Every tile carton from a Chinese kiln carries a grade mark. Buyers see “AAA” in showrooms and “Grade A” on invoices and assume they mean the same thing. They usually do, but the terms are informal; the labels that matter are the Chinese ones on the box. This note explains what the grades mean, where … Read more

Windows are the most technical thing most buyers put in a container, and the item where a vague specification costs the most. A window that arrives 15 mm too wide, with the handle on the wrong side, cannot be fixed on site. This is the checklist we run through with every factory in Dali before … Read more

Bathrooms are where a container of building materials most often goes wrong in a small way – a toilet that does not fit the drain position, a tap with the wrong thread. All avoidable. Here is what we check in the showroom and again on the pro-forma, followed by what a typical order costs, how … Read more

Tiles are the product most people think of when they think of Foshan, and for good reason: the kilns around the city produce more porcelain than any other region in the world. They are also the product where first-time buyers make the most avoidable mistakes. This guide walks through an order the way we run … Read more

There are two practical ways to buy building materials from China: order remotely through an online sourcing platform, or buy in person from the factories with someone representing you on the ground. Both work. They suit different orders, and the choice gets easier once you see what each method actually asks of you. Knowing who … Read more