A container of furniture can be perfectly packed and still be held at a US port because of missing compliance paperwork. These are the rules every Vietnamese furniture exporter should know.
1. Lacey Act — legal timber
The Lacey Act prohibits trade in illegally harvested wood. For many wood products, the importer must file a plant and plant product declaration listing the genus, species, country of harvest, quantity and value of the wood.
- Keep supplier records showing where timber was harvested.
- Be precise: "rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis)" rather than "hardwood".
- Certifications such as FSC help demonstrate due care but do not replace the declaration.
2. TSCA Title VI — formaldehyde in composite wood
Furniture containing MDF, particleboard or hardwood plywood must use panels certified by an EPA-recognised third-party certifier, and finished goods must carry a TSCA Title VI compliance label. Importers must also provide an import certification.
3. CPSC — safety rules
- Clothing storage units (dressers, chests) must meet the federal tip-over stability standard.
- Children's furniture needs testing by a CPSC-accepted lab, a Children's Product Certificate and tracking labels.
4. Origin marking and transshipment risk
Furniture must be marked "Made in Vietnam" and must genuinely be made in Vietnam. US authorities have investigated cases where Chinese furniture or plywood was routed through Vietnam to avoid duties. Keep production records — see US customs compliance.
Compliance documents to prepare per shipment
- Lacey Act data (species, harvest country)
- TSCA Title VI certificates for composite panels
- Test reports for regulated products
- Production and raw material records