Furniture Sourcing from China for Australian Commercial Projects

An Australian commercial furniture package is usually bought against a schedule: item codes, finishes, drawings and the rules the specifier names for the building. It is then split across several factories, because seating, tables, upholstery and joinery come from different workshops. This page sets out how FBM Furniture runs that kind of package from China for developers, contractors and FF&E companies working in Australia, and where to read about the Australian rules we have studied.

FBM Furniture works with companies only: Developers · General Contractors · Builders · Commercial Project Owners · Interior Design & Construction Companies · FF&E Solution Providers. Our main markets are North America and Australia.

What an Australian project brief should fix first

• The schedule: one item code per product, with quantity by room type, floor or stage. See our page on what to send us: from FF&E schedule to quotation.
• The rules: the Australian requirements the specifier names, written beside the item code with their edition, so that each factory answers the same question.
• The finishes: finish codes with approved samples, kept as the reference for bulk production. See samples, finishes and approvals.
• The packing: how pieces are marked by room type and stage, and which parts ship separately.
• The documents: the documents the project team expects with the shipment, and in what form.

Australian rules we have read

The posts below each read one Australian instrument or rule set from its published text and say what was and was not read. They are readings for procurement planning, not legal advice.

• Care labels on upholstered contract seating and mattresses: the 2023 care labelling information standard
• Importing wooden contract furniture: the Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024
• Engineered stone table tops: Regulation 5M of the Prohibited Imports Regulations
• Tip-over rules for dressers, wardrobes and storage units
• Bean bags: the Consumer Goods (Bean Bags) Safety Standard 2014

Our Australia and New Zealand compliance page explains how we approach the main rules overall.

How an order runs

We review the schedule and drawings, collect comparable quotations, agree samples and finishes with your team, and manage the order through bulk production. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend. You receive a QC report with photos and video before shipment. Read more in our guide to contract furniture sourcing from China: from FF&E schedule to container and what arrives with a shipment.

Australian projects in our case studies

These case studies are listed by their published titles; each page carries the details of its project.

• Office Chair Procurement for Melbourne: Approx. 10 x 40HQ over Repeat Orders
• Student Accommodation FF&E for a Melbourne Project: 4 Containers in 2 Batches
• Custom Student Accommodation Furniture Built from Drawings for Melbourne: 6 x 40HQ
• Reception, Seating and Storage for Australian Office Projects — 3 x 40HQ

See all of them on our case studies page.

How we charge

For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend. For the difference between the two modes see our guide to working with a supplier you nominate.

Where to start

Send the schedule, drawings and quantities and tell us which Australian rules the specifier names. We will tell you which details are missing before factories quote. FBM Furniture is the furniture-focused team of FBM Sourcing, which manages the entire China procurement package for overseas construction projects; see also the main-site guide to hotel furniture manufacturers for Australian hotel projects.

Frequently asked questions

Which Australian rules should a furniture schedule name?

The rules depend on the product and the building, and your specifier or certifier decides. Our compliance page and the reading posts linked on this page explain how we approach the main ones, and each states what it read and what it did not.

Does FBM Furniture work with Australian projects?

Yes. Our main markets are North America and Australia, and the case studies on this page and in our case study list are Australian projects, listed by their published titles.

Do you work with private homeowners?

No. FBM Furniture works with companies only: developers, general contractors, builders, commercial project owners, interior design and construction companies, and FF&E solution providers.

Can our team attend the inspection?

Yes. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend. You receive a QC report with photos and video.

How does FBM Furniture charge for Australian projects?

For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend.