Hospitality, office and retail furniture — bespoke or catalogue — is a strong China sourcing category. Direct factory pricing plus our quality control lets you fit out a space for far less than buying through UK resellers.
Furniture is one of the categories where the UK reseller margin is hardest to justify once you have seen the factory price. A restaurant fit-out, an office refresh or a retail rollout involves enough units that the difference compounds quickly — and because much of the furniture sold in the UK is manufactured in Asia in the first place, going direct often means buying from the same production line without the layers in between.
Bespoke work is very much possible here, and it is where the category gets interesting. Chinese furniture factories will build to your drawings or from a reference piece, produce a sample for approval, and then run the batch. The two things that determine whether that goes well are how precisely the specification is written and whether anyone physically checks the sample before production. Both are our job, not yours.
What we source
Hospitality and restaurant furniture
Office furniture and seating
Retail shopfitting and displays
Bespoke joinery
Tables, counters and cabinetry
Outdoor furniture
What to consider
UK upholstery has fire-safety rules — we confirm the relevant requirements before ordering.
Furniture is bulky, so we plan freight (usually full or shared containers) to keep the landed price low.
Flat-pack and knock-down construction dramatically improves how much fits in a container, and is worth designing for where the piece allows it.
For bespoke work, an approved physical sample is the reference the whole batch is judged against — it is the single most valuable step in the process.
Cambridge China Bridge in brief
Buying from Chinese factories since 2021 (the company was incorporated in September 2022), for our own businesses and for clients on the same terms.
Our own staff are based in China, at two bases: the Pearl River Delta (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan) and the Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu). They visit factories themselves.
Quotes to suit how you buy: one delivered price, or an itemised quote with the factory cost, freight, duty and our service fee shown separately. Open-book detail is available on request.
Audits and inspections are usually included in the quote for an order placed with us; complex checks that need a third party are charged extra, agreed first.
Orders run from a first trial to scheduled full containers; the factory’s own minimum is stated in the quote.
In one project, a UK EV charging operator cut unit cost by 70% and scaled 3× faster. In another, a multi-site Cambridge café chain saved 50% on packaging.
A UK company in Cambridge and London: Cambridge China Bridge is the trading name of Piggy Pineapple Ltd, company number 14385590.
Send 1–3 products you buy now and what you pay. We compare the same specification, quantity, inspection and delivery scope to establish a cost benchmark.
A reference call with a past client can be arranged, with that client’s agreement.
Common questions
Can you handle bespoke furniture?
Yes. We work from your drawings or a reference, produce a sample for approval, and manage production and shipping to your door.
Does the volume of furniture make freight uneconomic?
It is the main cost variable, which is why we plan it from the start rather than at the end. A container filled efficiently, and flat-pack construction where the design permits, is usually what decides whether the numbers work.
What about fire-safety regulations on upholstered items?
UK requirements for upholstery are specific and we confirm them before ordering, as part of the specification. This is not something to resolve after goods have shipped.
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Sourcing wooden doors and wood flooring from ChinaEngineered wood flooring and most wooden doors pay 0% UK duty from China, windows 2%. Timber due diligence, construction standards and moisture to check.
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Understanding your landed priceLanded price is the cost of one sellable unit in your warehouse: goods, freight, duty, clearance, delivery and tooling, divided by the units you can sell.
Sourcing furniture handles and hinges from ChinaA UK cabinet buyer's checklist for handles, soft-close hinges and drawer slides: fixing geometry, load trials, finish samples and replacement compatibility.
Outdoor furniture from China by the containerBuying outdoor furniture from China for your own market: frame and coating, cushions, knock-down packing, mixed-factory containers and a quote to your port.
Tell us the product, quantity and destination. Our own staff in China verify factories, follow production and inspect before shipment. We reply the same working day to confirm receipt and arrange next steps.
