How do you import from China, step by step?
Importing from China to Poland is a seven-stage chain. It covers product and factory research, samples, negotiation, production with quality control, sea freight from Yantian to Gdańsk, customs clearance and door delivery. Under DDP we run the whole chain, while under FOB and CIF you take over part of it.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Research | Our team in China finds manufacturers and compares suppliers and prices. |
| 2. Samples | We order samples, which you inspect before the bulk order. |
| 3. Negotiation | We negotiate price and terms directly at the factory. |
| 4. Production | We supervise production and check quality before shipment. |
| 5. Sea freight | A full container or shared (LCL) cargo sails from Yantian to Gdańsk. |
| 6. Customs clearance | The MEYİS customs team inside our group files the declaration and calculates duty and VAT. |
| 7. Delivery | From the Gdańsk terminal to your address in Poland or the EU. |
If you only need research, samples and quality control in China, see Sourcing agent in China. The route, containers and sailing time are covered on Shipping from China to Poland.
What do you need before asking for a quote?
A product name, a rough quantity and the delivery address are enough to start. No specification is needed, though a photo or a link to a similar product shortens the research. We come back with a price and a date within one working day, and collect the remaining details only when you order.
- Product and quantity: a description, photo or link, and a rough number of units.
- Delivery term: FOB Yantian, CIF Gdańsk or DDP to your address.
- Company details: your NIP, the Polish tax number, for the invoice. Under FOB and CIF clearance is yours, so you need an EORI number.
- Private label: logo files and packaging artwork if the goods will carry your brand.
EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) is the EU number that identifies a business to customs authorities in the EU. Every business importing goods from outside the EU needs one (biznes.gov.pl). The MEYİS customs team handles EORI registration.
What does importing from China to Poland cost?
There is no single price list for importing from China: cost depends on the goods, the quantity and the route. The landed price has seven parts: factory price, freight, insurance, customs duty, import VAT, customs clearance and inland delivery. Only the duty and VAT rules are fixed, and we quote freight and handling for each shipment.
| Component | What it is |
|---|---|
| Factory price (EXW) | The price of the goods at the factory. EXW (Ex Works) means the seller makes the goods available to the buyer at an agreed place, not loaded and not cleared for export. |
| Freight | Haulage to Yantian and sea carriage to Gdańsk, as a full container or shared cargo. |
| Insurance | Cover for loss of or damage to the cargo in transit. |
| Customs duty | An import charge on the customs value, at the rate set for the goods' CN code. |
| Import VAT | Tax on the import, 23% as standard, charged on the customs value plus duty. |
| Customs clearance | Preparing and filing the customs declaration, including tariff classification. |
| Inland delivery | Transport from the Gdańsk terminal to your address. |
The EXW definition comes from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Incoterms 2020 EXW rule. Customs value is the transaction price plus transport and insurance up to the point where the goods enter the EU (Union Customs Code, Articles 70–71). Check the duty rate for a CN code in the EU TARIC database or the Polish ISZTAR tariff browser.
The import VAT base is the customs value plus the duty due (Polish VAT Act, ustawa o podatku od towarów i usług, Article 30b). Additional costs, such as transport to the first place of destination in Poland, are included too. The standard VAT rate is 23% (Polish VAT Act, Article 146ef).
Estimate your own goods with the China import duty calculator. A full worked example for a 40HQ container from Yantian is in Import from China to Poland: the full landed cost.
How long does delivery from the factory take?
The sailing from Yantian to Gdańsk typically takes 30–38 days, depending on the carrier, the service and the season. Production, haulage to the port, customs clearance and inland delivery come on top. Production time depends on the product and quantity, so we quote the full lead time per order, with the price.
Sailing is the only stage with a repeatable range. The vessel's route changes it: through the Suez Canal or around the Cape of Good Hope. The current situation is covered on Shipping from China to Poland.
FOB, CIF or DDP: which delivery term should you choose?
The Incoterms 2020 rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) set where costs and risk pass from seller to buyer. We offer three terms: FOB Yantian, CIF Gdańsk and DDP to your address. DDP is one price with duty paid, while FOB and CIF leave customs clearance and inland delivery to you.
| FOB Yantian | CIF Gdańsk | DDP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk passes to you | once loaded on board at Yantian | once loaded on board at Yantian | on delivery at your address |
| Freight and insurance | you | us | us |
| Clearance, duty and VAT | you | you | us |
| Inland delivery | you | you | us |
FOB (Free On Board) means the seller delivers by placing the goods on board the vessel at the port of shipment. CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) adds freight and insurance to the port of destination, but risk still passes on loading (ICC, FOB and CIF rules). DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means the goods are delivered cleared for import, ready for unloading at the agreed place (ICC, DDP rule).
On a first import, DDP takes customs clearance and transit risk off your hands. Details: DDP from China.
Can you manufacture under your own brand?
Yes: private label means production under your brand, with your logo and on your packaging. Logo, packaging and private label production are part of our sourcing line, together with samples and made-to-order production management. We run the same chain for our own brands, ZOI (matcha) and PataPura.
You see a sample before the bulk order. An example from the catalogue: the bamboo matcha whisk (chasen) is available as private label from 1,000 pieces. The rest of the range is in Matcha tools.
From sample to container: what is the minimum order?
There is no minimum: we import anything from a single sample to a full 40HQ container, which is a 40-foot high-cube box. Small orders and container imports run through the same chain. Part of the catalogue also ships from stock in Poland, for example the bamboo matcha whisk (chasen) from 25 pieces.
The whisk ships from Polish stock by courier (InPost, DPD or DHL).
Small parcels follow new customs rules from 2026. Since 1 July 2026, consignments worth up to EUR 150 are no longer exempt from customs duty (Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382). The transitional duty of EUR 3 per item applies only to distance sales to consumers: parcels sent by post or courier, including under IOSS, the Import One-Stop Shop. Business-to-business shipments pay the normal tariff duty.
Other small consignments pay the normal tariff rate. With small, frequent orders, check whether one larger delivery would cost less.
Who handles customs clearance?
Customs clearance is handled by the MEYİS customs team inside our group, not by an outside broker. The team runs EORI registration, customs declarations and tariff classification, transport licences and documentation, and import duty and VAT calculation. We quote the clearance cost and the expected timing for each delivery.
Global Trade Group is company 06 of 06 in the MEYİS group, which has 19 years in trade and supply. How clearance works, which documents you need and how to defer import VAT are covered on Customs clearance in Poland.
Legal status verified: September 2026.