ASTM F963 toy safety
The US toy standard: mechanical tests (seams, eyes and small parts are pulled and checked), flammability, and heavy elements in surface coatings and substrates.
For US brands, licensors and retailers
Custom plush made in Vietnam, ready for US retail
Takara develops and produces custom plush, stuffed animals and soft goods for US brands through vetted partner factories in Vietnam. Every order is tested to US requirements at an accredited lab and shipped FOB Ho Chi Minh City, or delivered duty paid on request. Takara sourced 120,000 plush dolls for ThreeSixty Group, delivered to Walmart and Target.
Updated November 2026
01 · At a glance
The numbers a US buyer asks for first
Reference terms for custom plush shipped to the United States. Every quote confirms them for your design.
- Minimum order
- 1,000 pcs per design for export to the US (and any other export market).
- Indicative price
- From about US$2.45 per piece, depending on size, number of pattern pieces, embroidery and quantity.
- Sample
- US$100–300 per design, including up to 3 revision rounds. First sample in 7–10 working days.
- Production
- From 30 days after sample approval and deposit. About 55 days from brief to delivery on the reference schedule, plus ocean transit.
- US testing
- ASTM F963 and CPSIA testing at a CPSC-accepted third-party lab, planned into the quote.
- Delivery terms
- FOB Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) as standard; CIF or DDP to your US warehouse on request.
- Quote
- Itemized quote within 3 business days of a brief, sketch or reference sample.
02 · US compliance
What a plush toy needs before it can sell in the US
Requirements are set by where the toy is sold, not where it is made. Declare every market and every retailer at inquiry: they decide which partner factories are eligible and what the lab tests.
CPSIA lead and phthalates
Lead content and the eight restricted phthalates in accessible plasticized parts, tested at a CPSC-accepted third-party lab.
Children’s Product Certificate
Issued by the US importer, based on passing lab reports. Takara coordinates the testing and hands over the reports the certificate needs.
Tracking labels and warnings
Permanent tracking labels on the product and its packaging, and choking-hazard warnings for ages 3 to 6 where small parts apply.
State stuffed-article law labels
Some states, for example Pennsylvania, Ohio and Massachusetts, require a stuffed-article law label with a registration number.
Retailer and licensor programs
Retailers and licensors often add their own requirements, such as social-compliance audits (Disney FAMA, amfori BSCI, Sedex SMETA). Those programs are held by a limited number of facilities and are generally practical for larger orders.
A toy that passes EN 71 for Europe is not automatically compliant in the US. Selling in several markets? List them all upfront so one test program covers every destination. The full CPSIA guide for plush toys
03 · Duties and origin
Tariffs: what to check before you compare quotes
The rate depends on your HTS code and country of origin
Stuffed toys are generally classified under HTS heading 9503; apparel, bags and textiles fall under other chapters. Look up the current rate for your exact code and confirm it with your customs broker when you place the order.
Rates have changed repeatedly since 2025
US duties on China-origin and Vietnam-origin goods have moved several times. A quote comparison that uses last year’s rate can point the wrong way, so this page does not quote a percentage.
Origin is where the product is actually made
Takara declares origin where production happens and keeps the production records behind it. Goods routed through a third country without real manufacturing there do not change origin, and US Customs enforces that.
Compare landed cost, not unit price
Unit price, duty, freight and one-time costs (samples, testing, molds) together decide which origin is cheaper for your order.
Look up your HTS code on the US tariff schedule The 2018–2026 tariff timeline and a plan to move plush to Vietnam
04 · How an order runs
Five stages, from brief to your US warehouse
- 01Brief
Design files, sketch or reference sample, quantities, and every market and retailer you will sell to.
- 02Sample
First sample in 7–10 working days, revised until you approve it. The approved sample becomes the production standard.
- 03Production
At an assigned partner factory that fits your product and your market’s requirements. From 30 days after approval.
- 04QC
Inspection against the approved sample, lab testing to ASTM F963 and CPSIA, tracking labels checked before packing.
- 05Delivery
FOB Cat Lai, or CIF or DDP to your warehouse, with commercial invoice, packing list and test reports.
05 · Proof
Work that shipped to US retail and global licensors
ThreeSixty Group120,000 plush dolls for Walmart and Target
Takara won a sourcing bid in Shanghai to become ThreeSixty Group’s authorized Vietnam sourcing agency: 85 SKUs, with the plush produced at a FAMA-audited partner factory.
TaggerDoraemon, Shin-chan and One PieceOEM manufacturing for the master licensee of these Japanese characters in Vietnam: 26 SKUs held to Japanese licensor QC.
The Pokémon CompanyOfficial licensee since 2018Pokémon apparel and accessories under Takara’s Mirako brand, in 230+ retail doors across Vietnam.
How Takara works
Takara is a creative-manufacturing partner, not a factory owner. It vets partner factories in Vietnam on quality, safety, working conditions and design protection, assigns each order to the one that fits, and manages development, inspection, testing and shipping documents for you, in English, as one point of contact. How partner factories are vetted
06 · FAQ
Questions US buyers ask
Can Takara ship custom plush to the United States?
Yes. The standard term is FOB Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City), with your forwarder handling ocean freight and import. Takara can also quote CIF to a US port or DDP to your warehouse, in which case freight, customs clearance and import duties are included in the price.
What is the minimum order for custom plush shipped to the US?
Custom plush for export starts at 1,000 pieces per design. Lab testing is a fixed cost per design, so smaller export runs are rarely viable. For a smaller first order, ready-made catalogue patterns start at 500 pieces per order with designs mixed; US testing still applies to each design.
How much does a custom plush toy cost from Vietnam?
Indicative export prices start from about US$2.45 per piece and depend on size, number of pattern pieces, embroidery and quantity. The sample costs US$100–300 per design and includes up to 3 revision rounds. Duties, freight and testing are added to reach the landed cost.
Who issues the Children’s Product Certificate?
The US importer issues the Children’s Product Certificate (CPC), based on passing test reports from a CPSC-accepted third-party lab. Takara plans the ASTM F963 and CPSIA testing into the order and provides the reports.
Do toys made in Vietnam need different testing from toys made in China?
No. Testing is set by the market where the toy is sold. A plush toy sold in the US needs the same ASTM F963 and CPSIA testing wherever it is made.
How long does a custom plush order take?
The first sample takes 7–10 working days. Production starts from 30 days after sample approval and deposit; the reference schedule is about 55 days from brief to delivery, before ocean transit to the US.
Does Takara own the factories?
No. Takara works through vetted partner factories and manages the project for you: development, factory assignment, inspection against the approved sample, lab testing and shipping documents. Certifications and audits are held by the partner factories and labs, not by Takara.
Can Takara produce licensed character merchandise for the US market?
Yes, with the licensor’s approval process built into sampling. Takara has produced licensed goods for Tagger (Doraemon, Shin-chan, One Piece) and as an official Pokémon licensee. Some licensors require factory audits such as Disney FAMA, which narrows the eligible factories and suits larger orders.
Before you order
Send a brief, get a US-ready quote
Share the design, quantities and where you will sell. Takara replies within 3 business days with an itemized quote, the testing your market needs and the delivery term you prefer.