Sourcing Plastic Housewares From China a Buyer Checklist
What to pin down before a first order of containers, bathroom sets or storage boxes, and which questions are worth asking in writing.
Confirm the specification before the price
A price on a plastic houseware means nothing until wall thickness, material and finish are agreed, because all three can be reduced to hit a number.
Ask for the material by name rather than by category. Across the Welfan range that answer is food grade PP on the container sets that state a material, PP on the bathroom sets and baskets, and PET on the transparent boxes.
Get dimensions in writing, piece by piece
Published dimensions are what let you plan a shelf, a carton and a container load. Where a supplier's catalogue does not carry them, treat that as an open item rather than a detail.
In this catalogue, the storage range and the square bath set of 5 publish full dimensions. Several bathroom sets do not, and those are confirmed at quotation.
Separate the item number from the description
Descriptions drift between catalogues and marketplaces. Item numbers do not. KS-004, KS-005, KS-006, RB-001, RB-003, RR-002, TP-011, TP-012 and TP-013 are the reference points to quote in a purchase order.
Ask what is packed and how
Retail packing and bulk packing lead to very different landed costs. The square bath set of 5 is specified as colour box packed; most other items in the range have packing confirmed per order.
Settle inner quantity, carton quantity, carton dimensions and gross weight before artwork, not after.
Leave certification questions open until answered
Do not assume a certification exists because a material is described as food grade. Ask for the specific document, its issue date and the scope it covers, and put it in the purchase order if it is a condition of the order.
Any claim you cannot see on paper should stay out of your own catalogue copy.
Items Referenced in This Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be agreed before placing a first order?
Material by name, full dimensions, item numbers, inner and carton packing, and any certification document you are relying on.
Which Welfan items publish full dimensions?
The whole storage range, the kitchenware container sets and the square bath set of 5.
Are certifications published for this range?
No certification documents are published in the source catalogue. Request them directly and in writing.
Questions This Guide Did Not Answer
Send the item numbers you are weighing up and we will reply with the specification detail behind them.