Currently, China is one of the important markets for Vietnam's wood industry. According to statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in the first 8 months of 2024, China was the second largest export market for wood and wood products of Vietnam, after the United States, with a turnover of 1.2 billion USD, accounting for 13.5% of the total export turnover of the country. Therefore, businesses need to pay attention to updating changes in standards for Chinese furniture products to be proactive in production and export of products to this market.
According to ITC statistics, China is the 20th largest furniture import market (HS code 94) in the world . In the first 7 months of 2024, furniture imports (HS code 94) into the Chinese market reached 1.2 billion USD, down 10.9% over the same period in 2023. Of which, China imported the most from the Italian market with 310 million USD, down 12.8% over the same period in 2023 and accounting for 25.5% of total imports of HS code 94 into China.
Germany was the next largest market supplying furniture (HS 94) to China in the first 7 months of 2024, reaching 180 million USD, down 13.1% over the same period in 2023 and accounting for 14.8% of China's total HS 94 imports.
Market structure of furniture supply (HS code 94) to China
in the first 7 months of 2024 (Proportion by value)
Source: ITC
Furniture supply market (HS code 94) to China
in the first 7 months of 2024
Source: ITC
Market | First 7 months of 2024 (Thousand USD) | Proportion (%) | Compared to the same period in 2023 (%) |
Italy | 310,415 | 25.5 | -12.8 |
Virtue | 180,172 | 14.8 | -13.1 |
America | 88,377 | 7.3 | -16.2 |
Japan | 84,011 | 6.9 | 4.0 |
France | 51,341 | 4.2 | 0.1 |
Vietnam | 46,817 | 3.8 | -10.3 |
Taiwan | 45,820 | 3.8 | 38.7 |
Thailand | 42,485 | 3.5 | -10.6 |
Poland | 38,397 | 3.2 | -10.3 |
China | 35,031 | 2.9 | -23.6 |
Korea | 33,268 | 2.7 | 13.5 |
Older brother | 32,713 | 2.7 | -40.9 |
Mexico | 16,201 | 1.3 | -5.5 |
Spain | 15,656 | 1.3 | 13.0 |
Sweden | 14,280 | 1.2 | -40.0 |
Malaysia | 13.111 | 1.1 | -24.3 |
Denmark | 12,916 | 1.1 | -14.7 |
Czech | 11,021 | 0.9 | -27.4 |
Indonesia | 10,697 | 0.9 | 8.7 |
Netherlands | 9,940 | 0.8 | 2.7 |
Shirt | 9,278 | 0.8 | -30.2 |
Norway | 8,974 | 0.7 | 14.6 |
Slovakia | 8,881 | 0.7 | 14.7 |
New Zealand | 8,069 | 0.7 | 8.7 |
Hungary | 7,490 | 0.6 | -12.8 |
India | 7,327 | 0.6 | 4.8 |
Romania | 7.005 | 0.6 | 4.1 |
Switzerland | 6,879 | 0.6 | 5.2 |
Canada | 6,342 | 0.5 | -11.5 |
Australia | 6,268 | 0.5 | -13.0 |
Israel | 5,349 | 0.4 | -21.3 |
Vietnam is the 6th largest furniture supplier (HS code 94) to China in the first 7 months of 2024, reaching 46.8 million USD, down 10.3% over the same period in 2023, accounting for 3.8% of China's total HS code 94 imports. Of which, China imports mainly wooden furniture from Vietnam. ITC statistics show that many types of wooden furniture from Vietnam account for a fairly high proportion of China's total imports. Notably, the proportion of wooden frame chairs imported from China - excluding upholstered chairs (HS code 940169) from Vietnam accounts for 45 - 50%. This shows that Vietnam's wooden furniture has established a fairly good position in the Chinese market. Currently, Vietnam is the 3rd largest wooden furniture supplier to China after Italy and Germany.
China issues standards regulating limits on harmful substances in furniture
On June 25, 2024, the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China) issued the mandatory national standard GB 18584-2024 on "Limits of Harmful Substances in Furniture". This standard specifies the limits for harmful substances such as formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), migrating harmful elements, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, degradable aromatic amine dyes, radionuclides, dimethyl fumarate, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in various types of furniture, along with the criteria for test results. This standard will replace GB 18584-2001 and GB 28481-2012 and will officially come into effect on July 1, 2025.
Scope of GB 18584-2024 Standard
This standard applies to all types of furniture products.
Main technical requirements of the standard
I. Formaldehyde, Benzene, Toluene, Xylene and TVOC
Emission limits for formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and TVOC in furniture shall comply with the requirements specified in Table 1.
Table 1: Emission Limits for Formaldehyde, Benzene, Toluene, Xylene and TVOC in Furniture
II. Movable Hazards
The limits of hazardous components that may migrate in furniture shall comply with the requirements given in Table 2.
Table 2: Limits for movable hazardous elements in furniture
III. Other hazardous substances
Limits of other hazardous substances in furniture shall comply with the requirements given in Table 3.
Table 3: Limits for other hazardous substances
Check Item | Limit value | Scope of application | Testing method | ||
Phthalates | Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) | Total ≤ 0.1% | Plastic parts in accessible areas of plastic furniture, baby and children's furniture | GB/T 40906 (external standard method) | |
Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) | |||||
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) | |||||
Di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) | Total ≤ 0.1% | Plastic parts in easily accessible areas of furniture intended for infants and children | |||
Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) | |||||
Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) | |||||
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | Benzo[a]pyrene | ≤ 0.1 mg/kg | Plastic parts in accessible areas of plastic furniture, baby and children's furniture | GB/T 40971 | |
Total 18 PAHs | ≤ 10 mg/kg | ||||
Azo dyes releasing aromatic amines | ≤ 20 mg/kg | Furniture with textile surfaces | GB/T 40904 | ||
≤ 30 mg/kg | Leather furniture | ||||
≤ 20 mg/kg | Synthetic leather interior | ||||
Radioactive P | Radium-226 | Ir a ≤ 1. 0 Ir ≤ 1.3 | Furniture with stone components | GB/T 38724 | |
Thorium um -232 | |||||
Potassium-40 | |||||
Dimethyl fumarate e | ≤ 0.1 mg/kg | Furniture applies only to ocean shipping of upholstered products | GB/T 27717 | ||
Polybrominated biphenyls | ≤ 1000 mg/kg | Furniture for public spaces and claimed to have fire retardant properties | GB/T 40908 | ||
Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/bao-chi-voi-nguoi-dan/trung-quoc-la-thi-truong-xuat-khau-go-va-san-pham-go-lon-thu-2-cua-viet-nam-doanh-nghiep-can-chu-y-gioi-han-cac-chat-co-.html
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