Guides for importers buying from India
These guides explain how quality inspection works for goods made in India: how AQL sampling sets sample sizes and accept and reject numbers, how to work out a plan for your own lot with the AQL calculator, what the inspection verdict means, and which import regulations apply to your products.
Guide topics
AQL sampling explained
ISO 2859-1 code letter and sampling tables, inspection levels, defect classes and a worked example with 800 dressers.
AQL calculator
Lot size, inspection level and AQL in; code letter, sample size and accept/reject numbers out, with furniture, rug and apparel presets.
How to inspect furniture before shipping
When to inspect, what to put in the spec, ten checks in order, common defects and a copyable checklist, with examples from real reports.
How to choose an inspection company
Ten criteria, independence, pricing models, what ISO/IEC 17020 means, and 12 questions to ask any provider.
Clear To Load vs QIMA
A fair comparison of a global inspection platform and a Jodhpur-based specialist, with sources.
Regulation guides
All 38 guides to US, EU, UK, Australian, Canadian and Gulf rules for goods made in India, from EUDR, STURDY and the Lacey Act to REACH, GPSR, UKCA and food contact, with primary sources.
The Cleared to load verdict
What Cleared to load, Hold and Not cleared mean, and how they map to pass, pending, fail and AQL results.
More guides, comparisons and checklists
Clear To Load vs Bureau Veritas
Clear To Load vs Bureau Veritas for inspection in India: BV's NABCB accreditation, Indian labs, InSpec booking rules, report speed and price.
Clear To Load vs HQTS
Clear To Load vs HQTS for inspection in India: offices, cities, report speed, booking, price, testing and Gulf certification, scored on one rubric.
Clear To Load vs Intertek
Clear To Load vs Intertek for inspection in India: Intertek's Indian labs, textile inspection, i2Q booking, report speed and price, on one rubric.
Clear To Load vs SGS
Clear To Load vs SGS for inspection in India: SGS India's offices and labs, furniture inspection, booking, report speed and price, on one rubric.
Clear To Load vs V-Trust
Clear To Load vs V-Trust for inspection in India: all-inclusive day rates by city, booking, report speed, accreditation and coverage on one rubric.
Common defects in ceramics and glassware
Defect library for ceramics and glassware from India: cracks, crazing, glaze faults, glass strain, rim chips, warpage and marking, with classes and prevention.
Common defects in garments
Defect library for garments made in India: fabric, measurements, sewing, trims, print and embroidery, labels and needles, with classes and how to prevent each.
Common defects in handicrafts and metalware
Defect library for Indian handicrafts and metalware: brass, iron, kitchen metal, wood, stone and natural fibre, with where each shows, its class and prevention.
Common defects in rugs and carpets
Defect library for rugs and carpets from India: size and lie, pile, colour and abrash, backing, labels and contamination, with classes and how to prevent each.
Common defects in upholstered furniture, layer by layer
Defect library for sofas and upholstered chairs: frame, springs, foam, fabric, seams, leather, mechanisms and fire labels, with critical, major, minor classes.
Common defects in wooden furniture, and how they are classed
A library of common wooden furniture defects: cracks, filler, joints, warping, finish faults, hardware and tip-over, with critical, major and minor classes.
Container loading checklist
Container loading checklist for India: documents, empty-container checks, carton count, stacking, moisture control, seal and photo record, step by step.
Dimensional inspection and sampling for castings, forgings and machined parts
Dimensional inspection of castings, forgings and machined parts in India: attribute and variables sampling, gauges, calibration, CMM reports, what to specify.
During-production inspection: when to book each inspection
When to book an initial production check, DUPRO and pre-shipment inspection: trigger points, timing by product and lead time, and India's festivals and monsoon.
Export inspection in India: EIC certification, DGFT PSIC and a buyer's pre-shipment inspection
Is pre-shipment inspection mandatory in India? EIC export certification under the 1963 Act, DGFT PSIC for scrap imports, and a buyer's voluntary PSI compared.
Factory audit checklist for Indian suppliers
Factory audit checklist for India: legal checks (GST, IEC), capacity, process, quality control, subcontracting, workforce and environment, and red flags.
Furniture packaging and drop testing: cartons, ISTA procedures and on-site checks
Furniture packaging and drop testing: what to specify for cartons and inner packing, which ISTA procedures fit furniture, and what an on-site drop test shows.
Furniture production lead times in India: stages, seasons and inspection dates
Furniture production lead times in India: sampling, timber drying, production, finishing and packing, monsoon and Diwali effects, and when to book inspections.
Global vs specialist inspection companies: which fits your order?
When a global inspection group is the right choice and when a country or product specialist is, for buyers sourcing from India. A decision guide, not a ranking.
Golden samples, approved samples and limit samples
Golden samples, limit samples and natural-variation ranges explained: how to approve, seal and store reference samples, and how inspectors use them in India.
How to inspect footwear before shipping
How to inspect footwear before shipping from India: sampling in pairs, pairing, size, sole bond, nails, labels and packing, with defect classes and a checklist.
How to inspect home textiles before shipping
How to inspect home textiles step by step: bed linen, towels, cushions, curtains, table linen and throws. Shade, size, GSM, seams, labels, packing and defects.
How to verify an Indian supplier: GSTIN, IEC, Udyam, MCA, bank and site checks
How to verify an Indian supplier: check the GSTIN, IEC, Udyam and MCA records on official portals, match bank and address details, then audit the factory.
How to write an inspection checklist from your specification
How to write an inspection checklist from your spec or tech pack: measurable check lines, a defect list with critical, major and minor classes, and a template.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to Australia
Australia checklist for furniture, décor and textiles from India: ABF import declaration, BICON biosecurity, toppling furniture labels, ACL, origin, ECTA.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to Canada
Canada checklist for furniture, décor and textiles from India: CBSA business number, CARM and security, CCPSA, textile and bilingual labels, ISPM 15.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to the EU
EU checklist for furniture, home décor and textiles from India: EORI, TARIC, GPSR responsible person, EUDR from 30 Dec 2026, REACH, labels, ISPM 15.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to the UAE and Saudi Arabia
UAE and Saudi Arabia checklist for furniture, décor and textiles from India: SABER certificates, MoIAT conformity (ECAS, EQM), Arabic labels, CEPA origin.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to the UK
UK checklist for furniture, home décor and textiles from India: EORI, commodity codes, UK–India CETA, GPSR, fire safety, UK Timber Regulations, labels.
Importing furniture and home goods from India to the USA
Checklist for importing furniture, home décor and textiles from India to the USA: CBP entry, ISF, duties, CPSC rules, Lacey Act, labels and documents.
India export clusters map: products and the towns that make them
India export clusters map: the towns that make furniture, handicrafts, rugs, textiles, leather, ceramics and engineering goods, with their export status.
India vs China: how quality control differs for buyers
India vs China quality control for importers: where each is strong, and how lead times, hand-made variation, clusters and inspections differ.
India vs Vietnam sourcing: what changes for quality control
India vs Vietnam sourcing for importers: furniture, garments, footwear and textiles compared on production model, lead times, variation and inspection.
Inspection prices in India compared: published man-day rates
Published inspection prices in India compared: man-day rates from five companies, what each includes, and how to find the cheapest total for your factory.
Lab testing for goods made in India
Lab testing for goods made in India: when to test, which tests each market needs, choosing an ISO/IEC 17025 lab, and why sealed samples matter.
Pre-shipment inspection checklist: what a PSI checks, step by step
A pre-shipment inspection checklist for goods made in India: readiness, documents, random sampling, on-site tests, defect classes and the verdict, step by step.
QIMA vs Bureau Veritas for inspection in India
QIMA vs Bureau Veritas (InSpec) for inspection in India: online booking, same-day reports, price, accreditation and Indian labs, on one published rubric.
QIMA vs HQTS for product inspection in India
QIMA vs HQTS for product inspection in India: offices, cities, booking, report speed, price and accreditation, scored on one published rubric.
QIMA vs Intertek for product inspection in India
QIMA vs Intertek for product inspection in India: booking, report time, price, accreditation, labs and hardlines coverage, on one published rubric.
QIMA vs SGS for product inspection in India
QIMA vs SGS for product inspection in India: booking, report speed, price, accreditation, labs and India presence, scored on one published rubric.
SGS vs Intertek vs Bureau Veritas for inspection in India
SGS, Intertek and Bureau Veritas compared for product inspection in India: booking, report time, price, accreditation and Indian labs, on one rubric.
SGS vs TÜV SÜD for product inspection in India
SGS vs TÜV SÜD for product inspection in India: offices, labs, booking, report speed, price and accreditation, scored on one published rubric.
SMETA, amfori BSCI and capability audits in India: which one you need
SMETA, amfori BSCI and SA8000 social audits versus a capability audit in India: what each checks, who may run it, how to book one, and which one you need.
Sourcing from India: a quality control guide for importers
Quality control when sourcing from India, end to end: supplier checks, specifications, approved samples, inspections, lab tests, loading and what to do after.
The best quality inspection companies in India
Eleven quality inspection companies in India scored on one published rubric, plus Indian and government inspection bodies checked on the NABCB register.
The four-point fabric inspection system, with a worked example
The four-point fabric inspection system explained: how ASTM D5430 points are given, the points per 100 square yards formula, and a worked example for two rolls.
V-Trust vs QIMA for inspection in India
V-Trust vs QIMA for inspection in India: all-inclusive man-day price, Indian cities covered, booking, report time, accreditation and labs, side by side.
What to do after a failed inspection
What to do after a failed inspection in India: read the findings, choose rework, sorting, replacement or a discount, then book a reinspection before you pay.
Wood moisture content for export furniture: targets, meters and cracks
Wood moisture content for export furniture: targets by destination climate, pin and pinless meters, taking readings, and why wet wood cracks after delivery.
Know before it ships
Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.