Foshan furniture is classic oversize cargo — over-length, overweight and over-girth. Choosing the right method and reinforcement plan saves far more than haggling over price.
Shipping Conditions in Foshan
Foshan is an industrial belt for furniture, ceramics, aluminum and building materials, with large cargo concentrated here.
There is no deep-water port locally, so most cargo ships out via Guangzhou Nansha Port or western Shenzhen ports.
Oversize cargo must first be measured, palletized and reinforced at a local warehouse, then declared for customs as a whole.
Huaqiutong can handle pickup in Foshan and connect to ports and sailing schedules.
Three Characteristics of Furniture Cargo
Large size: sofas, beds and wardrobes often exceed 1 meter, sometimes even 2 meters, per piece.
Heavy weight: solid wood furniture runs from tens to over a hundred kilograms per piece.
Fragile: vulnerable to knocks, moisture and compression, with high packaging costs.
How to Choose the Transport Method
| Method | Best Scenario | Last Mile |
|---|---|---|
| Oversize Truck Delivery | Over-length, overweight, over-girth, full batch | Direct truck / residential |
| Ocean + Parcel (parcel delivery) | Small and medium parcels, small batches | Door-to-door parcel, oversize surcharge |
| Full Container | Volume fills a container | Direct |
For single pieces that are over-length or overweight, prioritize Truck Delivery — parcel oversize fees are often higher.
How to Reinforce and Palletize
Add a Wooden Rack for over-height cargo and a Wooden Crate for fragile items, with soft padding inside for impact protection.
Wooden packaging must undergo ISPM 15 fumigation or heat treatment, otherwise the US will refuse it.
For small items consolidated on a pallet, use standard 40×48 inch pallets, wrap with film and secure with strapping.
For single pieces over 23kg or over 63.5cm on one side, a Team Lift label is required.
Don't Overlook Liftgate and Residential Delivery
Furniture often needs a Liftgate truck to unload, otherwise it cannot be lowered to the ground.
Delivery to a residential address usually carries a residential surcharge.
If these two are not stated in advance, extra charges may apply once the cargo reaches the US — or it may not be deliverable at all.
Transit Time and Cost Basis
Ocean freight reference is 25–45 days, depending on channel and season.
Cost includes ocean freight, reinforcement, customs clearance and last mile; over-girth and overweight trigger surcharges.
Specific fees are subject to live quotations.
How to Measure and Weigh Accurately
Measure the three sides of the outer packaging, taking the longest side as the basis — do not measure the bare product dimensions.
Single-piece weight is calculated including packaging; palletized cargo must include the pallet weight.
Girth = longest side + 2×(sum of the other two sides); over-girth triggers a surcharge.
How Delivery Works After Arrival in the US
Truck delivery requires advance booking, and the consignee must cooperate with unloading.
For addresses without loading equipment, be sure to note that a Liftgate is needed.
For warehouse delivery, confirm the receiving time to avoid a dry-run fee.
For knock-down furniture, keep a hardware parts list so the recipient can assemble it.
