What are the processes of importing furniture from China

What are the processes of importing furniture from China

Importing furniture from China is a “4-stage, 22-step” process that begins with product/specification confirmation and ends with after-sales monitoring.
Below is the 2025-updated workflow that Chinese export agencies, forwarders and most buyers actually follow. (Country-specific certificates are illustrated with the U.S.; substitute your own market where necessary.)

1. PRE-SOURCING – make sure you buy the RIGHT product
2. Define the brief: category (sofa, chair, table…), materials, target price, standards (ASTM, EN, BIFMA, CARB, etc.).
3. Short-list suppliers: use offline furniture clusters (Shunde/ Foshan for mid-high volume, Ningbo for metal, Qingdao for bent-wood, Wenzhou for upholstery), plus on-line filters (Alibaba, Made-in-China) and recent trade-fair leads (CIFF March & Sept, Canton Fair phase-II April & Oct) .
4. Verify the factory: business licence, export licence, BSCI/ISO, capital, utility bill (to confirm they are real), and ask for the factory’s HS-code registration number.
5. Request pre-production samples; test for structure, finish, packaging drop, formaldehyde/foam flammability if required.
6. Negotiate Incoterms (usually FOB Shenzhen/Ningbo) and payment: 30 % deposit, 70 % after BL copy is the furniture norm.
7. Sign bilingual purchase contract that lists specification sheet, colour/material swatches, packaging method, inspection standard, late-delivery penalty and “no child-labour” clause.

• COMPLIANCE & DOCUMENTATION – get the paperwork ready BEFORE production
• Importer Security Filing (ISF) for U.S. or ENS for EU – lodge 24 h before vessel departs.
• Book a pre-shipment inspection agency (SGS, Intertek, AsiaInspection); inspection is done when 80 % of order is packed.
• Obtain mandatory or market-driven certificates:
  – U.S.: CARB/EPA TSCA Title VI (formaldehyde ≤ 0.11 ppm), Lacey Act plant import permit, CPSC 16 CFR 1633 mattress flammability, ASTM F2057 tip-over if wardrobes >30”, CPSIA lead/phthalates for children’s furniture .
  – EU: CE, REACH SVHC, EN 12520/12521 structural & durability, EN 717-1 formaldehyde E1, FSC chain-of-custody.
  – Australia: AQS fumigation (methyl-bromide or heat), AS/NZS 4935 for cots.
• Factory provides:
  – Commercial Invoice (shows HS code, FOB value)
  – Packing List (carton size, NW/GW, CBM)
  – Bill of Lading (Sea) or Air Waybill
  – Certificate of Origin (Form A, or CO for non-preferential)
  – Fumigation/Heat-treatment Certificate (ISPM 15) on wooden parts.
  – Export declaration (Chinese customs) – needed to reclaim supplier’s VAT rebate.

• LOGISTICS & CUSTOMS CLEARANCE – move the goods
• Choose shipment mode: Full-container (20 GP/40 HQ) if ≥ 28 m³, otherwise LCL. Furniture is light but voluminous; a 40 HQ fits ~ 65 m³.
• Book freight with NVOCC or forwarder; cut-off dates in Yantian/Ningbo are usually 5 days before ETD.
• Export customs declaration in China – supplier’s customs broker uploads invoice, packing list, export licence (if solid-wood species is restricted) and gets the “release” stamp.
• Ocean transit (e.g., Yantian → Los Angeles 14-16 days, Qingdao → Hamburg 26-28 days).
• Arrival & destination charges:
  – DTHC (Destination THC), DOC fee, chassis split, ISPS, customs entry.
  – Import duty & tax (U.S. 9403.60 wooden furniture mostly 0 % duty + 0.3464 % MPF (min $26.79, max $519.76) + no VAT; EU 9403.30 duty 0 % + 20 % VAT; Canada duty 0-8 % + 5 % GST).
• Customs examination: X-ray vs intensive. If intensive, palletised furniture may be devanned; have supplier place samples of every SKU in the first 1/3 of container to minimise unloading cost.
• Pay duty/tax and obtain Customs Release; freight forwarder issues Delivery Order.
• Arrange drayage to warehouse or Amazon FBA appointment (furniture needs 3-day delivery window to avoid storage).

• POST-ARRIVAL – protect your margin
• Unload & inspect: 5 % AQL random check for scratches, loose bolts, moisture >12 %. Record photos for claim if necessary.
• Minor touch-up or assembly (many sofas now are KD back/arms to save cube).
• Retail labelling & inserts: add country-of-origin “Made in P.R.C.”, care instructions, and law-label for upholstered goods (U.S. 15 USC §70).
• After-sales buffer: keep 1 % spare parts (screws, legs, fabric swatches) in local warehouse; negotiate with factory for 1-2 % free spare parts in next order.

Key practical tips – Always buy “FSC-certified” wood if you sell to EU or U.S. big-box retailers; it speeds up Lacey Act due-diligence.
– Upholstery foam must pass CAL 117 or BS 5852; ask for foam mill’s test report, not just the factory’s self-declaration.
– Pack glass/marble tops with honeycomb board + corner protectors + PE foam; mark “GLASS – HANDLE WITH CARE” on two sides to reduce carrier denial of damage claims.
– If you need Amazon-ready cartons, print the FNSKU on two adjacent sides and keep carton weight ≤ 23 kg (50 lb) to avoid “heavy bulky” surcharge.
– Payment fraud is rising: verify bank details by phone and use two-factor e-mail encryption before sending the 30 % deposit.

Follow the 22 steps above and you will cover 95 % of the issues that normally delay or derail first-time furniture importers.