Lighting from China – buyer’s guide
Guzhen town in Zhongshan, 50 minutes from Foshan, is China’s lighting capital: thousands of showrooms for decorative fixtures, plus the LED factories that supply them. Foshan itself has strong commercial and outdoor LED makers. For a villa or hotel we source everything from downlights to the lobby chandelier in one or two days.
Product families
- Architectural LED – downlights, spotlights, track lights, linear profiles, panels, strip lighting with aluminium channels.
- Decorative – chandeliers, pendants, wall and table lamps in brass, iron, glass, crystal, rattan and fabric.
- Outdoor and landscape – wall lanterns, bollards, in-ground uplights, floodlights, pole lights with IP65–IP67 ratings.
- Commercial – high bays, troffers, emergency lighting, hotel corridor and lobby packages.
What separates good LED from cheap LED
Four things: the chip (look for SMD 2835 from a known brand, or COB for spots), the driver (constant-current, isolated, with a real brand – this is what fails first), CRI (≥90 for homes and hotels, 80 is acceptable for warehouses) and colour consistency (3-step MacAdam binning for anything that sits in a row). Ask for the LM-80 report and the driver brand on the quotation. The difference between a USD 2 and a USD 4 downlight is almost always the driver and the heatsink.
Voltage, plugs and certifications
Fixtures are made for 110–120 V or 220–240 V; state yours. For decorative lamps the lamp holder standard (E27, E14, E26, GU10, B22) must match your market. CE/RoHS is standard; UL/ETL for North America and SAA for Australia are available from larger factories on specific models – and they cost more. Do not accept a “CE” sticker on a lamp from a factory that cannot show the test report.
Price ranges (ex-works, 2026)
| Item | Indicative EXW price |
|---|---|
| LED downlight 7–12 W, CRI 90, branded driver | USD 2.5 – 5 |
| LED track light 20–30 W COB | USD 8 – 18 |
| LED strip 2835, 120 LED/m, 5 m reel | USD 4 – 9 |
| Modern pendant lamp, metal + glass | USD 25 – 80 |
| Crystal chandelier 800 mm | USD 150 – 450 |
| Outdoor wall light IP65, aluminium | USD 8 – 25 |
| Solar garden light, 3–5 m pole | USD 60 – 180 |
MOQ and customisation
Guzhen showrooms sell single pieces at retail; factory prices start at around 10–50 pieces per model. Custom finishes (brushed brass, black nickel), custom sizes and OEM packaging start at 50–100 pieces. Chandeliers for lobbies are made to drawing and priced per project.
Packing and shipping
Lighting is fragile but light – a good filler for the top of a tile container. Chandeliers are shipped in wooden crates with crystal packed separately and strung on site. Ask for drop-test packing on glass shades and 2–3% spare glass parts.
Before you sign the pro-forma
- Voltage, lamp base, colour temperature (2700K / 3000K / 4000K) and CRI on every line
- Driver brand and warranty (2–5 years) stated on the pro-forma
- IP rating for bathrooms and outdoor fixtures
- Certification marks required in your market, with test report numbers
- Spare glass shades and drivers – 2–3% extra
- Sample approval of finish colour under daylight before mass production
Buy lighting with us
We shortlist and verify manufacturers and suppliers, negotiate, seal samples, inspect before shipment and consolidate with your other materials.
Visiting Foshan?
We take you to the right markets and factories for this category in one day. Plan a buying trip →
Planning to buy building materials in Foshan?
Tell us what you need and when you plan to come. We aim to reply the same business day with a realistic plan, price ranges and which markets to visit.