Sourcing From China
Buying Candles From China, Without the Guesswork
Audits, samples, sea or air, duties, and who answers when you email at 9pm your time. The parts of overseas sourcing that decide whether an order goes smoothly — and how we handle each.
What Usually Makes People Hesitate
Not "is China any good" — that question is settled. These are the practical ones that decide whether the first order is a headache.
"How do I know the quality before it ships?"
You hold a physical sample before production is scheduled, and the order is checked against that signed-off sample — not against a specification sheet. Want a third party to verify it before it ships? SGS, BV or your own inspector are all accepted; ask 20 days ahead.
"Who answers when I email at 9pm?"
One named contact rather than a shared inbox, reachable by email or WhatsApp, Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00 GMT+8 — and a reply within 24 hours, which across the time difference means an answer waiting when you next open your laptop.
"How long until I can hold a sample?"
Two to three weeks door to door: stock samples ship straight away, a custom pour takes 7-10 days, and courier adds 7-10 days to most markets. Two stock samples are free — you cover the courier.
Easiest way to judge a factory is to hold what it makes.
Tell us which format you'd be buying and where you are — we'll come back with what a sample would involve and how long it takes to reach you.
Where Quality Is Actually Checked
A candle can pass a visual check and still fail in someone's living room — the wick drowns, the scent disappears halfway down, the glass gets too hot to hold. So the checks that matter happen while it's still on our floor, not at the packing table.
- Nothing goes into production until you have held the sample and signed it off
- The run is then checked against that physical sample — burn, throw and finish
- Candles are burn-tested before packing, not inspected by eye at the packing table
- Want a third party to see it before it ships? Say so at quote stage and we will confirm what can be arranged
- IFRA-compliant fragrances; CLP, UKCA, ASTM F2417 and Prop 65 supported by market; MSDS/SDS on request
From Our Floor to Your Warehouse
Where the time and the cost actually go, so you can plan a season rather than guess at one.
- 1
Choose the terms
EXW, FOB, CIF or DDP — all four are available. Tell us the destination and we will quote on the terms that suit your side, with who covers what named in writing.
- 2
Sea or air
Air is fast and costs by weight, which candles have plenty of; sea is slow and costs by volume. We quote both against your quantity and your date so the trade-off is a number, not a hunch.
- 3
Duties & compliance
CLP labels for the EU, UKCA support for the UK, ASTM F2417 and Prop 65 for the US — confirmed per order, with MSDS/SDS provided. Duty follows the terms: on DDP it is ours, on EXW, FOB and CIF it is yours.
- 4
Arrival & claims
Anything damaged or short: photos and carton numbers within 7 days of arrival. You then choose the remedy — replacement, refund, or credit on the next order.
A word from Smile
“Most factories will tell you to come back when you're ready for a thousand pieces. We start at 500 per scent — and take trial runs from 100 — because the brands worth working with are usually the ones still finding their footing. If your first run is smaller than that, tell me anyway — I'd rather look at it and give you a straight answer than turn you away at the door.”
What Overseas Buyers Ask
Mostly about shipping, samples and what happens if something is wrong when it arrives.
What happens if something arrives damaged or short?
Raise it within 7 days of arrival, with photos and the carton numbers. Then you pick the remedy: a replacement shipment, a refund, or a credit against your next order — whichever suits you, not whichever suits us. Having that written down before it happens is the difference between a fix and an argument.
Do you provide compliance documents for my market?
Fragrances are IFRA-compliant. For the EU we support CLP hazard labelling; for the UK, UKCA requirements; for the US, ASTM F2417 and California Prop 65 labelling. MSDS/SDS sheets are provided on request — tell us the market and we will confirm the paperwork before you order.
Can we visit the factory or send a third-party auditor?
Both are welcome — your own team, or a third-party auditor such as SGS or BV. We ask for 20 days of notice so the visit lands on days the right lines are running. Book the audit before you book the flights.
Which shipping terms do you work with?
EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP — all four, by sea or by courier depending on your volume and your date. On DDP we carry the duty and you get a landed price; on the other three the duty is yours. The number that catches first-time importers is the one nobody wrote down, so we name it before you order.
Can I get samples before placing an order?
Yes. Two stock samples are free — you cover the courier. Custom samples are quoted with your request, because the cost depends on vessel, label and packaging. Sampling takes 7-10 days plus about a week in transit.
How long does production take?
Sampling is 7-10 days (15-20 if a new mould is involved), bulk production 25 days, stretching to about 30 in peak season. Freight comes on top depending on sea or air.
Start With a Sample, Not a Contract
Tell us the format, rough quantity and where you are. You'll get a quote with realistic shipping options — and if a sample makes more sense first, we'll say so.
