Sourcing bedroom furniture from China has proven to be a profitable formula for many retailers. Their biggest challenges, however, lie in ensuring quality and compliance to applicable standards that many Chinese furniture makers are not particularly familiar with.
InTouch have been instrumental in helping furniture retailers find the right manufacturers in China. Its highly trained inspectors are equipped with an intensive list of inspection processes relating to bedroom furnishings. The following are just some of the bedroom furniture inspection processes that InTouch covers:
Materials Inspection
These processes ensure that the materials for the production of bedroom furniture including beds, closets, nightstands, bed side tables, dressers, stools, baby cribs, bunk beds, and sofa-beds adhere to applicable standards and buyer specifications.
Wood and Wood Products Verification – This verifies that only the specified species and types of wood and wood-products are used in your product. Medium density fiberboards are often associated with urea-formaldehyde, a potential carcinogen, so a laboratory testing may be also be recommended. Wood may be tested also to determine species, age, strength, and other information relevant in establishing quality.
Furniture Hardware Verification – Whether sourced out or self-manufactured, furniture hardware and fittings must comply with specifications on materials, design, finish, dimensioning, rated capacity, and/or brand, as prescribed by the buyer or if required by law. This includes bed springs, cabinet hinges, bolts, screws, washers, handles, etc.
Finishing Materials – Check that only approved types or brands of finishing materials are used. This includes wood putty, paint, lacquer, wood stains, shellac, varnish, finishing oils, wax, polyurethane, etc. It is important to ensure that finishing materials are made from non-toxic and fire-resistant compounds and would provide scratch-resistant finish.
Filling Materials – Verify the use of specified filling materials or compare with approved samples, if provided. Filling materials must pass flammability tests required by law. Filling materials may also be tested for presence of pathogens or regulated chemical compounds.
Upholstery – Verify that upholstery fabrics, leather, and related materials adhere to standards and specifications. Upholstery materials must pass their corresponding flammability tests and toxic emission testing. Additional tests may also deal with cleanability, durability, repellency, scratch-resistance, and other desirable characteristics.
Visual Inspection
Dimensional Check – Verify that the dimensional measurements of product are according to specifications. Bunk beds must adhere to standard requirements on safety rails, height, bed ends, and width.
Sharp Edges Check – Check product for sharp edges or parts that may cause injury to users. Check for protruding nail heads and ends, exposed screw heads and ends, loose rivets, cracked or loosened handles, and slipped screws.
Coating Check – Check coated parts for faded or uneven painting, poor painting or coating, pitted or scratched surfaces, and deviations from specified colors.
Performance Inspection
Flammability Testing – Subject bedroom furniture to appropriate flammability test, both assembled product and individual parts. Popular tests include cigarette testing and match resistance testing.
Urea-Formaldehyde Emission Testing – Test that product does not emit urea-formaldehyde above allowed levels. Urea-formaldehyde testing is typically employed on products using this compound as binding agent such as medium density fiberboards.
Mirrors Testing – Test bedroom furniture with mirror attachments so that these parts are made from approved materials, and that they possess the desired characteristics including proper thickness and clarity.
Durability Testing – This inspection protocol includes test methods to determine individual part strength, assembled product structural performance and weight limit. It is important to notify your manufacturer of the durability tests to be performed as some may cause irreversible damage to the product being tested.
Labeling and Packaging Inspection
Product Markings – Verify that mandatory markings are complete, clear, and are located in specified locations.
Carton Marking Check – Verify that carton prints comply to specifications including brand, model number, barcodes, warning marks, complied standards, etc.
Documentations Check – Check that user manuals, warranty cards, assembly instructions, and other relevant documentation in the packaging are complete and printed in as required by law.
Packaging Materials and Procedure Verification – Verify that packaging materials are suited provide the necessary protection for the product against shipping damage, and that individual parts and accessories are complete. Packing procedure must be designed in such a way that it promotes easy assembly of the product. Carton Drop Test may be employed, if applicable.
Please contact InTouch to know more about the inspection protocols applicable to your specific type of bedroom furniture.
