Jewelry Dropshipping Suppliers: Find One in China, Test the Metal
Quick answer: Most of the fashion jewelry sold online is made in China, and where you look depends on the material. Yiwu, in Zhejiang, is the hub for low-cost fashion jewelry; Panyu, in Guangzhou, for silver and fine-jewelry processing; Shuibei, in Shenzhen, for gold; Zhuji, in Zhejiang, for freshwater pearls. Pick the base metal and the plating before you pick a supplier, because they decide how long a piece lasts, how you're allowed to describe it and what you need to test. In the US, children's jewelry needs third-party lead testing under federal law, and some states go further: California and Minnesota limit lead in adult jewelry as well, and several states cap cadmium in children's pieces. Ask for a lab report for each item, not a general one for the factory.
Where jewelry is made in China
| Cluster | Known for | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Yiwu, Zhejiang | Low-cost fashion jewelry and hair accessories; over 5,400 jewelry stalls in the Yiwu International Trade City | Mostly wholesalers selling for nearby workshops. Huge range, small mixed orders, uneven quality. |
| Panyu, Guangzhou | Silver and fine-jewelry processing; local figures put it at about 30% of the world's jewelry processing | Casting, stone setting and plating for export brands. Higher minimums, better finishing. |
| Shuibei, Shenzhen | Gold; the district says it handles about half of China's gold and jewelry wholesale | Karat gold and heavier pieces, priced off the gold price. |
| Zhuji (Shanxiahu), Zhejiang | Freshwater pearls; over 80% of China's output | Grading varies by seller; agree on size, shape and luster in writing. |
| Chengyang, Qingdao | Export fashion jewelry, built up by Korean-invested factories | Used to export orders for Japan, Korea, Europe and the US. |
| Donghai, Jiangsu | Natural crystal and quartz trading | Check "natural crystal" claims; glass is far cheaper and looks similar. |
Where to find jewelry suppliers
- 1688.com. Thousands of Yiwu and Guangzhou sellers at domestic prices, often with very small minimums. Most are wholesalers, and few can show test reports. Our 1688 guide explains how buying there works.
- Alibaba.com. Export-oriented factories that will usually quote plating thickness and send material test reports, and that take custom work.
- The Yiwu market itself. The fastest way to see the range in one place, though the stall is rarely the maker.
- Hong Kong trade fairs. The HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show runs March 4 to 8, 2027. Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong takes place each September, with finished jewelry and packaging suppliers at the convention centre in Wan Chai.
- A sourcing agent. Useful when your range mixes pieces from ten stalls and you need them tested, checked and shipped as one.
Choose the metal before the supplier
| Base material | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 316L stainless steel | Chains, rings, huggies, everyday pieces; gold color usually comes from a PVD coating | Contains nickel, so test nickel release before you claim "nickel-free" or sell to the EU |
| Implant-grade titanium | Piercing jewelry | Ask for the material certificate; cheaper "titanium" is often something else |
| Brass or copper, plated | Detailed cast pieces with a gold or silver finish | Plating wears through on rings and bracelets; some brass alloys contain lead |
| Zinc alloy, plated | The cheapest cast charms and pendants | The material most likely to fail lead and cadmium tests; brittle |
| 925 sterling silver | Silver lines, and the base for vermeil | Tarnishes without anti-tarnish packing; often rhodium plated |
| Karat gold | Fine jewelry | High value per gram; stamping a karat mark brings federal marking rules (see private label jewelry) |
Plating: the thickness decides what you can call it
"18K gold plated" is the most common phrase in jewelry listings and the one most often stretched. The FTC's Jewelry Guides set what the words mean:
- Gold plated or gold electroplate: gold of at least 10 karat, at least 0.175 microns thick.
- Heavy gold electroplate: at least 2.5 microns.
- Vermeil: a sterling silver base with at least 10K gold, at least 2.5 microns thick.
- Gold filled: the gold layer is at least 1/20 of the total metal weight.
Thinner than 0.175 microns, the plating is too thin to describe as gold plated. In 2018 the FTC dropped "gold flashed" and "gold washed" as recommended terms for it, so describe such pieces by color, as "gold-tone". Ask whether a "PVD gold" finish contains any gold at all; some are gold-colored titanium compounds that wear well but aren't gold. Write the karat and the thickness into your order, and ask for a thickness measurement on samples.
US rules on lead, cadmium and nickel
| Rule | What it covers | The limits |
|---|---|---|
| Federal CPSIA | Children's jewelry: designed mainly for kids 12 and under | Lead: 100 ppm in accessible materials, 90 ppm in paint and coatings. Testing at a CPSC-accepted lab, a Children's Product Certificate, and since July 8, 2026 the certificate data is filed electronically at entry. |
| California jewelry law (current limits since June 2020) | All jewelry sold in California; "children's" means under 15 | Children's: 100 ppm lead per component, 90 ppm in coatings, 300 ppm cadmium. Adult: under 500 ppm lead in metals, coatings and most materials, under 200 ppm in plastic and rubber. Stainless steel, karat gold, sterling, pearls, glass, cubic zirconia and most gemstones carry no numeric lead limit. |
| Minnesota (since July 2023) | All jewelry, adult pieces included | 90 ppm lead, 75 ppm cadmium |
| Other state cadmium laws | Children's jewelry or children's products | Connecticut, Maryland and Illinois: 75 ppm. Washington: 40 ppm. |
| California Prop 65 | Exposure of California buyers to listed chemicals such as lead and cadmium | A warning is required unless the business has fewer than 10 employees. A warning doesn't fix a breach of the jewelry law. |
| Nickel | No US federal limit | The EU caps nickel release at 0.5 µg/cm² per week for items in prolonged skin contact and 0.2 for piercing posts. |
California also limits body piercing jewelry to a short list of materials: implant-grade stainless steel or titanium, niobium, solid nickel-free gold of 14K or more, solid platinum and dense low-porosity plastic. The industry test standards, ASTM F2923 for children's jewelry and F2999 for adult jewelry, are voluntary, but labs use them as ready-made test packages.
Two practical points. First, the report must match your item: photo, item number, material and a recent date. Second, "adult" is decided by the product, not your label. A pink cartoon charm bracelet in a small size can count as a children's product whatever your listing says.
QC checklist for each jewelry batch
- Plating color matches the approved sample under the same light; no bare spots at edges, clasps and jump rings.
- Clasps and jump rings survive a firm pull; rings are closed with no gap.
- Stones are seated and don't rattle; prongs aren't lifted.
- Chain length and pendant size are within the tolerance in your order.
- Earring posts are smooth, with backs included in every pair.
- One sample from each batch is worn for a week to check that the color holds.
- Each piece sits in its own bag; silver in anti-tarnish bags.
Our inspection service checks 20% of each batch free against your approved sample, with photos.
Packing, shipping and duties
Jewelry is small and light, so shipping is cheap; the risks are scratches, tangles and tarnish. Bag each piece separately, card necklaces so chains don't knot, and use a padded mailer or a small box. Most jewelry from China falls under tariff headings 7113 or 7117, which pay the normal duty plus Section 301 tariffs, and since the US $800 duty-free threshold no longer applies to parcels from China, every order pays duty. Price on landed cost.
A worked example
Take a hypothetical first order of 600 stainless steel necklaces at $3.00, so $1,800 of product. The PackQuay sourcing fee in tier 1 is 10%: $180. Lab testing is quoted by the lab per item and material. Once the stock is in our warehouse, an order of three of the same necklace costs $2.00 plus 2 x $0.50 for the extra units, $3.00 in total, on days with 1 to 19 paid orders. Storage is free for the first 2 months. Adding your logo or branded packaging adds 2.5% to the sourcing fee; the full tables are on our pricing page.
How PackQuay helps
We source jewelry from Yiwu stalls to Guangzhou factories, ask for material and plating specs and test reports before you commit, check batches against your approved sample, and pack each order in your bags or boxes from our warehouse in Xinxiang, Henan. Lab testing and any certificates stay with your brand; we collect the supplier's material specs and existing reports so you can see what's missing before you order. Send your product links on WhatsApp.
FAQ
Where is most jewelry made in China?
Yiwu in Zhejiang is the hub for low-cost fashion jewelry, Panyu in Guangzhou for silver and fine-jewelry processing, Shuibei in Shenzhen for gold and Zhuji in Zhejiang for freshwater pearls. Chengyang in Qingdao has export-focused fashion jewelry factories.
Do I need to test jewelry from China for lead?
Children's jewelry sold in the US must be tested for lead at a CPSC-accepted lab and certified. For adult jewelry there's no federal limit, but California and Minnesota set lead limits for all jewelry, so it makes sense to test every material that isn't on California's list of materials without a lead limit.
What does "18K gold plated" mean?
Under the FTC Jewelry Guides, gold plated means a layer of at least 10K gold that is at least 0.175 microns thick. Vermeil and heavy gold electroplate require at least 2.5 microns, so ask the supplier for the thickness, not just the karat.
Is stainless steel jewelry nickel-free?
No. 316L stainless steel contains nickel, though it usually releases little. Test nickel release before you claim "nickel-free", and use implant-grade titanium for piercing jewelry.
Can I sell jewelry bought on 1688 or in Yiwu?
Yes, but most stalls can't show test reports for the exact item, so budget for lab testing, check plating and finish on samples, and don't describe plating as gold plated unless you know its thickness.