Industry
Furniture & home furnishing: the showroom is not the factory.
Furniture is the category where the gap between a showroom and a factory is widest. A beautiful showroom can hide a factory that does not actually make the pieces — and the difference shows up as quality drift, not as price.
- Foshan, Dongguan, Anji clusters
- Wood, metal, mixed materials
- Showroom ≠ factory
Why this category
What makes this category different to buy.
Furniture concentrates in Foshan and Dongguan in Guangdong, with Anji in Zhejiang strong in office chairs. The showrooms are concentrated in Foshan; the factories are around them.
The risk in furniture is structural: the difference between a piece that survives shipping and one that does not is in the joints, the packaging and the weight of the wood — none of which a showroom shows you.
Furniture is also where subcontracting is most common: the frame from one shop, the upholstery from another, the finishing from a third. Knowing who does which step changes your MOQ and your warranty risk.
The reason to visit is packaging and structure. You can only judge whether a flat-packed piece survives a container by seeing how it is packed and what it weighs.
Supply chain shape
Who actually makes which part.
Which part is made where, and where the risk concentrates.
- Frame & structureWood or metal frames — often a different shop from the upholstery.
- UpholsteryFoam, fabric and sewing — frequently subcontracted.
- FinishingStain, lacquer or coating — the step where consistency is hardest.
- PackagingFlat-pack cartoning and load testing — where shipping damage is decided.
- Assembly & QCFinal assembly and the checks that catch a loose joint before the container.
On the floor
Checks specific to this category.
What to verify on site
- 01.Confirm the factory makes the frames — not just assembles kits from elsewhere.
- 02.See the joints and the joinery; ask about the weight and grade of the wood.
- 03.Foam and fabric — check the density and whether the upholstery is done in-house.
- 04.Packaging: flat-pack cartoning, load testing and how a full container is built.
- 05.Finishing consistency across a run — colour and coating vary more than buyers expect.
- 06.Who holds responsibility when a part is subcontracted — get it in writing.
Numbers
MOQ, sampling and lead time — the ranges we actually see.
Ranges, not promises. Ask us for the driver behind any specific number before you plan a launch around it.
- MOQOften container-led — a full container mix rather than per-SKU minimums.
- SamplingA pre-production sample, then a shipping sample, then the run.
- ToolingNew moulds or jigs are a separate cost, owned by whoever pays for them.
- Lead timeUsually the finishing and the packaging queue, not the woodworking.
Reading these rangesThese are ranges we see, not quotes. In furniture, ask about the packaging and the container build — that is where the landed cost actually lives.
Compliance
Target-market requirements you cannot skip.
Destination-market requirements
- Stability and tipping requirements for furniture sold in your market.
- Formaldehyde and VOC limits for engineered wood.
- Flammability where it applies — upholstery and children’s products.
- Labelling and assembly instructions that match the market language and rules.
What we don't do
What we can and cannot verify here
We check that test reports exist and that they match the product and materials you are buying. We do not interpret standards.
- We do not certify furniture or issue compliance marks.
- We cannot confirm a product passes a standard — only a lab can.
- Requirements vary by market. Confirm current rules before committing.
Before you book: how we verify a factory
Every supplier in this category goes through the same five documented checks before it reaches your itinerary.
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