A practical guide for furniture importers — from first inquiry to container at your door.
The lowest-risk way to test a new supplier is a single sample order. Check the frame (solid wood, spring & strap system), the foam quality (precision shaping, layered support) and the stitching before committing to volume. A serious manufacturer will welcome this — we do.
Many factories require high minimums per model or per color, which kills small-batch flexibility. Look for suppliers with no MOQ that let you mix models, sizes, colors and fabrics in one order — you can test the market without overstocking.
Shipping is where margins leak. A good partner consolidates multiple purchase orders into a single container and ships on a weekly rhythm, so you order as you sell instead of warehousing months of stock.
Ask whether the factory keeps in-stock fabrics (faster, lower risk) and whether custom fabrics are supported. An updated, coded fabric library — like our in-stock selection — means you can promise your customers real options with real lead times.
Ask who inspects, when, and with what checklist: frame assembly, foam density, fabric sewing, final detail finishing. Photos of the actual production line tell you more than any brochure.
Work backwards from when you need the goods on your floor: production + consolidation + sea freight + customs. Weekly order support shortens the front end considerably.
About the author: MIKI HOUSE LIMITED is a sofa manufacturer and exporter from China with 18 years of industry experience — no MOQ, weekly orders, mixed containers. Start with one sample →