How to specify odour limits for imported goods
Specify odour at opening and after an agreed airing period, using defined packaging, room conditions and assessment steps. Record individual judgements against written acceptance descriptions, and hold disputed or concerning goods for investigation. Agree this protocol before production with Cambridge China Bridge.
Define what passes before ordering
Replace “no bad smell” with a written acceptance description for the intended use. Distinguish deliberately fragranced goods from unwanted odour. State whether acceptance applies at opening, after airing, or at both stages. Add this protocol to your product specification, rather than relying on a photograph or a supplier’s assurance.
Define descriptive categories such as absent, detectable but acceptable, and unacceptable. Explain what each means at the agreed assessment distance and stage. Record odour character separately from intensity. An approved reference can help, but record its storage and age: its smell may change.
Control unpacking and airing conditions
Assess production goods in the packaging customers will receive. Record batch identity, packing date, storage history and whether cartons or bags were previously opened. Specify the packaging layers removed, product position, assessment distance, room temperature, humidity and ventilation. Use a room without competing smells, and assess packaging separately to help locate the source.
Agree the airing duration in writing from trials with representative packed goods. Define when the clock starts, which wrapping stays on and how goods are exposed to air. Record opening and reassessment times. Avoid heat, washing, perfume or other treatment unless it is expressly part of the agreed method. Do not extend airing after a failure merely to obtain a pass.
Make the assessment reproducible
Write down how samples are selected across cartons and production lots, who assesses them and how disagreement is resolved. Use the same instructions in China and at receipt. Have assessors record their judgements independently before discussing them, with breaks between samples. Avoid placing faces inside bags or cartons; stop assessment if irritation or illness occurs.
Use a record sheet covering sample identity, conditions, opening and airing observations, odour character, category, assessor and decision. Include packaging photographs and deviations from the method. Agree which findings hold a batch and how any repeat assessment works. Keep affected goods separate while investigating; a favourable result from another carton should not erase a recorded failure.
Escalate a defined question to a laboratory
Seek laboratory advice where odour persists, assessments conflict, irritation occurs or a material change raises concerns. Ask whether the question needs sensory assessment, emissions testing or analysis of suspected substances. Describe materials, coatings, adhesives, packaging and intended use. Agree the method, conditioning, reporting units and acceptance criteria before sending samples; a general chemical screen may not explain the complaint.
Ask the laboratory how to seal, store and transport samples without changing the evidence. Preserve unopened production samples where safe and suitable, alongside affected goods and packaging. Use our laboratory sample chain of custody guide for traceability, and test report verification guide to check that results cover the actual materials and batch.
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Separate odour acceptance from safety clearance
Treat an odour pass as a quality result, not evidence of chemical safety. UK official guidance says products should only be sold once compliance with product safety regulations has been appropriately demonstrated. For substance restrictions and component declarations, use our UK REACH guide; do not replace those checks with smelling or airing.
Before production, agree what follows a failure: investigation, material or packaging correction, reassessment, or rejection. Ask for evidence of the cause and corrective action, then assess corrected production under the original protocol. Keep shipment on hold until the buyer has reviewed the odour result and any separate safety questions.
Frequently asked questions
How long should imported goods be aired before checking?
Agree a duration from trials with representative packed goods. Record the starting point, wrapping and ventilation. Check at opening too if customers will encounter the product immediately.
Can I specify no smell at all?
You can request it, but define the assessment conditions and what “absent” means. Confirm that representative production can meet it before ordering.
Does a product with no smell prove it is safe?
No. Odour acceptance does not establish chemical safety. Keep product safety evidence and relevant substance checks separate from the odour assessment.
What laboratory test should I request for a strong smell?
Describe the goods, packaging, materials and complaint first. Ask the laboratory to propose sensory, emissions or targeted substance testing, with an agreed method and acceptance criteria.