Chinese furniture looks cheap. Then the bill lands.
Many projects still import furniture from China because the sticker price looks low. But by the time duty, freight and clearing are paid, that price climbs 40–70% — and you still get mass sizes that don't fit your room and don't survive Indian weather. See the real number for yourself.
Duty adds 47.5% of CIF at the border (25% after reclaiming IGST).
- Made to fit — your exact millimetres, not a mass mould
- Climate-proofed — seasoned for Indian humidity, won't crack
- Backed after sale — people you can call and who repair
- Revisable — approve the design before we build
Rates verified July 2026. Duty (BCD 20% + AIDC 5% + IGST 18%, SWS exempt for furniture Ch. 94) is set by CBIC and can change at any budget. Ocean freight is volatile and swings 30–100%. Container volumes assume ~80% packing efficiency. Clearing and inland are typical estimates, not statutory. This is a planning guide — reconfirm live rates before you commit.
A container ships furniture. It can't ship a climate.
Furniture made for a stable Chinese warehouse meets India's monsoon humidity and dry-summer heat — and the material moves. Cheap board and unseasoned wood swell, shrink, warp and crack. Joints open. Veneers lift. It looks fine on arrival and tired within a year.
Everything we build is made in India, from timber seasoned for the climate it will actually live in, joined by hand to allow that natural movement. Made-for-India furniture lasts exactly where imports fail. That is the quiet reason custom wins — long after the sticker price is forgotten.
We cut both open
Anyone can claim quality. Here is the difference you can see — imported mass furniture against furniture built to last in India.
China vs India Furniture — FAQs
Is it cheaper to import furniture from China or buy custom furniture in India?
The China sticker price is lower, but the landed cost often isn't. Furniture imported from China into India carries 20% Basic Customs Duty, 5% Agri-Infra Cess and 18% IGST — about 47.5% of the shipped value in cash at the border, or roughly 25% after a GST-registered buyer reclaims IGST. Add ocean freight, marine insurance, customs clearing and inland transport, and the 'cheap' price climbs 40–70%. Made-to-fit furniture built in India carries none of that import stack, arrives faster, and is cut to your exact room.
What is the customs duty on furniture imported from China to India?
As of Budget 2025-26, furniture under Chapter 94 (seats, wooden and metal furniture, mattresses, lighting) pays 20% Basic Customs Duty plus a 5% Agri-Infra Development Cess on the assessable (CIF) value. Social Welfare Surcharge is exempted (Nil) for these headings. On top of duty, 18% IGST applies to (CIF + BCD + AIDC). There is no India–China free-trade agreement, so standard MFN rates apply. Verify the live CBIC rate before you quote — rates can change at any budget.
How long does furniture shipped from China take to reach India?
For made-to-order furniture, realistically 70–120 days door to door: roughly 6–12 weeks of factory production, about a week to book and load, 12–24 days of ocean transit to an Indian port, 3–8 days for customs clearance, then inland delivery. Chinese New Year (late January to mid-February) shuts factories for weeks and adds a booking backlog. 'Quick' is a myth for project furniture.
Is Chinese furniture good quality?
Some is. But mass-made import furniture is built to warehouse sizes, not your room, so it rarely fits without gaps or filler panels. It is often engineered board with a printed or veneer skin, and in India's humidity and heat swings that can warp, crack or delaminate. There is usually no design collaboration, no revisions, and no after-sales support once the container is unloaded. That is the real trade behind the low sticker price.
Why does furniture crack in Indian weather?
Furniture built for a stable warehouse climate meets India's monsoon humidity and dry summer heat, and the material moves. Cheap engineered board and unseasoned wood swell and shrink, and joints open, veneers lift and tops crack. Furniture built in India is made from timber seasoned for the local climate and joined to allow that movement — which is why made-for-India furniture lasts where imports fail.
Do the calculator numbers include GST input credit?
Yes. If you mark yourself GST-registered, the calculator shows both the full cash you lay out at the border and the net cost after reclaiming the 18% IGST as input tax credit. Even net of IGST, the non-recoverable import cost is about 25% of the shipped value — before freight, clearing and inland. All rates are researched 2025-26 references, not live quotes; reconfirm before committing.
Get a real quote for your room
Send one photo, a floor plan, or a picture of one wall. We design it, show you before we build, and deliver by hand — in ₹ and $. No duty. No container wait.