| HS chapters | 61 and 62 (garments), 52, 54, 55 and 60 (fabrics) |
|---|---|
| Decree 43 | Yes — most garments and many fabrics |
| Usual shipping | Sea, LCL or FCL; air for samples and urgent re-orders |
| Known sourcing hubs | Guangzhou, Humen (Dongguan), Keqiao (Shaoxing) for fabrics, Zhili (Huzhou) for children’s wear |
Check Decree 43 before anything else
Garments (chapters 61 and 62, with listed exceptions), many woven and knitted fabrics, and home textiles in chapter 63 can only be released if they come from a factory or brand owner registered with GOEIC. Ask the supplier for its registration before paying a deposit, and confirm it covers the exact factory.
Read more: Decree 43: registering foreign factories with GOEIC before you importHS code finder
Find the right type of supplier
Wholesale markets suit small mixed orders but are mostly traders; factories suit your own designs and larger quantities. For Decree 43 products, the goods must come from the registered factory or brand owner — a market trader is usually not enough.
Read more: How to verify a Chinese supplierThe Canton Fair: a practical guide for Egyptian importers
Specify what you are buying
- Fabric composition and weight (GSM), and colour fastness
- A size chart in centimetres, matched to the Egyptian market
- Sewing, trims, and labels (including fibre content and origin)
- Colours and quantities per size and colour
- An approved sample for every style
Check quality before shipment
Check sizes against the chart, stitching, colour shade between batches, and packing before the balance is paid. Shade and size problems are the most common complaints, and they are far easier to fix at the factory.
Packing and shipping
Garments are light and bulky, so cost is driven by volume. Ask for compact folding and strong export cartons, and mark the outer cartons with the product, quantity, origin, and weights. Small first orders usually go LCL.
Read more: CBM & container calculatorFCL vs LCL: choosing the right container shipping
Costs to plan for
- Samples and sample shipping
- Freight by volume, and insurance
- Customs duty by HS code, and VAT
- Clearance, port, and inland transport
- Inspection
Read more: Landed cost calculator (EGP)
Common mistakes
- Buying from an unregistered factory or trader for Decree 43 products
- Approving a sample, then not checking bulk production
- Size charts copied from another market
- Vague descriptions such as “clothes” on the invoice instead of the exact items
Questions about this product
Do clothes from China need factory registration?
Most do. Garments and many fabrics are on the Decree 43 list, so they are released only if the factory or brand owner is registered with GOEIC.
Can I buy clothes from a wholesale market in Guangzhou?
You can buy there, but for Decree 43 products the goods must come from a registered factory or brand owner, which a market trader usually is not. Check before paying.
Is it better to import fabric or ready-made garments?
It depends on your business: fabric suits local manufacturers and tailoring; ready-made garments suit retail. Both are largely covered by Decree 43, so the supplier check applies either way.
How do I keep shipping costs down for clothing?
Because cost follows volume, compact folding, efficient cartons, and consolidating orders into fewer, larger shipments make the biggest difference.
General guidance. Requirements vary by product, specification, and date, so they are confirmed for each request.