Last reviewed: 30 September 2026. Original publication: 2 April 2025.
Why Australian Buyers Source Furniture from China
For an Australian childcare operator, fit-out firm or furniture wholesaler, factory-direct sourcing is a way to specify the models, dimensions, finish and branding together. The useful comparison is the cost of the same furniture delivered to the same destination, with the same documentation and support.
Start with a product schedule: model or drawing, quantity, dimensions, materials, finish, packaging and delivery postcode. Give every supplier the same brief. Then compare the product price, transport, import costs and assembly requirements separately. A lower factory price alone does not tell you which offer is better.
Step 1: Verify the Supplier
Before you transfer a deposit, check both the company and the furniture it will make.
Check Business Registration
Ask for the business licence and confirm the legal company name against the quotation and payment instructions. If a separate export company is involved, ask the supplier to explain that relationship in writing.
Factory Audit
Request a factory visit, a live video walkthrough or an independent factory audit. Ask to see the processes relevant to your order: panel cutting, joinery, finishing, curing, inspection and packing. Agree a sample or drawing approval process before production.
Product Evidence and References
Ask for relevant customer references where available, and check what each test report actually covers: the material or finished product, model, thickness, test method and date. A supplier's material certificate and a test on your finished product answer different questions. Our materials and testing page explains MJK's evidence and order-specific testing approach.
Step 2: Get the Right Documentation
Prepare a document checklist with your Australian customs broker and freight forwarder before booking the shipment. The following is a working list; the exact documents depend on the goods, transport method and import conditions.
| Document or information | What to check |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Legal parties, accurate product descriptions, values and agreed trade terms |
| Packing list | Models, quantities, carton count, dimensions and weights |
| Transport document | Bill of lading or the document used for the selected service; correct consignee and destination |
| Origin evidence | Appropriate ChAFTA Certificate of Origin if claiming preference; confirm any alternative route with your broker |
| Product and material records | Specifications, relevant test reports and finish or adhesive safety data sheets for the agreed due-diligence scope |
| Biosecurity evidence | Manufacturing, treatment or other documents required by the applicable BICON conditions |
| Packing declaration and packaging records | What packaging is used and which declarations, marks or treatment records apply |
Check the Furniture and Its Packaging Separately
Furniture: give your broker the material breakdown, including any solid timber components, plywood and other materials. Use DAFF's timber product categories to identify the relevant BICON case. A mixed-material item must meet the conditions applying to its components.
Wood packaging: identify pallets, crates, packing blocks and dunnage separately. Packaging used to support the furniture shipment is assessed under BICON's Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance case; packaging imported as a commodity follows a different case. See DAFF's timber packaging guidance.
For regulated solid-wood packaging, Australia accepts compliant ISPM 15 treatment and marking, or alternatives that meet the applicable BICON conditions. Heat treatment and fumigation are different methods. Packaging made wholly from qualifying processed wood, such as plywood produced using glue, heat or pressure, or a combination of these, can be exempt from ISPM 15. Do not apply this exemption to packaging containing solid-wood components. Exempt processed-wood packaging must still be clean and free of solid wood, unprocessed bamboo and biosecurity risk material such as bark or soil. See DAFF's ISPM 15 guidance and the packaging guidance above.
A packaging exemption does not remove the furniture's own import conditions. Nor should a phytosanitary certificate be placed on every furniture order's checklist automatically. Confirm the evidence required by the applicable BICON case before dispatch. DAFF's timber import guidance explains the importer's responsibility and how manufacturing or treatment evidence is assessed.
Step 3: Confirm Classification, Origin and Landed Cost
Ask your Australian customs broker to confirm the tariff classification for each product, whether it meets the relevant origin rules, and the duty, GST and other import charges to include in your budget. Do not apply one furniture code or assume one duty rate across a mixed order of chairs, tables and storage units.
For a ChAFTA preference claim, use the appropriate ChAFTA Certificate of Origin (COO) issued by an authorised body. A Declaration of Origin (DOO) is an alternative only where the relevant conditions are met; DFAT describes its use for goods covered by an advance ruling on ChAFTA origin. Check the route with your broker. The governing reference is DFAT's ChAFTA origin-document guidance, rather than a generic "Form A" label.
Build your cost comparison from separate lines:
- Furniture and any agreed customisation, samples or testing.
- Export packing, collection and origin handling.
- Freight and any agreed cargo insurance.
- Applicable duty, GST, broker fees and destination charges.
- Final delivery, unloading and assembly.
Use the same Incoterm and named place when comparing quotations, and mark which costs are included. An origin document supports a preference claim; it does not make every other import charge disappear.
Step 4: Plan Production and Shipping Separately
MJK's standard production period is approximately 30–45 days after deposit clearance, including about one week for finish curing. That curing time is already included. Sample timing and any additional engineering or testing are confirmed for the project. Transport is separate.
| Stage | Confirm before relying on an arrival estimate |
|---|---|
| Specification and sample approval | Models, quantities, drawings, finish, packing and approval responsibilities |
| Production | Deposit receipt, the agreed production schedule and any additional engineering or testing |
| Inspection and dispatch | Inspection scope, document checks, balance-payment terms and collection arrangements |
| Freight | Origin and destination, service, booking and estimated sailing or departure and arrival dates |
| Australian clearance | Broker instructions, required documents and allowance for any inspection |
| Final delivery | Delivery address, access, unloading arrangements and any installation work |
Ask whether a transport estimate runs port to port, warehouse to port, or all the way to your delivery address. Give the supplier your required arrival window before ordering, especially if furniture is needed for a centre opening. Our production and shipping guide explains how we separate these stages.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Paying Before the Order Is Defined
Agree the specification, inspection process and payment milestones in writing. MJK's standard terms are a 30% deposit and 70% balance before shipment after batch approval; the quotation and proforma invoice confirm the terms for your order. Verify any change to payment instructions directly with your established contact.
2. Leaving QC Until Loading Day
Give the inspector an agreed checklist covering dimensions, materials, finish, assembly, quantity and packaging. Obtain a quote based on the inspection location, batch size and scope, and leave time to resolve findings before dispatch. A pre-shipment inspection and laboratory testing serve different purposes; plan each if your order needs both.
3. Treating an Incoterm as a Complete Delivery Plan
Put the Incoterm and named place in the quotation. Confirm who arranges transport and insurance, handles export and import formalities, and pays destination charges. If you request DDP, ask what the quoted service covers at your postcode, including unloading and any exclusions.
4. Finalising Packaging Too Late
Confirm carton marks, weights and carton counts with the forwarder and buyer before packing. Record whether any solid timber pallets or dunnage will be used so the applicable packaging requirements can be checked. Match the packing list to the actual shipment and retain packing photographs.
About MJK Furniture
MJK Furniture is a 3,000 m² children's furniture factory in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. We have made children's furniture for the Chinese domestic market since 2015, with over 70,000 children's bookshelves shipped in that time.
Evan handles inquiries directly, confirms the product specification and coordinates the agreed documentation and freight arrangements. Our Australian buyer page sets out the purchasing process, and our wholesale supply page explains what to include in an RFQ.
For a useful first reply, send your brief with the models or drawings, quantities, Australian delivery postcode and required arrival window. Tell us if this is your first import and whether you already have a customs broker or forwarder.