Every city in China specialises in different products. Knowing where to source — and who to trust — is the difference between a great product and an expensive mistake.
Shenzhen dominates electronics. Guangzhou is the gateway to clothing and general merchandise. Dongguan supplies the world's furniture and footwear. Yiwu is the planet's largest small-goods market. Ningbo handles heavy industrial and port-ready exports. Sourcing from the wrong city means higher costs, longer lead times, and factories that aren't set up for your product. Our guides break down exactly what each city is best for — and how Epic Sourcing connects Kiwi businesses with the right factories in each one.
Each guide covers what the city makes, the sourcing challenges Kiwi importers face, and how we help you navigate it from NZ.
Gadgets · LED · PCBs · Tech Accessories
The world's electronics manufacturing capital. Shenzhen is where cutting-edge gadgets, LEDs, circuit boards, and consumer tech are made — but compliance, IP risk, and component substitution require expert management.
View Shenzhen Guide.svg){kind=icon}
Apparel · Electronics · Homewares · Trade Fairs
China's southern trade gateway and home of the Canton Fair. Guangzhou covers clothing, electronics, and general merchandise — with tens of thousands of suppliers to vet and navigate.
View Guangzhou GuideUpholstered Furniture · Leather Goods · Footwear
A network of specialised manufacturing towns producing upholstered furniture, leather goods, and footwear. MPI biosecurity requirements and district knowledge are essential for NZ importers.
View Dongguan GuideGiftware · Homewares · Accessories · Stationery
Home to the world's largest small-goods wholesale market with 75,000+ booths. Yiwu is ideal for giftware, accessories, and homewares — but navigating traders vs manufacturers requires Mandarin fluency and local knowledge.
View Yiwu GuideIndustrial Products · Plastics · Auto Parts · Bulk Goods
One of China's busiest ports and a centre for industrial manufacturing — plastics, machinery components, auto parts, and bulk commodities. The right choice for heavy or high-volume imports to NZ.
View Ningbo Guide
NZ-Owned Since 2019
We're based in New Zealand and built the business for NZ buyers. We understand MPI, NZ Customs, and the logistics of getting goods from China to Auckland.
Mandarin-Speaking Team
Our on-the-ground team negotiate in Mandarin, verify factory credentials in person, and communicate directly with manufacturers — no language barriers, no middlemen.
Flat Project Rate
We charge a flat project rate — not a commission on your order value. That means our incentive is always to find you the best factory at the best price, not the most expensive one.
We’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions to help you get the information you need.
Yes — significantly. Each city specialises in different product categories. Shenzhen for electronics, Guangzhou for clothing and general merchandise, Dongguan for furniture and leather, Yiwu for small goods and giftware, Ningbo for industrial and bulk products. Sourcing from the wrong city means working with factories that aren't set up for your product type, which leads to quality issues, higher costs, and longer lead times.
No. Epic Sourcing's team operates on the ground in China on your behalf. We visit factories, verify credentials, review samples, and manage quality control — so you don't need to travel. Most of our NZ clients have never visited China and still import successfully at scale.
We charge a flat project rate agreed upfront — not a percentage of your order value. This removes the conflict of interest common with commission-based agents who earn more when you spend more. Our fee covers factory identification, vetting, sampling, negotiation, quality control, and freight coordination.
Yes. We flag NZ import requirements — including MPI biosecurity declarations, product labelling, and HS code classification — at the sourcing stage. We'd rather catch a compliance issue before goods ship than after they arrive at the border.
It depends on your product category. Use the city guides above to understand each hub's speciality, or book a free discovery call and we'll recommend the right sourcing location for your specific product based on our experience and factory network.
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Send your questions to our friendly team.
We're here to make sourcing simple – and a whole lot less stressful.
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