China produces 70% of the world’s toys. Every year, many toy businesses import from Chinese toy manufacturers to sell in their local markets and make a profit. However, many newcomers to the industry often have questions about importing toys from China. Here are the top 7 questions they’re curious about.
- What are the toy safety compliance and certificates?
- How to minimize the risk of toy infringement?
- How to control the toy quality in China?
- How much import duty on toys from China?
- How to ship toys from China?
- Alibaba vs JingSourcing, which is better for importing toys from China?
- Three more questions that are highly concerning to our clients.
What are the toy safety compliance and certificates?
Toy product certification and compliance can differ from one country to another.
In the US
For toys intended for children under 12 years old, it is mandatory to have a CPC (Children’s Product Certification). This certificate must be issued by third-party labs authorized by the CPSC (US Consumer Product Safety Commission) to verify that your toy products have passed CPSIA and ASTM F963 testing.
CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) sets safety, product labeling, and testing requirements for toys imported into the US.
ASTM F963 is the US standard law for toy safety, applicable to toys used by children under 14 years old.
In the Europe
Toys exported to Europe must comply with the Toy Safety Directive — EN 71 and bear a CE mark. If toys are exported to the UK, they require UKCA certification, in addition to compliance with the EN71 standard.
How to minimize the risk of toy infringement?
The toy category is prone to various infringement issues. Here are 4 common situations and tips on how to avoid them:
1. Toys with very popular IP (e.g. Barbie, Superman, Minions).
If you want to import these licensed toys, ensure that you or your supplier has obtained the toy brand‘s authorization. Without this authorization, toys found during Chinese or foreign customs inspections will be destroyed.
2. Trending toys
Every year, some toys become very popular, such as last summer’s hit, the 3D Gravity Carrot Knife. While some people quickly resell these items for quick money, be prepared for potential infringement risks later, because someone is bound to register a patent.
My advice is to keep an eye on designs, patterns, and icons on the toys, as lots of them have copyrights. Before selling, perform basic intellectual property checks:
Search product keywords & descriptions on Google to find patent or trademark numbers.
Check the official website of your country. Click U.S. Patent Search, and EU Patent Search for direct search if you’re in the 2 regions.
Note that patents still under review won’t appear in searches. For more specific details, consult a professional intellectual property lawyer.
3. Simple customizing in-stock toys
If you are simply adding your logo, custom packaging, or changing the color of a supplier’s in-stock toys, make sure to confirm whether these toys are originally designed by your supplier or are imitations/improvements of existing products. Supplier-developed products usually avoid infringement issues.
If the toys are imitated or improved versions, conduct a patent search to ensure they avoid the original design. For example, the Bubble Toy Bow, as shown below, has a patented unique structure resembling a bow and arrow. Only by modifying the product’s structure can you avoid infringement risks.
4. Designing your own unique toys
If you design toys with unique appearances or functions, sign an NNN agreement with Chinese factories to prevent them from disclosing or using your information.
While your toy design is not yet hot-selling, don’t worry about the factories copying it, as they specialize in product manufacturing, not marketing and sales. For factories, direct copy entails high costs and risks. Once your designed toys start selling well, be sure to apply for a patent, copyright, or trademark to protect your IP rights in the long run.
How to control the toy quality in China?
Before your toy products are shipped from China, you must hire 3rd-party inspection or sourcing companies to conduct product quality inspection. While 3rd-party inspections sound professional, their performance often leaves much to be desired because:
They don’t know the product and might not even know how to use it. So, they can only follow the checklist you provide, mechanically checking for common and obvious defects. They neither care about nor detect other product issues. The entire inspecting process is very rigid.
They don’t communicate with you in real time and only provide a final inspection report. If there are quality issues, you have to negotiate with your supplier for a solution. If you need another inspection, you have to pay again. This process is inefficient and costly.
I suggest using JingSourcing for your QC. JingSourcing has 10 years of experience in sourcing and custom manufacturing various types of toys, mainly for EU and US clients. They know the products well and conduct strict QC. Here take plush toys for example. They conduct a three-time inspection:
- Check raw materials like plush and PP cotton (toy stuffing) to ensure all meet requirements and safety standards.
- Follow up the production and check semi-products after cutting fabrics and sewing some parts of plush toys.
- Inspect finished toys and packaging to control the quality.
All these steps involve real-time communication with you, such as sending pictures/videos and making phone calls for confirmation. Any issues can be resolved promptly.
How much import duty on toys from China?
Import duties on toys from China can vary depending on the toy category and the tax policy of the importing country. The first step is to check the toy product HS code with your supplier or search on your country’s Customs official website. Then, you can figure out the right duty rate.
For instance, if you want to calculate the toy duty rate when importing from China to the US, you can search the HS code on hts.usitc.gov. The HS code for toys is 9503.00.00, and the current US duty for toys, in general, is free.
Click to enlarge
However, other import taxes may apply:
MPF (Merchandise processing fee) if your toy shipments are delivered by air or sea.
Calculation: the value of goods * 0.3464% (minimum $27.2 and maximum $538.40).
HMF (Harbor maintenance fee) if your toys are shipped by sea.
Calculation: the value of goods * 0.125% (no minimum or maximum value limit).
How to ship toys from China?
If your toy shipment is small, consider express couriers (e.g. UPS) and air shipping. Both have a similar shipping time, about 7-10 days from China to major countries in Europe & Americas.
These two shipping methods are expensive. Generally, if your toy shipment exceeds 500kg, air freight is cost-effective. If your cargo is below 300kg, express shipping is a better choice. For cargo between 300-500kg, consult your freight forwarder for real-time prices & make a choice.
When your toy shipment is more than 2 CBM, and you’re not in a rush, go for sea freight—it’s the cheapest. The shipping time is 25-40 days.
Read More: Check JingSourcing’s shipping solution services. Based on your cargo conditions and budget, they will recommend flexible options and offer the most competitive shipping rates through their long-term partner freight forwarders, who can get agent prices from shipping companies/airlines. Their freight forwarders are experienced in shipping toys from China to worldwide destinations, especially the US and EU.
If your toys contain batteries, they have professional DG (Dangerous Goods) freight forwarders to prepare all necessary declaration documents like MSDS and ensure product labels and packaging meet requirements, smoothing customs clearance in China & destination country.
Alibaba vs JingSourcing, which is better for importing toys from China?
Most importers browse Alibaba when buying any category of products. I don’t deny that Alibaba is a platform with comprehensive product types and numerous suppliers.
In case you have a dedicated procurement team to handle the entire sourcing process from supplier selection and collaboration to QC and logistics, you can use Alibaba. Cross-border sourcing requires a significant investment of time and energy, as well as enough experience and capability to deal with Chinese suppliers for stable supply and quality.
However, if you don’t have a procurement team, I recommend choosing JingSourcing. Especially when you are involved in toy private labeling/new product development projects or need to deal with multiple suppliers, choosing JingSourcing is a wise decision.
Because toy customization cycles can be long, you need a reliable, experienced professional supplier who can efficiently collaborate with you to realize custom effects in the first or second toy prototyping process, ensuring your toys are ready for sale as scheduled.
Dealing with dozens of suppliers and handling QC is really exhausting, and in the process, you are likely to encounter varied issues. JingSourcing is confident they can handle these tasks well because:
They have stable cooperative factories specializing in toy production with excellent workmanship and have developed good relationships. So, they can help you find suitable toy factories and negotiate favorable prices, whether you purchase hundreds of different toy types in large quantities or customize toys with complex functions.
They follow up on sampling, mass production, inspection, and shipping, handling all the details and issues that you might overlook. If there are quality problems, you just find them for solutions.
Three more questions that are highly concerning to our clients.
What toys are manufactured in China?
China manufactures a vast array of toys, including plush toys like stuffed animals, wooden toys, dolls, remote-controlled cars and trucks, building blocks, educational toys, outdoor play equipment, high-tech electronic toys, action figures, and more. Any toy you can think of can be made in China.
Can I import licensed toys from China?
Yes, you can import licensed toys from China, as long as you or your supplier has obtained permission/authorization from the toy brand. Ensure that you follow all legal and regulatory requirements for importing branded toy products into your country.
Can you trust toys made in China?
Yes, toys made in China are trustworthy. For example, the famous toy brand LEGO has an OEM factory in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province.
The key is to work with professional and reliable toy manufacturers and conduct product quality inspections in China.
Thanks for sharing such a great blog.
I want to import toys and leather bag making tools, leather bag acrylic templates. Kindly provide me proper way of import to India.
hi.can you show how to start?
I want to start toy business and I have some product plan.
Hallo, i want the spare parts of toys from China.. i will do assembly at our end..
Can we get any information how to get toy spare parts
Hey Rupesh
Tell us what toys you want to source, and our email is [email protected], our toy sourcing specialists will help you.
Hi, thank you for sharing this information. I was wondering about starting RC Toys business and for that I must need to import from china. So, once again thanks for this nice and informative article.
Thanks for your comment, our customer service will reply to you soon.
hey, thank you for sharing this information related to factories in china of toys and once again thanks for the complete guideline for doing business of toys from china.
You are welcome, it’s our pleasure to share the information and our experience
We want to import toys from china but Our government says that toys should pass the NABL test when the shipment arrives in india…..but things are not clear yet ……so can you please guide us in a right way about importing and this testing process ?
Hi Bharat, for products, both ASTM F963(USA) and EN71(EU) are enough for toys imported from China to India. Besides, the tested lab in china should be registered with NABL India.
Dear i want to import toys in pakistan from China please help me regarding this procedure
We are very glad to help you, could you please submit a ticket to provide more information so that I can assign an agent to help you.
how do we import soft toys from china and what kind of test certificate an importer supposed to submit to customs during customs clearance? as I know the ILAC certificate has been replaced with IS9873. how does a manufacturer do a test according to Indian standards? do anyone imported any soft toys recently?
Hi Sajan, there are two kinds of certificates, one for the factory, another for products. And most of the certificates are for products, both ASTM F963(USA) and EN71(EU) are enough for toys imported from China to India.
ASTMF963 we had It during importation, but the Indian customs law policy says, the tested lab in china should registered with NABL India and all test should do as per the policy , ie IS9873 ( notification: PN 26). In this case how are the other importers of India managing their purchases from china??? I am wondering, because my consignment is still stuck at Customs.
did your consignment solved
Hi Mr.Sajan, i have the same issue, hope u cleared the same. How can i reach you?
Hi Sajan, I am looking for someone who can make NABL. Please wait.
The China Custom Import Data is a direct passport of entering China trading business. Yes, it is true! The main purpose to build the data is that it helps to explore the overall China market and its recent trends. Plus, what kinds of products are mostly imported there, at what cost, from which port and more. Today, a lot of online websites are offering data solutions according to your business requirements
my mail address is [email protected]
Hello Me too want to start a Toys business in India The Article you provided is wonderful for the biggners.
Hello, we are glad to help you. Please submit a ticket at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ to offer more information.
Hi Admin, Excellent article. I also want to start toys selling business in India. Pls help me to source the sourcing agent. It’s really helpful for beginners like me. My mail I’d. [email protected]
Hi Parthiban, you can fill in the information about toys at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ so that I can assign an agent for you.
Wow this was so helpful I really want to up my small eBay toy store and I feel the key is sourcing direct! Any help I can get to source directly or the right sourcing agent? Looking to Alibaba now :)
Hello Alexander, you can fill in the information about products at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ so that we could help you.
I want start toys business in India pls suggest me
Hi Srinivas, we are happy to help you. Could you please tell me more information by submitting a sourcing request at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ to let us know what kind of toys you’d like to sell. Information like quantity, price or website links are needed.
I like that you mentioned that China Toys Suppliers have a lot of toys in different categories and if you can find potential in other toys before your competitors you can make a lot of money before others catch on. I’ve been wanting to open a business and sell toys and other electronics. Maybe I should get in touch with someone with import connections.
Hi Thomas, we are glad to receive your sincere comments and we are ready to help you with import. You can submit a sourcing request at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ to let us know what kind of toys or electronics you’d like to sell. Information like quantity, price or website links are needed.
Hi I want to start my business in Pune India. Please let me know how i can import toys from China..
Hi Yogesh, we are glad to help you. Firstly please submit the ticket atttps://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/ to let me know how I can help you.
Hi, how can I get in touch with a sourcing agent. I would like to start a business selling toys?
Hi Snowy, we are the most popular sourcing agent in China, you can totally entrust your import business to us. Our support will contact you by email, and get you an agent according to your request.
i want to import (at india, maharashtra, aurangabad) electronics toys or electronics accessories from china
Hi, our support will contact you by email and get you a sourcing agent for you. And you can also check the guide for information about electronic products imports. 1.Wholesale Electronics from China 2.Guangzhou Electronics Markets Guide
I want to import toys from China. so please contact below
my contact info:
Jayesh Patel
XO International
Cell: +91 – 9825451451
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +91-9825451451
Thanks for your comment, our support will contact you by email and get you an agent, please check your email inbox.
hey, actually i want to start a business in toys in india so i want import toys from china.. so can u please tell me the best way to import?
Hi, there are three ways you can import from China, first, you can come to Chinese wholesale markets， and attend fairs in China. Secondly, you can import on China wholesale websites online；Besides，You can also send an inquiry for us, our sourcing agent will help with your importing business, and find the reliable suppliers for you.
Hi …I too am from India and would like to venture on a business with Chinese toys. Can you provide me with a sourcing agent. I am interested in all kinda toys like Guns, PUBg Toys, Electronic RC toys and all.
Hi Bhaskr, our job is to assign an agent to help you, so let us know more information so that We can help you. So could you please submit more information about toys at https://jingsourcing.com/submit-ticket/, information like price, quantity, website links would be appreciated.
I love your tip about assessing whether or not MOQ requirements are within your reach. That makes sense considering you don’t want to do business with someone that has a MOQ of 1000 pieces when you only need 100. I’ll have to consider your tips so that I can import wooden toys for my boys.
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hi, Thanks for the informative article – I am looking to import toys with button batteries — do these type of toys require any additional certification besides ASTM?
It’s really a cool and useful piece of info. I am
satisfied that you simply shared this useful information with us.
Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for
sharing.
Hi We want to Import Toys from China. Do you have ideas about requirement of BIS certificate to clear materials at Indian port. Can you suggest good companies in China who have BIS certificate.
Mukund Dhorajiya
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Hi im from the Philippines and wanted to sell wooden toys . Can you please give me a
List of those catering to LCL shipping door to door
Thanks for the details information. Do you have little more information how to source or secure trade assurance in general?
Same time term and condition applicable to import in the Middle East.
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Thanks for the info, great article!
I would like to produce a plush toy created by us.
Have you any advice on the companies to turn to?
Do you think you need to look for an experienced broker who follow the process?
Hi Luca, thanks for your comment. As you are looking for customized toy products supplier, you can search from alibaba.com for professional factories, and send them your design to let them give you the quotation. Hope can help you.
[…] you plan to make purchases of genuine Chinese toys, you will find plenty to fill the lover of shopping that sleeps in you. Although it is possible to […]
[…] example, if you want to import toys from China, then you can go to Chenghai, or search suppliers that are located in this town. Because Chinese […]
Hi
I am planning to open a high end toy store and a play arena for kids from age 3-16. I am looking to source hi tech toys like Segway, motorised cars and toys for different ages for the store and slides, virtual & 7D games/ wall climbing etc for the arena. Please let me know how can u help?
Rgds
Vijay
Hi Vijay, please send email with detailed information of the products that you need to [email protected], my sourcing colleague will reply you soon.
Comment…I have really enjoyed your article.Am Mulyungi,am a wooden toy designer from Nairobi,Kenya and am greatly interested to work for one of these Chineese toy factories.Are you in a position to connect me with one of these factories?Kindly email me.
Hi,
We are looking for importing toy components from China (like dc geared motors (used in RC cars), different kind of rubber wheels, batteries, chargers ). Which city in China has the sourcing for toy parts/components ? I am in china these day. Please let me know if you can arrange visits/meetings with few suppliers in next 3-5 days.
Thanks,
Vinay
Chenghai City in Guangdong Province is your best choice, you can go to this city for selecting samples, just like what we write in the article.
Dear sir
very good information to know the business
Thanking you
I wish to Order a Container of “Chinese Toys” What are the basic requirements including what is the average budget of a minimal container to be imported from china… My basic interest is more in importing soft toys and regular small toys
Hi Girsh, thanks for your inquiry. As we are doing free sourcing service, it will be better to provide more information about the product you need, like photos, price range,and quantity, that will make our sourcing job more efficiently. Product link on Alibaba or Amazon will be great too. I cannot give you the cost when I even not know the specific products that you need. We also cannot help you if you only give us the item names.
How can i place an order… can you send me the details. THANK YOU
Nice article. hi, do you know where to buy printed school bags with characters (ex: minions) such as the picture above in wholesale? is it guangzhou or shenzhen or yiwu? thanks a lot
Hi Kevin, for this products, you source from Yiwu or Guangzhou are both OK. These two cities both have many suppliers.
We are a manufacturer of RC drones, UAV, helicopter, racing cars and boats with years’ experience.
If you are interested in importing some rc toys from China, pls feel free to contact me. And I can also
give suggestions.
my contact info:
Cell: +0086 135 8036 9656
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +86 135 8036 9656
Skype: Kelly_leidea
WeChat: 135 8036 9656
website:www.le-idea.cn
Waoo…..thats massive information…….like others….im tryng to venture into toy business……i will for sure consider your help soon
Hi Joe, thanks for linking our article. I hope that we can help you in the future, if you need any help, please send email to [email protected]