Importers from Vietnam need visibility, traceability, and collaboration with their networks of suppliers and regulators to document and prove country of origin and minimize exposure to tariffs.
Last week, President Trump announced the proposed framework of a trade deal with Vietnam. Vietnam is the second largest supplier for footwear, apparel, and accessories sold in the US market, and more than half of all athletic shoe imports originate in Vietnam.
The White House hasn’t released details of the deal, but the president on Truth Social laid out the proposal. - 20% tariff on Vietnam exports to the US, and 40% for goods shipped from Vietnam from another Country of Origin, such as China.
- This tariff replaces the 46% reciprocal tariff on Vietnamese goods announced April 2.
- US exports to Vietnam will receive zero tariffs
The framework adds scrutiny for goods with ambiguous or Chinese-origin inputs that most brands wouldn’t have visibility into without access to a product network connecting them with suppliers, regulators and customers.
Brands relying on Vietnam as a final assembly point for Chinese-made components may face 40% duties if they can’t substantiate that Vietnam is the Country of Origin.
Akin to a product’s economic nationality, COO refers to where a good was produced, manufactured, or substantially transformed.
Strategies to minimize the impact of shifting tariff rates may need review. Brands should reassess supply chain traceability and evaluate exposure to duties in the new framework. Executives should stay alert for increased enforcement or verification, and ask themselves, “Are we confident in our COO declarations for goods routed through Vietnam? Do we know what portion of our SKUs would be subject to 40%?”
Product Network Reveals How Goods Are Manufactured, Sourced, Moved
Altana’s Product Network isn’t just another supply chain visibility tool; it’s the only dynamic, AI-powered map of the global supply chain built around products and how they actually move through the world.
Unlike static systems or siloed databases, the Product Network connects thousands of companies, logistics providers, and regulators through a continuously updating, shared view of global production and trade. It reveals how goods are sourced, manufactured, and moved—facility by facility, across borders, and through ownership networks.
For importers of products shipping from Vietnam, the Product Network provides the product-level traceability and collaboration needed to prove country of origin and reduce liability under the proposed tariff framework.
Powered by AI and enriched by real-world activity from its growing network of members, Altana transforms how companies operate across borders—replacing static, document-based systems with a living, connected network of trust, traceability, and proactive decision-making.
