Shipping furniture from China to the USA

Check duties before you order

Most furniture falls under chapter 94 of the tariff schedule, and many items carry Section 301 tariffs in addition to normal duty. Some categories also face anti-dumping or countervailing duties, which are charged on top and can be many times the product's value. Examples include:

• Wooden bedroom furniture from China, which has been subject to US anti-dumping duties since 2005.
• Mattresses from China, subject to anti-dumping duties since 2019.

Choosing the container

Furniture is light for its size, so you run out of space long before you reach the weight limit. That makes the 40ft high cube the usual choice: it holds around 65–68 cubic metres of realistically packed cargo, and its extra height suits tall items such as wardrobes and bookcases.

• Under about 15 CBM — LCL, sharing a container. Pack especially well, because LCL cargo is handled more.
• 15–28 CBM — usually a 20ft container.
• Over about 30 CBM — a 40ft or 40ft high cube, which costs well under twice as much as a 20ft.

See container sizes and use the CBM calculator to check your load.

Flat-pack or assembled?

Shipping furniture knocked down (flat-packed) can fit two to four times as many units into the same container as shipping it assembled. On a full container, that difference often outweighs the cost of assembly in the US.

Assembled shipping makes sense for upholstered sofas, high-end pieces where the customer expects a finished product, and items that can't be reliably assembled by end customers. For everything else, ask your factory for a knocked-down quote and compare the landed cost per unit.

Packing to prevent damage

Most furniture damage happens through crushing, moisture and movement inside the container. Agree packing standards with your supplier in writing:

• Corner and edge protectors on every carton, and foam or cardboard between finished surfaces
• Export-grade five-ply cartons for heavy or long items
• Moisture protection — desiccant bags in the container, and plastic wrap for upholstery — because condensation builds up on long ocean voyages
• Load heavy items low, fill gaps, and brace or strap the load so it can’t shift
• Wooden crates and pallets heat-treated and stamped to ISPM 15

Damage caused by inadequate packing is usually excluded from cargo insurance, so good packing protects your claim as well as your goods. See cargo insurance.

Delivery in the US

• To a warehouse with a dock — the simplest and cheapest option. The container is delivered and you unload it yourself.
• To a business without a dock — needs a liftgate truck, which usually means unloading the container at a warehouse near the port first.
• To homes — needs a final-mile carrier, often with "white glove" delivery and assembly. Usually arranged through a US 3PL.

Many furniture importers deliver to warehouses in the Inland Empire near Los Angeles — see Shenzhen to Los Angeles — or to the Southeast through Savannah.