A Complete Guide about Importing Hotel Furniture from China
Hotel furniture plays an important role in a hotel, and it is a very important evaluation index in the hotel rating evaluation.At the same time, hotel furniture is an important part of hotel construction projects.With the increasing improvement of Chinese furniture production technology in recent years,now China is the world’s largest furniture manufacturing base and largest exporter, as well as China has since led the global leaders in the hotel furniture manufacturing industry.
Hotel project design is the design of supporting projects with the indoor environment, and the harmony between indoor functions and the environment needs to be directly considered.
Hotel furniture design has become an important type of furniture in the modern furniture industry. According to different hotel star requirements, the style requirements are also different. Especially for high-end hotels, from hotel guest room furniture, living room furniture to hotel restaurant furniture, public space furniture and conference furniture, the requirements for craft services are relatively high.
What captures your interest as soon as you enter a hotel? Is it the intricate details and interior design or maybe the amenities?
Your senses will surely be piqued by many things as your eyes roam around. Of course, you won’t miss that gram-worthy furniture, which is most likely sourced out from other countries.Where to buy hotel furniture,or what we call hospitality furniture?Who can offer the best hotel bedroom and lobby furniture?Without doubt,China.
If you plan to import hotel furniture from manufacturers in China for your future hotel project, now we will tell you how to find the right hotel furniture manufacuter in China you want.
1.Preparations before Purchasing Hotel Furniture
1) Know about Hotel Room Design Furniture is an essential part of any hotel. It can either make or break your hotel’s reputation and consequently affect your revenue generation and visit history. What kind of impression does your hotel furniture leave? Many local and foreign travelers consider the aesthetic appeal of hotels and the room design play a crucial part in this.
The color palette, room location as well as ceiling and flooring materials greatly affect your decision in choosing a particular design style for your hotel’s furniture. Know dimension, spaces and floor areas too as this will help in the placement of each fixture. Furniture should not be too bulky in a way that it affects the client’s comfort and ease of movement. Nice design would bring more good reviews.Surely it will attract more clients.
2)Make a List of Hotel Furniture As you browse into the different portfolios, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the varied styles, designs and materials of each design aesthetic. Attention to detail is key when furnishing your hotel. Making a list of needed furniture will save you the hassle of making choices that you will regret in the future. Typical furniture in your list would be the following:
Bed
Headboard
Bedside table
Night Stand
Wardrobe
Lower cabinet
Desk
Executive table
TV stand
Chair and sofa
Bathroom Vanity
Kitchen cabinet
Artwork and Mirror
Other accessories
Prioritize furnishing your hotel according to your budget as this is a large scale project. A quick way to get to the goal list is first to concentrate on the basics. That may include a kitchen table and chairs, for example, so you have to eat somewhere, a bed for sleeping, and a sofa or love-seat for sitting.
Work on your initial list as you proceed with your project with the ultimate goal of providing both comfort and functionality to the clients.
3)Plan an Approximate Budget Money is a finite resource. The budget is an important component of the entire procurement cycle. It gives a sense of direction for this rather gruesome task. This is where the financial side of decorating the hotel meets your projections and goals.
Most successful projects do not underestimate the value of planning, included in which is budgeting. Project operators and managers use budgets to help them react faster to unforeseen situations in the future. A quantifiable plan is a budget. You would have a better idea of how much you will spend on each item if you have a fixed budget. Also, it can help you assess the design and price of the items that you buy. Assess your needs and then set a budget to cover them. The list you’ve prepared earlier will help in allocating an approximate budget for the specific furniture in each area of the hotel. So never skip on the second step! It would save you from so much headache in the future.
2.Why You Should not Buy Hotel Furniture from Chinese Furniture Malls
There are small-scale companies in the USA, Europe and Australia that intend to purchase furniture from Chinese furniture malls. They prefer small furniture suppliers or stores rather than furniture factories because the former has a lower Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) requirements compared to the latter.
But some furniture stores in the shopping malls lacking of export licenses including product and safety regulations as they are primarily focused on the domestic market in mainland China. Only a few Chinese furniture sellers can assure that they passed fire retardant and substance compliance tests. Another issue is the lack of proper labeling requirements that comply with the European Union or US regulations.
You should also check for uploaded product test reports, or other compliance documents – particularly if you are importing outdoor furniture to the US or Europe. In a word,it will be the best choice to buy from furniture manufacturers or wholesales if you for hotel.Furniture suppliers in the shopping mall will be a good choice if you buy small quantity like 2 or 3 pieces.
3.Furniture Suppliers on Alibaba
Need we say more? Alibaba.com is the world’s largest registry of B2B vendors. It is probably a good place to source items from China.Here you’ll find all sorts of furniture manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers.
Rather than just trading depending on firms or wholesalers, you should narrow down your supplier list to those that are legitimate manufacturers. The best way to be sure you have a concise list is to head to China and to pay a visit to the suppliers.
Good thing Alibaba.com provides relevant information about companies as this will help you cut down your list. See details below for specific criteria you should meet in choosing the right hotel furniture supplier.
Registered capital: Minimum RMB 500,000
Product scope: Should be focused within a certain category
Company name: Should not include ‘trading’
Product test reports: REACH, TB 117, Fire safety tests
Company certificates: ISO 9001, BSCI, Sedex
Many manufacturers also declare factory audit reports on their Alibaba.com profile. These reports can be downloaded free of charge. Highly regarded third parties like Intertek or Bureau Veritas issue these records. To tell the truth,Alibaba is good website.However,every E-commerce platform has a variety of suppliers.Some are excellent,some are not so reliable even their website shows how professional they are.Please identify and check carefully before you pay money.
In a word,it will be the best choice to buy from furniture manufacturers or wholesales if you for hotel.Furniture suppliers in the shopping mall will be a good choice if you buy small quantity like 2 or 3 pieces.
3.Furniture Suppliers on Alibab
4.Where to buy affordable hotel furniture
Furniture covers a big chunk of the budget in the design of homes, offices, or more so, hotels. But this can be greatly reduced by buying and importing furniture at wholesale rates from China. You may be reluctant to go to China to purchase furniture, but prices in this part of the globe are relatively lower than in your home country. Besides, furniture from China has a unique engineering design that looks as if each part of the furniture is seemingly connected to the other. To date, China has 50,000+ furniture manufacturers across the country. To narrow this down, the Foshan district in China is among your best choices to buy furniture that would give you a bang for your buck. Where else to go but the furniture capital of the world, Foshan.
5.How to Select the Right Furniture Manufacturer?
There are a variety of considerations to take note of when looking for Furniture manufacturers online and evaluating prospect suppliers. 1)Registered Capital Registered capital is directly proportional to the size of the company. Look for one that has a high registered capital as this ensures that you’re not dealing with small trading companies. Think of RMB 1,000,000 or more declared in their business license as your safety net. 2)Product Scope More often than not, furniture manufacturers specialize in one type only. As a general rule, use furniture manufacturers that specialize in hotel furniture as some are better known as office space solutions provider. Then further narrow down your choice into what type of materials do these manufacturers are the best know to produce: solid wood, metal, plastic, or wicker furniture. Other common classifications and specializations include office furniture, bedroom furniture, hotel furniture,leisure furniture,sofa, bed and mattresses, children’s furniture, dining sets and outdoor furniture. There is no one size fits all in finding furniture. Some companies might have more than one specialization but no single one can give you all items in one go. Sourcing different supplier groups is then the best solution for this dilemma. 3)Product Compliance European and American markets are stringent as they require substance regulations and safety certifications. These documents cannot assure that all of the companies’ products are compliant. But needless to say, this will assure that the supplier has a strong sense of substance control which is a sensitive matter. 4)Fire Safety and Flammability Various mandatory fire safety requirements in the European Union apply to upholstered furniture, bedding and seats. Certain regulations are also applicable to specific applications ( e.g. for train and ship usage).
Remember that maintaining compliance with all relevant regulations including those governing substances is always the responsibility of the importer and not the foreign manufacturer. Importing non-compliant goods is illegal, and can result in fines and a compulsory recall or even heavier sanctions. In the event that someone is injured or a property damaged, pertinent laws require the importer to pay millions in damages. Before shipping the cargo, compliance with all relevant guidelines and safety requirements needs to be examined. To return products to one supplier on the other side of the world is not pragmatic. A long list of qualified firms for inspection and product testing based in Mainland China and Hong Kong to assist in the compliance verification process.
5)Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) MOQs are a common industry practice wherein factories and suppliers determine the lowest possible quantity of an item they decide to manufacture and sell. Although this can differ from factory to factory and supplier to supplier, this necessity can hardly be bypassed altogether. There are two types of MOQ in the industry
Number of Units MOQ (e.g. 50 units per chair)
Container Volume MOQ (e.g. 1 x FCL 20” container but allow several product mixing loading)
Furniture suppliers would quote price according to the order quantity.The more you order,the better price you can get.
6. Furniture Factories and Showrooms
Rather than buying furniture from manufacturers in China, it is advisable to fly directly to China and visit factory showrooms instead. Better checklist of the things you need to know about the factory, its operations, product specialization, client base and the like. It is also helpful to know about their return and refund policies and procedures to guide you in case you encounter this mishap.
Showrooms have product specification files that contain information such as dimensions and material specifications as well as the bill of materials for the products you are interested in. Those who man the showrooms are knowledgeable enough so ask away questions relating to customization, payment schemes and even the company’s exportation licenses.
Many Chinese furniture manufacturers display their samples on the showroom for you to have a direct touch about designs,sizes,colors,materials and space effects.Normally their showroom and factory are not locating together.Factories locate in some industrial areas while showrooms are set in city business centers.
7. Design & Material Customization Options
Furniture is quite special and personalized because it is not difficult for manufacturers to customize.
In suppliers’ online catalog or showroom, you have the liberty to either build a new furniture design from the scratch or base your furniture on design options. Just make sure to build a comprehensive product specification. A complete product specification would include details such as dimension, material, painting or coating, maximum load, cushion thickness and color and style. Just make sure to confirm each segment of the specification to avoid future disappointments.
8. Furniture Regulations
1)United States The APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) requires that products should only be bought from APHIS-approved suppliers. These items, or furniture for this matter, should be fumigated or heat treated. Get pre-import approval as well. Fire safety retardancy regulations are also a crucial requirement for furniture. Manufacturers and importers follow no federal furniture flame retardancy regulation in the United States. But California Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117) has been adopted by most furniture manufacturers and importers in the United States. In addition, the CPSC recommended introducing a national standard, 16 CFR Part 1634. You should also satisfy the CPSIA requirements for children’s furniture. Make sure that laboratory testing is done. Obtain your CPSIA tracking label and Children’s Product Certificate (CPC) too. 2)European Union If you are entering the European Union market, satisfy REACH requirements as it is a regulatory protocol for heavy metals in all products, including furniture. Various member states have their national fire safety standards. Familiarize yourself with the corresponding protocols in your country. These requirements are also dependent on whether the furniture is for commercial or domestic purposes.
9.Quality Inspections
Contact these companies for furniture inspections
QIMA
Pro QC
Sofeast Limited
Bureau Veritas InSpec
TUV
Intertek
SGS
Testing costs from USD 300 up.If you need to check the furniture quality,a professional furniture sourcing company may be quite helpful.
10.Shipping Furniture from China
The best way to ship furniture from China is through Ocean freight, in cargo containers. Transit might be long but it provides a cost-effective solution. Just make sure you have filed appropriate insurance and made necessary instructions to your supplier. Choose the best packaging also for the exporting to minimize, if not fully avoid, damage during transit.
11.Furniture & Housewares Trade Shows Furniture Trade Shows covers a wide range of segments, with some different specialty shows, in the furniture industry. Attending trade shows saves you time from hopping from one store to another. Moreover, it is also a fun and effective way to forge connections in the industry and know prospective partners.
Conclusion
As you can see, importing furniture from China for your hotel and hospitality business is indeed a good investment. All you need is the right information to help you make the best decisions regarding this business venture.