Why Container Quotes Differ Threefold: THC, GRI, PSS, BAF and the Rest of the Bill
Why quotes for the same container differ threefold. THC, BAF, CAF, PSS, GRI and the local charges explained, plus how to force a comparable breakdown.
Chinese New Year 2027: The Production and Shipping Calendar for Importers
The holiday is 6 February 2027, but disruption runs December to March. Month-by-month deadlines for orders, production and booking, and why quality dips.
Demurrage and Detention: What the Port and the Carrier Charge You For, and How Not to Pay It
Two clocks, two owners, one invoice after the goods are yours. How free time works, what a day costs, and the checks that keep these charges at zero.
How to Check a Chinese Certificate Is Genuine: A Five-Step Verification Protocol
Fake, borrowed and out-of-scope certificates look identical as PDFs. A five-step protocol using NANDO, the CNAS lab register and the EAEU and Kazakh registries.
Food-Contact Certification for Goods from China: LFGB, FDA, EU 1935/2004 and GB 4806
'Food grade' is marketing, not compliance. EU 1935/2004 and 10/2011, LFGB, FDA and GB 4806 — and why migration testing must match your real use conditions.
RoHS and REACH When Importing from China: What They Restrict and What Proof Looks Like
There is no such thing as a RoHS certificate. The ten restricted substances, how REACH differs, and what evidence holds up per homogeneous material.
EAC Certification for Kazakhstan and the EAEU: Declaration, Certificate and Registry Checks
Who may be the applicant, declaration versus certificate, batch versus serial schemes, and how to verify an EAC document in the official public registries.
CE Marking on Chinese Goods: What It Means and How to Check the Certificate Is Real
CE is a manufacturer's declaration, not a certificate. When a notified body is required, how to verify one in NANDO, and why the 'China Export' logo is a myth.
Ukraine's Technical Regulations: The Declaration of Conformity for Imported Goods
UkrSEPRO ended in 2018. How Ukraine's technical regulations work, who may sign a declaration of conformity, and why registering it is voluntary, not mandatory.
Certification for Goods Imported from China: Which Documents You Actually Need to Sell
A Chinese certificate is not permission to sell. What your destination market requires, who becomes legally responsible on import, and when testing must start.
Production Lead Times in China: How Long an Order Really Takes
Why a factory that promises 25 days ships in 45. What a lead time is made of, realistic ranges by product type, and how to fix a deadline that means something.
Packaging Development in China: Retail Box, Master Carton, Drop Test and Barcodes
Retail box, inner and master carton, drop test, barcodes — and how carton dimensions worked back from container fill decide your landed cost per unit.