Shipping and consolidation
Fabric is heavy and compresses well, which makes it one of the easier cargoes to ship — provided the packing and the documents are right. Most shipping surprises are paperwork, not weather.
We book, check and consolidate, and we tell you which charges sit on your side of the Incoterm before the container is on the water.
What is included
Mode selection
Courier for samples, air for urgent replenishment, LCL for 1–15 cbm, FCL for full containers. The choice is driven by weight, volume and date, not habit.
Consolidation across mills
Several mills, one container. We collect, check the marks and load together so you are not paying for three separate shipments.
Document check
Invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and the bill of lading, checked against the PO before the container leaves.
Packing review
Roll diameter, cores, poly, desiccant and container liner — the details that decide whether the fabric arrives dry and undamaged.
Charge transparency
We separate origin charges, freight and destination charges, so the landed cost is visible before you commit.
Booking lead times
Space is booked before the cargo is ready, not after. In the weeks before Chinese New Year and before peak retail deadlines, the difference between booking on time and booking late is measured in sailings, not days.
Insurance guidance
We tell you what the carrier liability actually covers, and when an all-risks policy is worth the premium. It is usually cheap relative to the goods, and always cheaper than a wet container.
How it works
- 01
Confirm the Incoterm
FOB, CIF or DDP, with the named port or place. The term decides who books what, and it goes in the PO.
- 02
Book the space
Three to seven days before the cargo is ready, depending on the route and the season.
- 03
Load and document
We check the marks and the documents against the packing list, photograph the loading, and send you the set.
- 04
Track and close
You get the tracking and the arrival documents, and we stay on it until the goods are released.
Timeline
| Stage | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Courier | 3–7 days | Samples and swatches |
| Air freight | 5–10 days | Urgent, 200–1,000 kg |
| LCL | 25–40 days | 1–15 cbm |
| FCL | 20–35 days | 15+ cbm |
What we need from you
- · Destination port or door, and the Incoterm you want
- · The ready date at the mill, not the order date
- · Packing preferences: rolls, pallets, desiccant
- · Any labelling or marking requirements from your customer
What we do not do
- · We do not quote a freight rate without a ready date and a volume.
- · We do not hide destination charges inside a CIF number.
- · We do not load cargo whose documents do not match the PO.
FAQ
How much fabric fits in a container?
A 20ft takes roughly 10–12 tonnes, depending on roll density. For fabric the limit is usually weight, not volume.
Who pays destination charges on LCL?
You do, unless the quote says otherwise. Always ask for a door-delivered number to compare.
Can you ship from a mill you did not source?
Yes, including consolidation with other suppliers.
What about insurance?
CIF usually includes minimum cover. If the cargo value matters, buy an all-risks policy — it is cheap relative to the goods.
How do I compare two freight quotes?
Compare door-to-door, not port-to-port. Ask each forwarder for origin charges, freight, destination charges and transit time separately.
What documents do I need for customs?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and a certificate of origin where a preference applies. The exact set depends on the destination; we confirm it before loading.