For a B2B importer, your "Candle Supply Chain" only enters its highest-risk phase after the products leave the factory.
A "Prototype 1" (low-price) factory's responsibility ends the moment the truck is loaded. A "Prototype 3" (High-Capability Partner) factory's responsibility ends when the cargo arrives safe and intact at your warehouse.
This guide will detail the professional candle logistics SOP and how we solve the two most critical risks: "breakage" and "melting."
Your choice of Incoterms directly dictates the division of cost, risk, and control.
EXW (Ex Works): This is the favorite term of "Prototype 1" factories. It dumps all risk (including inland transport from the factory to the port, and export customs) onto the buyer. For a foreign buyer unfamiliar with Chinese domestic logistics, this is a trap. We do not recommend it.
FOB (Free On Board): This is the most common and balanced term (e.g., FOB Tianjin/Qingdao). We are responsible for all local charges, including export customs, until the goods are on the vessel. You (the buyer) control the ocean freight booking and cost, ensuring high transparency.
CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): We also offer CIF service, where we arrange the sea freight and insurance to your designated destination port.
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): This is the highest level of "value-added" service. We have the capability to manage the entire "door-to-door" process: from our factory, to ocean freight, to import customs clearance and duty payment (as analyzed in our [Anti-Dumping Duty Guide]), all the way to your warehouse.
As a "High-Capability Partner," we flexibly support all these modes and will recommend the most suitable option based on your experience, order volume, and risk tolerance.
Importing candles involves two major physical risks: breakage (fragile) and melting (heat-sensitive). We have perfected our SOPs based on extensive shipping experience.
A. Preventing Melting: The Risk: In summer, when a container crosses the equator or sits in port (like Los Angeles or Dallas), the internal temperature can easily exceed 60°C (140°F), enough to melt soy wax and many paraffins. Our Solution (Data-Driven):
Source Control: Our candles have a strictly controlled melt point from the raw material stage.
Empirical SOP: We have a database of "heat-safe loading quantities" and "material requirements" for all common styles, ensuring stability on normal shipping routes.
Proactive Intervention (The "Prototype 3" Value): For routes to high-heat areas (like the Middle East) or during hot seasons (July-Sept), we will proactively advise you to adjust the wax's melt point during production, fundamentally preventing the melting risk.
B. Preventing Breakage: Our "1-Meter Drop Test" Standard The Risk: Private label candles often use fragile glass or ceramic vessels. Rough handling and sea turbulence can easily lead to breakage. Our Solution (Multi-Layer Protection SOP):
Inner Packaging: We use Grid Dividers at the innermost layer to protect individual units.
Internal Box: We use custom cartons or foam to densely pack the individual units, ensuring "no gaps" to prevent shifting.
Outer Packaging: We use high-strength (e.g., 5-ply AB-flute) cartons, add a moisture-proof plastic film, and finally pack into the Master Carton.
Container Loading: Master cartons are also densely packed, with safety materials filling any gaps. This multi-layer protection ensures safe arrival.
Quantifiable Confidence (The "Drop Test"): Our company conducts an annual "1-Meter Full-Carton Drop Test" for all product lines to ensure our packaging SOP can withstand the worst logistics conditions, guaranteeing product safety.
C. Risk Management (Our "Rapid Response" Mechanism): Even if there is 1% damage, we have a 100% plan.
Fast Replacements: We have a clear "coordination mechanism." If damage is confirmed to be from transit, we will send replacements at the fastest speed.
Proactive Overage: This is our unique service for common styles. We ship a small overage (e.g., 1%) specifically to replace the few candles in corner positions that are most vulnerable. This means if you find minimal damage upon opening, you can immediately use the overage stock without waiting 60 days for a replacement.