How To Import Bags From China

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Have you been planning to import bags from China to evolve your business? If so, welcome to the right destination. This detailed guide shows you how to import bags from China step by step. Whether it’s the different concept of the Chinese bag market or building a relationship with reliable suppliers, how to negotiate pricing and payment terms, how to secure bag quality, what to do about legal and legalistic matters, how to ship these bags, or even how to incorporate sustainable practices, we have got the gist from A to Z.

Exploring and Analyzing the Bag Market in China

To efficiently perform the importation of bags from China, only requires proper knowledge of the market conditions. To effectively decide on which of the bags to import you will need to investigate market demand and consumer tastes.

There has been an observed shift in trends that more consumers are going for beautiful, functional, and long-lasting bags. Other factors that contribute to the demand for luggage bags include urbanization and growth in the tourism industry.

Also other emerging players especially the local and regional players bring specific application products to different other users. This shows that the demand for luggage bags is on the rise and the global luggage bag market is expected to grow at a CAGR during 2022-2028, thus creating a positive outlook for the bag market in China.

Different Kinds of Bags in the Chinese Bag Market

The bag market in China offers a wide range of options. You can find Chinese fashion bags from backpacks and handbags to travel bags and luxury designer bags.

1. Handbags – 手提包（shoutibao): Handbags are fashionable accessories primarily for women to carry personal items, often featuring one or more handles and possibly a longer strap for shoulder use, available in a variety of designs, sizes, and materials.
2. Backpack – 背包（beibao): Designed to be carried on the back with two straps, ideal for carrying books or travel essentials.
3. Messenger Bag – 邮差包（youchaibao）/ Luggage – 行李箱（xinglixiang）& Travel Gear – 旅行装备（lvxingzhuangbei): Worn over one shoulder with a strap across the chest, good for carrying documents or small items.
4. Satchel Bag – 挎包（kuabao): Bag with a strap worn diagonally across the body, traditionally used for carrying books.
5. Crossbody Bag – 斜挎包（xiekuabao): Worn across the body with a long strap, allowing hands-free convenience.
6. Shoulder Bag – 单肩包（danjianbao): Bag with a strap designed to be carried over the shoulder, versatile for various occasions.

Where are the best cities in China for bag sourcing?

China is home to several major bag manufacturing hubs. Understanding where these top wholesale markets in southern China can help you plan your sourcing trips more efficiently. These are the more famous bags wholesale cities in China:

• Guangzhou: Guangzhou is a significant hub for bag manufacturing and wholesale markets. The city has numerous markets like the Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre, where buyers can find a variety of bags.
• Yiwu: Yiwu is famous for its small commodities market, and it houses a vast section dedicated to bags and leather goods.
• Quanzhou: Quanzhou in Fujian Province is known for its bag manufacturing, especially backpacks and sports bags.
• Shanghai: Shanghai also has a fair share of bag manufacturers and markets, catering to both high-end and budget-friendly markets.

Finding Reliable Bag Suppliers in China

1. Attending Trade Shows for sourcing bags from China

One of the most useful ways to find the actual bag suppliers that one can trust is to visit the trade shows in China. These events involve a large number of manufacturers and distributors exhibiting opportunities for meeting and identifying business partners:

1. Shanghai International Bags Exhibition: This bag fair takes place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, and the large range of bags, as well as bag-related products that are displayed at this fair, gives both buyers and sellers the ideal opportunity to meet and facilitate the sale of their products while discovering new trends within the bag industry.
2. Yiwu International Commodities Fair: Not limited strictly to bags only, this permanent fair in Yiwu is dedicated to small consumer goods, including bags. Planned for October 21 to 24, it brings together small purchasers from across the world and creates a diverse and lively market atmosphere.
3. Canton Fair: One of the China famous trade fairs is the Canton Fair which is arranged in Guangzhou and presents different consumer products, including bags during two sessions in spring and autumn. Entailing over 200,000 visitors per session, it is a crucial marketplace for imports and exports, where one can find numerous opportunities for identifying reliable bag suppliers as well as monitoring the tendencies of the market.

2. Visit Local Wholesale Bag Suppliers’ Markets

Another way is to look for vendors at the local markets that specialize in selling bags. Such markets are usually characterized by a wide variety of products that are offered at relatively cheaper prices. Don’t rush to make a purchase, walk around the stalls and try to find the best price or the best quality of the bags offered.

1. Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre: Guangzhou is one of the leading centers for the production and sale of bags and one of the biggest markets is Baiyun World Leather Trading Centre.
2. Guihua Gang Leather Bags Market: This is the wholesale market based in Guangzhou, which is currently the biggest center of bag sales in China, and is home to the biggest leather and luggage wholesale market globally.
3. Baoding Baigou Bags & Cases Trading Market: This market is located in Hebei Baoding Province and it is well known for the variety of bags and cases available for sale.
4. Pinghu International Bag City (in Pinghu, Zhejiang province):  The area is famous for its thriving luggage and bags industry where firms such as Pinghu Leto Luggage Bags Co, Ltd. mainly deal in various types of bags such as messenger bags, evening bags, handbags, wallets etc. The ease of access to freight services due to the strategic position of the city near the international air and sea ports makes it a strategic location for these businesses in the bag and luggage production industries.

3. China Sourcing Agent

If you’re unfamiliar with the Chinese market or find it challenging to navigate sourcing on your own, consider hiring a China sourcing agent like Owlsourcing. These professionals have extensive knowledge and experience in sourcing products from China and can help you find reliable bag suppliers.

4. Top China Online Bag Wholesale Suppliers

Alibaba
Website: Alibaba
Alibaba is the best site where beginners should start when looking for many quality bags at reasonable prices. Only to have 200 plus million products and 1000 plus categories, it helps businesses find verified suppliers of products, with a range of niches most suitable for branding and wholesales. In addition, if you encounter challenges when buying from Alibaba, consider hiring an Alibaba Sourcing agent. 

Made-in-China
Website: Made-in-China
This commercial site is quite easy to use and is well-known due to its name; Made-in-China presents a great variety of custom handbags in different sizes and colors as well as in different designs. It also supports branding so it can have logos and taglines that are in concordance with the products and services offered; thus it is a good choice for luxury bag sourcing.

Wholesale7
Website: Wholesale7
Another great shopping place aimed at small businesses, Wholesale7 features chic, timely bags designed for merchants and drop shippers. The design specialists to accompany the promotional events’ organizations make it a first stop for bag sourcing among the businesses.

DHgate
Website: DHgate
A company based in Beijing, China, DHgate offers many bags such as tote bags, luxury beach bags, and much more. A simple interface, No joinery fees, and Customer support are available 24/7 – 365 days are some of the reasons why the platform is ideal for wholesale buyers.

Global Sources
Website: Global Sources
The Global Sources work with manufacturers to guarantee the products’ quality to resellers. Though it has handbags in every category, it can sell them in over 20 categories, The products are tested for quality before packaging for shipping, making bag dropship a suitable place to drop ship and buy items wholesale.

Handbagio
Website: Handbagio
Handbagio deals in customized bags for every occasion or event With features such as logos, advertisement messages, etc. For this reason, it is among the major suppliers of customized handbags, through its unique business model.

Yiwugo
Website: Yiwugo
Yiwugo is a reputable B2B platform where customers can choose products conveniently, inspect quality, and make flexible payments. Huge categories and highly personalized options make it suitable for SMEs and large businesses regarding wholesale acquisition.

TALMUD
Website: TALMUD
TALMUD major produces promotional bags tailored to the customer’s needs, made from recycled materials, and embodying the latest in the printing industry. Having been in operation for more than two decades, it sells reusable environmentally friendly bags to online and offline retail stores that embrace innovation.

Supplier Verification and Vetting

Before finalizing any deals, please verify the authenticity and reliability of the potential bag suppliers. Conduct thorough background checks, request references from previous clients, and ask for product samples to assess product quality. This step ensures that you establish partnerships with trustworthy suppliers. Here’s a helpful guide for finding trusted suppliers in China.

Negotiating with Bag Suppliers in China

1. Pricing Negotiations

Before buying, ensure you look at the current market prices, prepare a budget, and convince the suppliers that they should allow you to buy the required bulk at equally bargained prices. Negotiating prices directly with Chinese wholesaling suppliers ensures that a client gets some of the best prices, particularly when one is looking for affordable China bags or handbags bulk-bought in China.

2. Payment Terms and Conditions

Suppliers’ terms of payment should be agreed with them before any agreement between parties is made. There are various types of payment, that need to be established; whether it is a full payment method or partial payment required. Also, if there are any other charges such as the delivery fee or any other taxes on the handbags these need to be defined. As a result, it is crucial to distinguish between the total expense and the fixed cost to get a more sophisticated image of the whole cost burden.

3. Product Customization

It is thus possible to add value to the bags from China you import through customization. Explain to your suppliers wholesale of handbag design choices, branding points, and material selection. Both when it comes to importing designer baggage from China as well as when it becomes required to fashion your artwork, product customization can facilitate the entity in attaining a unique market exposure.

4. Designing and Branding

Therefore, there needs to be a very close working relationship with your supplier of the shoes to be able to develop an identity for the shoes which should reflect that of your company. You might want to incorporate your logos or labels to put yourself out there completely. Outsourcing the designing and branding services from China bag manufacturers can lead to the creation of appealing China designer bags to the intended consumers.

5. Material and Quality Specifications

Recommend the kind of material you would like your bags to be made from and set parameters that cannot be breached. Make these requirements clear to maintain a standard that will make the final products to be as you desire. Purchasing from Chinese bag wholesale suppliers with good reputations will be essential to get bags in China of the type of material and quality you want.

How do I check the quality of bags imported from China?

When importing bags from China, issues to do with quality assurance should be well addressed for the right quality standards to be maintained. Try to obtain samples before purchasing in large quantities, check periodically the production process, and if possible require an independent inspection.

Third-Party Inspection Services

Consider hiring third-party inspection services to ensure the bags meet your quality standards. These independent inspectors will assess product quality, check for any defects or deviations from specifications, and provide you with detailed reports.

• Factory Audits: Perform a factory assessment to check the competency of your suppliers in manufacturing and quality control. The qualification examinations hold the potential for risk mitigation at the various phases of product design and manufacturing, aspects of the supply chain, quality impediments, supplier reliability and competence, and labor and environmental standard compliance.
• Loading Supervision: Oversee the loading process to guarantee that loading includes the right number of bags and that the packaging and labeling are satisfactory to you.
• Quality Control Inspections: Make quality control inspections to ensure that the imported products are of the required quality standards to do business with in your country whether it is China designer bags or any other bags from China.

Legal Compliance and Risk Management

Compliance with International Laws

Ensure that any imported bags conform to all the legal requirements of that nation or if it is a global product then ensure that the bags conform to international policy. You also need to study matters that are compulsory in your target market, for instance, the type of material that has to be utilized in creating the product, precautions that have to be taken, the type of labels to be used on the product as well as certifications that the product needs to adhere to. I have discussed below, how some specific specificities, related to the compliance of bag markets can lead to failure and legal issues. The last item is compliance capability assessment, and at the current moment, only 1% to 9% of manufacturers possess this capability.

• Labeling Requirements: Before production, include relevant label files indicating important compliance marks or country of origin. For instance, if you are importing handbags from China to the US, acquaint yourself with the necessary labeling rules.
• Product Design: Ensure compliance is ‘built into the design’ of the bags, which is essential especially when dealing with high-risk products.
• Lab Testing: Conduct lab testing to verify that your bags are compliant with safety regulations. While not mandatory, lab testing is a proactive step to confirm product safety and compliance.

Identifying and Managing Risks

The specific risks that may arise from the importing of bags from China shall be outlined and corresponding measures against the future risks shall be created. This pertains to customs problems and solutions, issues to do with intellectual property, and legal issues.

• Customs Documentation: Necessary documents for importing may include a bill of lading, invoice, shipping list, customs declaration, insurance policy, and sales contract among others.
• Intellectual Property Protection: Establishing a risk compliance system and cultivating risk consciousness among your team can help mitigate risks related to intellectual property infringements.
• Regulatory Changes: Stay updated on the compliance risk trends in China as the regulatory landscape for foreign companies is rapidly changing, with new regulations and economic environments posing various risks.

Adhering to Bag Market Regulations

Textiles and Leather Labeling

Labeling regulations regarding textiles and leather ought to be observed when importing bags from China. Labeling requirements are as follows: The labeling requirements discussed above are defined by the GB/T 5296. The basic antitrust law is the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China while the product standards are the 4-2012 standards and the Product Quality Law of China. A comprehensive product label should encompass the following:

1. Manufacturer Information: The name and address of the manufacturer of the bag.
2. Material Composition: Elaborating on the fabrics for which the bag is made.
3. Care Instructions: Requirement on how to handle the bag properly and how to keep it in proper shape.
4. Country of Origin (Made in China): Pointing to its place of origin because bags are subject to the rules regulating products made in China.

Marking must be done with the English name of the country of origin and every article of foreign origin imported into the U. S. must be marked legibly.

cbp.gov

5. The size of the bag: For leather products, the labeling may differ depending on the importing country’s laws so it is wise to first have a look at them to avoid any legal cases.

Safety Regulations and Certifications

• China Compulsory Certification (CCC): This certification is mandatory for the products to meet the required safety and quality requirements.
• Quality Management System Certification (ISO 9001): Having this certification on your suppliers may also mean that they are serious with their products.
• Product-Specific Certifications: In addition, where the bag is of a particular type, there might be other certifications that the bag must meet. For example, children’s bags may require certain standard safety measures to be met in their production.

Adhering to the labeling and safety regulations not only ensures the compliance of the bags imported from China but also mitigates risks associated with regulatory non-compliance. Collaborating with professionals familiar with China’s regulatory landscape can be advantageous in effectively maneuvering through these intricate regulations.

Handling Bag Shipping and Logistics in China

1. Managing Bag Customs Clearance in China

Navigating customs procedures can be complex but crucial when importing bags from China. Familiarize yourself with import duties, taxes, and documentation requirements, and work closely with shipping agents or customs brokers to ensure a smooth clearance process.

2. Addressing Bag Taxes and Duties in China

Understand the tax implications of importing bags from China. Consult with professionals who can guide you on applicable taxes such as value-added tax (VAT) or customs duties.

3. Operating Bag Warehousing and Distribution in China

Consider logistics aspects such as warehousing options and distribution channels within China. Proper storage facilities combined with efficient distribution networks will support your operational needs effectively.

Setting Bag Pricing and Payment Terms in China

In this case, an important question to be answered is the right price for the bags to be sold in the Chinese market. Investigate the market and come up with an appropriate market strategy to make the right pricing to match the other companies in the market. Also, after the identification, create payment policies for the retailers or distributors that you will be working with.

Suggested reading: What is a Sourcing Agent

Sustainable Materials for Sourcing Bags from China

Eco-friendly materials for bags involve carefully selecting eco-friendly bag suppliers in China and the materials they use in a socially responsible and environmentally friendly manner.  This ranges from the choice of fabric such as recycled Polyester (rPET), recycled Nylon, organic cotton, or using animal skin that has not been sourced from animals.

Sustainable sourcing is an indication of a brand’s status as corporate social responsibility (CSR) that adds to a better brand appeal among buyers who hold a social concern about the environment.

Eco-Friendly Packaging

Eco-friendly solutions concerning packaging are gaining more attention as some states of the USA have set legislation against package waste. Sustainable packaging is not just constrained to the use of recyclable materials but will involve creativity as well as invention to reach the ultimate aim of reaching a circular economy rather than waste reduction.

For example, the use of biodegradable packaging material that can take a certain time, for instance, not more than 180 days to degrade through composting is still a reasonable approach that has been implemented through UPS China that adopted biodegradable packing bags.

Read More:

• Benefits of Working with China Sourcing Agents
• Importing LED Lights from China: The Complete Guide
• Yiwu Bag Wholesale Market 
• How to Import Shoes From China: Fashion Footwear Guide

Final thoughts

Lately, more importers have chosen to purchase goods from China and then resell them on Amazon. If you are also interested in importing bags from China but are not proficient in Chinese, you might consider collaborating with a sourcing agent. The journey to identifying the right supplier can be quite challenging given the myriad factors to be considered.

Additionally, the process of sourcing from overseas can present a labyrinth of procedures. Hence, align yourself with a supplier who is forthcoming with every minor detail and possesses a solid grasp of the business landscape in China, as this insight will prove invaluable down the line.

Use this detailed guide as your roadmap to success and embark on an exciting journey into the world of importing bags from China!