Journal · importing furniture from italy
importing furniture from italy without surprises at the port
A sofa from Cabiate crosses an ocean and a customs line before it reaches your terrace. This story lists the paperwork, the fees and the people involved when you import Meroni & Colzani furniture into the United States.
Meroni & Colzani journal, 3 minute read
Importing furniture from Italy starts well before a container leaves port. Order a Meroni & Colzani sofa or table from Cabiate and the workshop builds it after the order, while we assemble the paperwork for the United States alongside it. Knowing the steps saves weeks and keeps the numbers on the quote honest.
the people in the chain
Four parties touch a shipment. The factory builds the piece and supplies the data: materials, wood species, the flammability label. A freight forwarder books the space on a ship or a plane. A customs broker files the entry with US Customs and Border Protection and pays the duty on the importer's behalf. The importer of record carries the legal responsibility for the entry. Our quote names each of them and covers the freight to your city.
Linosa makes a good example. The outdoor sofa comes in two elements, a seat and a seat with a backrest, and it takes armrests, bands and bands with an integrated stone or wooden top. Each of those parts can change the customs picture, because stone, wood and upholstery each raise their own questions. See the Linosa family.
codes and duty
Customs sorts furniture under chapter 94 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Seats and sofas fall under 9401. Tables and most other furniture fall under 9403. The code sets the duty rate, and the rate for goods from the European Union changes with trade agreements. We give you no percentage on this page for that reason: a number printed today can turn wrong by the time your sofa ships.
Two fees sit on top of the duty. The Merchandise Processing Fee applies to the value of the goods, and the Harbor Maintenance Fee applies to shipments by sea. Your broker lists both on the entry. The Bolgheri outdoor table, with a painted metal base and a stone top, goes in as a table under 9403. See the Bolgheri family.
wood, foam and labels
The Lacey Act asks the importer to declare the wood in each shipment. Form PPQ 505 lists the scientific name of each species and the country where someone harvested it, and the rule covers the wood inside panels and frames too. An outdoor piece with iroko legs needs this form, and so does an indoor cabinet with a walnut veneer.
Upholstered pieces sold in the US carry a TB 117-2013 label, the California flammability standard that the federal rules follow. The label states whether the maker added flame retardants. California's Proposition 65 asks for a warning when a listed chemical passes a set threshold, and many sellers apply it nationwide.
Composite wood inside a cabinet falls under TSCA Title VI. A third party certifies the panels, and the importer keeps the records in case the EPA asks. The CPSC can ask for a certificate that ties a product to a lab test.
the paperwork, in one table
price on request| Item | What it is | Who handles it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTS code | The customs class of the piece: 9401 for seats, 9403 for other furniture | Customs broker | Before shipping |
| Duty and fees | Duty on the value, plus a processing fee and a harbor fee by sea | Broker, paid by the importer | At entry |
| Lacey Act, PPQ 505 | Species and country of harvest for each wooden part | Importer, with the factory's data | Each shipment with wood |
| TB 117-2013 label | California flammability label on upholstered pieces | Factory, checked by the importer | Before sale |
| Prop 65 warning | Warning if a listed chemical passes the threshold | Seller | Before sale |
| Sales tax | Set by your state | Seller or buyer, by state | At invoice |
tax, freight and the last mile
Sales tax depends on your state, and each state sets its own rules for sellers based elsewhere. Freight from Italy runs by sea for most orders; air freight exists for urgent pieces and costs more. The last mile matters for a big sofa, so tell us about the stairs, the elevator and the door widths when you write.
getting a quote
Our quote lists the pieces, the covers and finishes, the lead time the workshop gives, the freight to your city, and the duty and fees as the broker estimates them on the day. Send the Meroni & Colzani pieces you have in mind and your city through the form below, and we reply with the full picture.
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Name the pieces from this story and the room or the terrace they go in.