How do I export furniture?

Major Export Markets

The US is the world's largest furniture market, preferring modern/minimalist design, and duty-free benefits are available through the Korea-US FTA. The EU has high quality and environmental standards but is valuable as a premium market, and Scandinavian-style design is popular. Japan values space-efficient design and quality, and interest in Korean furniture is increasing along with the K-interior trend. The Middle East has large demand for hotel and commercial facility interior projects, and Southeast Asia is seeing rapidly growing demand for modern furniture alongside urbanization. As furniture is bulky, logistics costs account for a high proportion, making KD (Knock-Down) export strategies to reduce logistics costs important.

Essential Certifications and Regulations

For US exports, TSCA Title VI (federal formaldehyde emission standards) and CARB Phase 2 (California standards) are mandatorily applied to furniture containing plywood, MDF, and particleboard. The EU requires compliance with REACH regulations (chemical substances) and EN standards (furniture safety/durability), and meeting E0/E1 grades (formaldehyde emission grades) is required. For office furniture exports, additional product-specific certifications such as US BIFMA (office furniture safety standards) and EU EN 1335 (office chairs) are required. Eco-friendly certifications include FSC (sustainable forest timber), PEFC (forest certification), and Greenguard (indoor air quality certification), with buyer requirements increasing alongside ESG trends.

Export Procedures and Customs Clearance

Furniture falls under HS Code Chapter 94, and tariff rates differ by specific item (wooden furniture 9403, mattresses 9404, etc.). When utilizing the Korea-US FTA, most furniture products qualify for duty-free treatment, and the Korea-EU FTA provides similar benefits. Basic export documents include a Certificate of Origin (C/O), packing list, and commercial invoice, and wood products may additionally require a Phytosanitary Certificate. Fumigation treatment or heat treatment (HT) marking per ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures for Wood Packaging) is mandatory, and customs clearance will be refused if not complied with.

Buyer Sourcing Strategy

High Point Market (US, April/October) is the world's largest furniture trade show held twice a year and is a key channel for entering the US market. Salone del Mobile (Milan, Italy, April) is Europe's most prestigious furniture/design trade show where premium buyers are concentrated. Online channels include joining furniture-specialized e-commerce platforms such as Wayfair, Amazon, and Overstock, and for hotel and commercial projects, partnerships with FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment) specialized procurement companies are effective. Buyer matching through KOTRA trade centers and the Korea Furniture Industry Association is also available.

Pricing Strategy and Payment Terms

Based on FOB pricing, 20–35% of the local retail price is typical, and premiums can be applied based on design competitiveness. NET 30–60 day payment terms apply for deliveries to large retailers, and L/C or T/T prepayment terms are common for initial transactions. For large orders such as hotel projects, 30% deposit plus balance payment before shipment is common, and the minimum order quantity (MOQ) is basically container units (20ft or 40ft). When exporting in KD (Knock-Down) format, container loading efficiency improves, greatly reducing per-unit logistics costs.

Buyer Types

Retail chains include large furniture specialty stores and home furnishing chains such as IKEA, Ashley Furniture, and Williams-Sonoma, characterized by large-volume purchases and strict quality standards. Online furniture marketplaces (Wayfair, Overstock, Amazon) serve as D2C sales channels where small and medium manufacturers can directly join. B2B project buyers include hotel chains (interior projects), office furniture distributors, interior design companies, and construction companies/developers. Furniture-specialized importers have local market knowledge and distribution networks and are useful for initial market entry, and FF&E specialists for hotels/resorts and commercial facility interior companies are also major buyers.

Logistics and Packaging

Furniture is bulky and heavy, with logistics costs accounting for 15–25% of the product price, so reducing volume through KD (Knock-Down) format is key. Packaging basics include corner protectors, stretch film, and corrugated cardboard packaging for damage prevention, and high-end furniture uses plywood crate packaging. For sea transport, 40ft HC (High Cube) containers are standard, with transit times of 20–25 days to the US, 30–35 days to the EU, and 5–7 days to Japan. Packing design that optimizes container loading efficiency is the key to logistics cost reduction, and 3D loading simulation software is effective for this.

Key Trade Shows and Networking

High Point Market (High Point, North Carolina, US, April/October) is the world's largest furniture trade show held twice a year, visited by approximately 75,000 buyers. Salone del Mobile (Milan, Italy, April) is Europe's most prestigious furniture/design trade show, and CIFF (Guangzhou, China, March/September) is Asia's largest furniture trade show. Regional shows include IMM Cologne (Germany, January), Maison&Objet (Paris, France, January/September), INDEX Dubai (UAE, May), and IFFS (Singapore, March). Domestically, KOFURN (Korea, August) is representative, and trade show participation costs can be supported through export vouchers.

Buyer Types

Essential Certifications

Key Trade Shows

Frequently Asked Questions