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Sourcing in China

Textile sourcing in China for Australian businesses

China has the widest range of materials and the fastest development of any sourcing country, and the shortest shipping time to Australia. It leads on synthetics, microfibre, bedding and promotional products.

Multi-head embroidery machine loaded with thread cones
Best for
Microfibre, synthetics, bedding, promotional bags
Export ports
Shanghai, Ningbo and Shenzhen
Sea transit to Melbourne
About 14 to 20 days
Main hubs
Shaoxing (Keqiao), Nantong, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Yiwu

What to buy

What China makes best

  • Microfibre towels and cleaning cloths
  • Polyester and performance fabrics
  • Bedding, quilts and pillows
  • Promotional bags and printed merchandise
  • Trims, labels, zips and packaging
  • Fast sampling and small-batch development

Where the mills are

Main textile hubs

Shaoxing (Keqiao)

The world's largest textile fabric market, especially synthetics

Nantong

Home textiles, bedding and quilts

Ningbo

Garments and a major export port

Guangzhou

Apparel, fabrics and trims

Yiwu

Promotional products and small-order merchandise

Why China

Why source from China

  • The widest material and trim range anywhere, which makes development and sampling fast.
  • The shortest transit to Australia, often two to three weeks.
  • Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), Australian tariffs on goods from China were fully eliminated by 1 January 2019, for goods that meet the rules of origin.

Duty and trade

Import duty and trade terms

Under ChAFTA, qualifying goods from China enter Australia tariff-free with a certificate of origin. GST of 10% still applies.

Trade agreements and textile duty · Working out landed cost

FAQ

Sourcing from China: questions

Are goods from China duty-free in Australia?

Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, Australian tariffs on Chinese goods were fully eliminated by 1 January 2019. You need a valid certificate of origin to claim the free rate, and GST of 10% still applies.

What is China best for in textiles?

Microfibre, synthetics and performance fabrics, bedding, promotional bags and products, trims and packaging, and fast product development.

How long does shipping from China to Melbourne take?

Usually about 14 to 20 days port to port from Shanghai, Ningbo or Shenzhen.

Sourcing from China?

Tell us the product, quantity and target price. We will shortlist suitable China mills and send comparable quotes.