Furniture Dropshipping From China: Freight, Damage and US Rules
Quick answer: Furniture from China is really two businesses. Small, flat-packed pieces that stay inside parcel limits (for UPS, 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth, with surcharges starting well below that) can ship order by order from China. Sofas, beds and dressers go by sea in bulk to a warehouse near your customers. Source in Foshan for range, Dongguan for export-grade work, Anji for office chairs and Nankang in Ganzhou for solid wood and flat-pack. Before you list anything, check three US safety rules (tip-over, formaldehyde, upholstery flammability) and the duties: upholstered wooden furniture carries a 25% Section 232 tariff, and Chinese wooden bedroom furniture faces an anti-dumping duty of 216.01%.
Sort your catalog by how it ships
| Item type | How it usually ships | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Stools, side tables, small shelves, cushions, wall decor | Parcel, direct from China | Volumetric weight: a light but bulky box is billed by size |
| Office chairs, dining chairs, folding tables | Parcel if packed compactly; a US warehouse once sales are steady | Carrier surcharges for long or heavy boxes |
| Sofas, beds, dressers, dining sets | Sea freight in bulk to an overseas warehouse, then local delivery | Too large or heavy for parcel networks; often needs freight delivery |
The thresholds that matter, using UPS as the example: a parcel can weigh up to 150 lb, be up to 108 inches long and measure up to 165 inches in length plus girth (girth is twice the width plus twice the height). Long before those limits, surcharges kick in. Additional handling applies when the longest side passes 48 inches or the weight passes 50 lb, and a much larger large-package charge applies above 96 inches long, 130 inches in length plus girth or 110 lb. FedEx Ground uses the same main limits. Design the carton, not just the product, around those numbers.
We go deeper into volumetric weight in our guide to bulky outdoor furniture, and into when heavy goods belong in a US warehouse in sourcing fitness equipment.
Where to source furniture in China
- Foshan, Guangdong: the largest all-round cluster. Lecong is a long strip of furniture malls and showrooms, with the factories spread around Shunde and nearby towns. Many showroom booths belong to traders, so check the business license before you assume you're talking to a maker.
- Dongguan, Guangdong: Houjie for showrooms and its long-running furniture fair, Dalingshan for export-oriented factories. Expect higher specs and a preference for bigger orders of fewer models.
- Anji, Zhejiang: China's "hometown of chairs". Xinhua reports the county makes one in three chairs produced in China; it is best known for office chairs.
- Nankang (Ganzhou), Jiangxi: a huge solid wood and flat-pack cluster. Finish quality ranges from export-grade to basic domestic, so inspection matters here.
- Fairs: CIFF Guangzhou runs March 18–21, 2027 (home furniture, outdoor, home textiles) and March 28–31, 2027 (office and commercial). The Canton Fair has shown furniture in its second phase.
- Online: 1688 for small pieces in low quantities, Alibaba.com for export-ready suppliers.
Packaging that survives parcel networks
A factory's standard export carton is designed to travel on a pallet inside a container and be handled a few times. A parcel gets sorted, dropped and stacked many more times on its way to a customer's door, so the box has to protect the product on its own.
- Test it. ISTA 3A is the usual test for single parcels up to 150 lb: a series of drops and vibration. Flat cartons get extra edge and rotational drops. At minimum, ship a packed sample to yourself by parcel and open it on camera.
- Protect corners and edges with molded corners or edge boards; most damage starts there.
- Separate panels with foam or cardboard so finished surfaces don't rub in transit.
- Fix the hardware bag in one place, taped and labeled, with a parts list that matches it.
- Size the carton to the surcharge lines. Two inches can be the difference between a standard and a surcharged parcel.
QC checklist for furniture
- Assemble one unit from each batch, using only the included hardware and instructions.
- Count the hardware against the parts list.
- Check that holes line up, the piece stands level without wobbling, and chairs take a person's weight.
- Look at finish: scratches, color match between panels, edge banding, upholstery seams.
- Weigh and measure the packed carton; it must match your listing and shipping quote.
- Confirm the required labels are on (see below).
Assembly checks take time, so plan for them on the first batch of each model; see product inspection.
US safety rules and duties to check first
The importer is responsible for these, not the factory.
- Tip-over standard. Dressers, chests and armoires at least 27 inches tall, 30 lb and 3.2 cubic feet of enclosed storage must meet the mandatory standard (16 CFR 1261, based on ASTM F2057-23): stability tests, warning labels and a tip restraint.
- Formaldehyde in composite wood. Finished goods made with MDF, particleboard or hardwood plywood need a TSCA Title VI label, and the importer files a TSCA certification at entry. Both rules are explained in our guide to space-saving storage products.
- Upholstered furniture. Sofas, upholstered chairs and cushioned furniture must meet the federal smolder-resistance standard (16 CFR 1640, which adopts California TB 117-2013) and carry a permanent label stating "Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability". No certificate is required, but California has its own label on flame-retardant chemicals.
- Children's furniture. Pieces designed for kids 12 and under are children's products with third-party testing. If you can't commit to that, leave them out.
- Section 232 tariffs. Since October 14, 2025, upholstered wooden furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities carry a 25% tariff. A scheduled increase to 30% for upholstered wooden furniture and 50% for cabinets and vanities was postponed to January 1, 2027.
- Anti-dumping duty. Wooden bedroom furniture from China (beds, nightstands, dressers, armoires, including MDF and particleboard pieces) has been under an anti-dumping order since 2005. The China-wide rate is 216.01%, confirmed again in August 2026. Metal bed frames and other non-wooden pieces fall outside it, and wooden cabinets and vanities from China have their own anti-dumping order.
- Section 301. Goods from China also pay Section 301 tariffs on top of the normal duty.
Get the tariff code right before you quote a retail price. For some furniture the duty decides whether the product works at all.
How the costs stack up
Price furniture from landed cost: product, freight, duties, last-mile delivery and an allowance for damage. On our side the fees are published. The sourcing fee runs from 10% of product cost for transactions up to $5,000 down to 4% above $200,000. Assembly tests and extra inspection are $7 per person per hour, and pick and pack starts at $2.00 per order for small pieces shipped from China. Storage is free for the first 2 months, then priced per cubic meter, which bulky items use quickly, so buy in quantities you can sell. Freight is charged at cost. Full details are on the pricing page.
How PackQuay helps
We source furniture in the right cluster, inspect and test-assemble at our warehouse in Xinxiang, Henan, and can upgrade packaging before goods ship. Small pieces go out order by order on 30+ shipping lines; bulky lines can move in bulk to one of our 18+ overseas warehouses for 1–5 day local delivery (see 3PL fulfillment). Message us on WhatsApp with the pieces you want to sell, and we'll tell you which can ship direct and which need a warehouse.
FAQ
Can you dropship furniture directly from China?
Small, flat-packed pieces that fit parcel limits can ship order by order from China. Large items such as sofas, beds and dressers usually go by sea in bulk to a warehouse near customers, then out for local delivery.
What are the parcel size limits for shipping furniture?
UPS takes parcels up to 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth, and FedEx Ground uses the same main limits. Surcharges start much earlier, from 48 inches on the longest side or 50 lb.
Where is most furniture made in China?
Foshan in Guangdong is the largest all-round cluster, with the Lecong showroom district. Dongguan is known for export-grade work, Anji in Zhejiang for office chairs and Nankang in Ganzhou for solid wood and flat-pack furniture.
What US rules apply to imported furniture?
Dressers and similar units must meet the tip-over standard, composite wood furniture needs TSCA Title VI formaldehyde labels and certification, and upholstered furniture needs a flammability compliance label. Children's furniture also needs third-party testing.
What duties apply to furniture from China?
It depends on the product. Upholstered wooden furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities carry a 25% Section 232 tariff, wooden bedroom furniture faces a 216.01% anti-dumping duty, and Chinese goods also pay Section 301 tariffs on top of normal duty.