Trade fairs & buying trips
China Furniture Fairs: Dates & Buying Plans
Which China furniture fair is worth your trip? Start with the products you need, then check the dates, venue and exhibitors. A busy few days should leave you knowing which suppliers to speak to next.
Which furniture fair should you visit?
For Guangzhou, check which CIFF phase covers your products: home furniture and office/commercial furniture have different dates. For Shanghai, do not confuse CIFF Shanghai with Furniture China; they are separate events at different venues. Choose the programme that fits your buying list, then arrange the meetings that matter.
The dates to check before booking
Checked on 19 September 2026. The table separates upcoming shows from the completed CIFF Shanghai edition. Confirm dates, entry requirements and hall plans with the organiser before booking.
| Event | Date and status | Venue and planning note |
|---|---|---|
| CIFF Guangzhou — home phase | 18–21 March 2027 Upcoming, organiser announced | Pazhou, Guangzhou: China Import and Export Fair Complex and PWTC Expo. Home furniture, décor/textiles and outdoor categories. |
| CIFF Guangzhou — office/commercial phase | 28–31 March 2027 Upcoming, organiser announced | China Import and Export Fair Complex, Pazhou. Office/commercial categories and CIFM/interzum guangzhou. |
| Furniture China | 8–11 September 2027 Upcoming, organiser announced | Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), Pudong. Registration portal lists the next edition. |
| CIFF Shanghai | 5–8 September 2026 Completed edition | National Exhibition and Convention Center, Hongqiao, Shanghai. No 2027 dates are asserted in this guide. |
Check the original announcements at the CIFF Guangzhou organiser, Furniture China registration portal, and CIFF Shanghai's 2026 announcement. Announced dates do not always mean registration is open. Furniture China's portal says preregistration is scheduled to reopen in early March 2027.
Photos on this page show supplier meetings and inspections, not exhibition venues or Ratahome attendance at these fairs.
Decide what you need to find
Suppose you are choosing dining chairs for a restaurant. A useful aim might be to compare a few suitable models and find suppliers willing to quote the same quantities and materials. “See as much furniture as possible” will not help you make that decision.
Look through the exhibitor directory before travelling. Contact the suppliers that seem relevant and explain what you want to buy. Ask whether the items you need will be on display; a company may bring only part of its range.
If your list spans several rooms or product types, split the visit by category. Give yourself time to compare the important pieces rather than rushing between every hall. Check whether a programme is for finished furniture or for machinery and production materials—they serve different buying needs.
The contract furniture guide helps you prepare for a business project. For guestrooms and public areas, use the hotel buying guide to decide what to ask exhibitors.
Come home with a shortlist you can use
A few notes taken during the visit make it much easier to compare suppliers afterwards.
Take a shopping list
Know which products you want to compare and which questions you need suppliers to answer.
Check where to go
Confirm the dates, venue, product halls and entry arrangements. Book supplier meetings where useful.
Match photos to names
With permission, photograph the product and its reference. Add the seller’s contact details and anything you still need to ask.
Follow up on the same list
Send suppliers the same requirements, compare their replies and check who is worth asking for a sample.
Keep in mindKeep a separate folder for inspiration. Your buying shortlist needs a product reference, a contact and a clear next question.
An evergreen planning sequence, not a travel timetable. Exhibition participation is not a factory audit or product-compliance guarantee.
Check the venue as carefully as the date
“Shanghai furniture fair” is not a precise destination. CIFF Shanghai uses the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hongqiao. Furniture China uses SNIEC in Pudong. Save the full venue name and entrance instructions with each appointment, and allow for the journey between meetings.
Furniture China's organiser also lists Maison Shanghai for 7–10 September 2027 at SWEECC. That is another venue with its own schedule. Check the entry rules rather than assuming one badge covers all the shows.
In Guangzhou, the two CIFF phases are a week apart in 2027. If you are considering both, check that each has enough relevant exhibitors to justify the longer stay. You may get more from a focused visit than from staying for every show day.
Take notes you can still use when you get home
A photo of a chair is less useful if you cannot remember who sells it or which fabric was quoted. Ask permission before taking photographs, then save the model number and supplier contact beside each one.
| Remember | Write down |
|---|---|
| Who you met | Company name, contact, booth and whether they make the furniture or sell another maker's products. |
| Which item you liked | Model number, permitted photo, size and materials. |
| Whether you can order it | Your quantity and colours, possible changes, sample arrangements and destination. |
| What you still need to know | For example, the frame material, a test report or the packing method. |
| What happens next | Who will send the quote, drawing or sample information, and when. |
Keep ideas you simply like in a separate folder. They may be useful later, but they should not get mixed into the list of products that fit this order.
A good display is a reason to ask more questions
You can judge how a display piece looks and feels. You cannot tell from the stand alone whether the company owns a factory, can repeat that quality in a batch, or has permission to sell a particular design.
Ask where your chosen item will be made and which work is sent to other companies. If the seller shows a test report, check that it covers the model and materials you want, as well as the requirements of your destination.
The factory verification guide explains what to check next. Buying through a trader is not automatically a problem; being unsure who makes, sells and takes responsibility for the goods is.
Should you add a Foshan visit to the trip?
It can make sense if there are suppliers or samples you need to see. First decide what the extra visit should answer. Is it a comparison of showroom pieces, a material discussion or a look at production?
Confirm the address, the person meeting you and what will be available to see. If you want to watch a particular production process, ask whether it will be running that day. “The factory is nearby” is not enough to plan around.
Leave some time between appointments to review drawings and quotes. The Foshan guide explains the difference between Lecong showroom visits and Longjiang manufacturing appointments. The China furniture overview can help if another region is a better fit for the products you need.
What to do with the quotes after the fair
Send your chosen suppliers the same product list and latest drawings. Ask for quantities, materials, packing, sample arrangements and delivery assumptions in writing. A quick price discussed at a busy stand may not include everything you later decided to order.
Sort the replies into three simple groups: worth ordering a sample, still missing answers, or not right for this order. Note the reason. You do not need an elaborate score to see that a supplier still has not answered your question about the frame.
When you are ready to go ahead, use the full buying guide to agree the samples, payment stages, inspection and delivery. Keep the original fair conversation as a reference, not as the only record of what you bought.
Buyer questions
Practical questions, answered
When is the next CIFF Guangzhou?
The announced dates are 18–21 March 2027 for home furniture and 28–31 March 2027 for office/commercial furniture and manufacturing inputs. These were checked on 19 September 2026. Confirm the programme and registration with the organiser before booking.
Are CIFF Shanghai and Furniture China the same exhibition?
No. They are different events. CIFF Shanghai uses the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hongqiao; Furniture China uses Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Pudong. Check separate dates, registration and travel arrangements.
When is Furniture China 2027?
The official registration portal lists 8–11 September 2027 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. It states that visitor preregistration is scheduled to reopen in early March 2027. Check the organiser for subsequent changes.
Does meeting a supplier at a fair verify its factory?
No. A stand gives you a place to meet and see samples. You still need to check the company, who makes the goods, the agreed product details and any required reports before ordering.
Can I source furniture without waiting for a trade fair?
Yes. You can arrange supplier meetings, showroom visits and remote sample reviews at other times. Tell the supplier what you need to see, and confirm the appointment before travelling.
Want to check the details?
Official sources and notes
The examples are for planning, not quotations or past client projects. Photos illustrate the subject; they do not prove factory ownership or product certification. Check current requirements and dates with the relevant authority or organiser.
- CIFF Guangzhou — official fair information — 2027 phase dates, category split and venues; checked 19 September 2026.
- Furniture China — official visitor portal — 2027 Furniture China and Maison Shanghai dates, venues and scheduled registration reopening.
- CIFF Shanghai — 2026 edition announcement — 5–8 September 2026 and Hongqiao venue; this edition is now in the past.
Have a project in mind?
Tell us what you need, where it will be delivered and when you need it. A furniture list or a few reference photos is a useful place to start.
Ratahome helps coordinate suppliers, samples and delivery in Foshan. We work with manufacturers; we do not manufacture the furniture ourselves.
Talk about your project