIf you want to produce less than 3,000 meters of knitted or woven fabric then prepare for a lot of resistance. If you can't convince the fabric mill that you will place a large volume bulk order then there is a high chance they won't invest in developing your fabric even if you are willing to pay for the development. For example, I was quoted $1,200 to develop 100kg of fabric (~300 meters) but still met resistance and delays. Give yourself at least 6 months to develop a fabric. Start by meeting fabric mills at trade shows like VIATT Vietnam SaigonTex Vietnam or Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Then plan to spend a lot of time and energy working with them and pushing them to complete the development. Study Fiber. Study Spinning. Study Knitting (or weaving). Study Fabric Finishes (Washing). Know exactly what you want before you make your ask. Sounds logical and easy, right? There are literally hundreds of options at each step in the fabric production process. Be prepared to climb a steep learning curve and take good notes. Best place to learn is at textile trade shows. The sales people at the trade shows have time and technical staff in the booths to get into the technical details of fiber, yarn, knitting and finishing. You will need both the sales and technical staff to get exactly what you want. Would you like to Sell Merch Made in Vietnam and Sell to Your Fans?Let's collaborate and make money together. Produce Small MOQ in Vietnam - Seminar - Coming Soon!Want to launch or grow your fashion brand with small quantities without wasting money or time making mistakes? After 15 years manufacturing in Vietnam, learning the language and culture, AND working directly with small factories, I’ve created a valuable seminar just for you. First, you’ll walk away with a complete, actionable roadmap — know where to source small quantities of fabric and trims, learn insider tricks for sampling, pricing, quality control, and shipping. These are real-world insights you won’t find on YouTube or Google. Second, I will personally share my verified network of small-quantity factories and suppliers that accept low MOQs. These are the exact contacts I’ve built over 15 years. You’ll get warm introductions that would normally take years and cost hundreds to discover. Third, you’ll receive personalized guidance from someone who truly understands Vietnamese business culture. The seminar covers everything from finance, design and development through production and shipping. You’ll leave with the confidence and clarity to start producing in Vietnam immediately, even on a small budget. Contact me to register. Don’t miss this opportunity to shortcut your journey and save years of expensive mistakes. |
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