China Furniture Inspections, over the years, many clients have used TCI to assist them with their China Furniture Supply Chain. So this blog will give an overview of some of the main issues people can experience with the furniture that they buy from China. I also outline ways to avoid these issues.
Table of Contents
- Why China Furniture Quality Control Inspections are Needed
- So I have received Furniture from China with mould on it
- How to avoid receiving warped wood furniture from China
- The paint is peeling from the products that I buy from China
- The Beds that I buy from China are bending and breaking
- Over to you…
Why China Furniture Quality Control Inspections are Needed
Buyers of furniture and furniture accessories in China must ensure that the Furniture they are sourcing meets their quality standards and specifications. Hiring a furniture quality control inspector to visit the factory in China to inspect the products achieves this objective.
Did you know that in the summertime, when Furniture is shipped out from China, there is a high risk of water damage being done to the products because of condensation! So the furniture cartons and items must be raised from the container floor to avoid this water damage. A Furniture Loading Inspection conducted at the factory in China will verify that there are protective layers on the container floor. Placing plastic sheeting on the top of the roof of the container is also recommended to catch any water falling from the top of the container.
So I have received Furniture from China with mould on it.
This can be a common complaint from my buyers who source their Furniture from China. Mould occurs because some element of the Furniture is wet or damp. Usually, this happens with Furniture that has fabric or leather on it. One of the leading causes of this is that the wood which the factory used to construct the frame of the sofa or other products has too much moisture in it. This moisture then seeps into the fabric or leather, causing mould to appear. It can take some time for the wood to dry out properly, so the mould will reappear on the material.
The best solution to prevent this is to have a Quality Control Inspection company conduct a Finished Goods Inspection on the furniture products. Here an inspector will check the moisture levels of the wood.
I recommend Goodada Inspections as they specialise in China Furniture Inspections.
How to avoid receiving warped wood furniture from China
Receiving Warped Wood furniture from China is another common complaint that we receive at TCI China. The first rule to remember is that wood should be considered a living, breathing thing which can absorb moisture and changes as it is affected by environmental conditions.
So, the wood used to make Furniture and other wooden products will warp because it has yet to be correctly dried and sealed. As the wood dries, it will start to change shape and possibly curve. It is up to the factory to prevent this or select adequately dried timber. It is also vital to ensure that any moisture is not sealed into the wood using a sealant. The sealant does not entirely prevent the wood from changing shape.
The best way to avoid this is by having an inspector visit the factory to inspect and check the wood that is about to be used in producing any wooden product. The most suitable inspection for this is called an Early Production Inspection. Here the inspector can check the drying process of the wood and review the moisture levels of the wood or timber pieces.
The paint is peeling from the products that I buy from China
Again, paint peeling from products purchased from China is another common complaint that can be prevented by having quality control inspections conducted during the manufacturing processes.
There are four prime causes why paint will peel from most products are:
- Whether made from wood, plastic, or metal, the product is not clean or dry when the paint has been applied.
- There has not been enough time for the paint to dry and cure.
- The temperature level of the material to which the paint has been applied is unsuitable.
- The paint used might be past its expiry date.
So the best way to avoid this is to request an inspector called a During Production Inspection. During this inspection, the inspector will check the products, the paint and the painting process to ensure it is done correctly. The inspector can also check the thickness of the paint applied to the product.
The Beds that I buy from China are bending and breaking
This issue is as old as the pyramids. Many companies who purchase beds from China often experience complaints about the bed frame bending or breaking. And the leading cause is that the thickness of the material used has become too thin
This is a widespread occurrence with beds that have metal frames. Many factories in China try and save money by reducing the thickness of the steel used in the bed frame. They avoid informing the customer about this. Very often, you will hear about this when you receive complaints that people have fallen through the bed.
It is advised that the lowest metal thickness level for bed frames and other vital parts should be 1.2mm thickness. Some factories in China will bring those thickness levels down to only 0.8mm. This is almost the same thickness of metal as a paper clip.
So apart from having an inspector check the thickness of the metal, it is strongly advised to have a purchase contract created between you and the supplier, which references the thickness of the materials used to make your products. Please visit our China Supply Chain Consulting page to learn more about our contracts.
Over to you…
If you have any quality problems with the Furniture you are sourcing from China and need some assistance to fix and prevent the issues from reoccurring, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or visit our Contact page.