Buying sanitary ware from another country is mostly an exercise in removing surprises. The product looked right in the photographs, the price worked, and then the container lands and something is off: the trap sits at the wrong distance, the white is a slightly different white from the last order, or a tenth of the cartons have a cracked piece inside.
None of that is bad luck. It is nearly always something that was never pinned down in writing before production started. Here is what experienced importers confirm before they place an order with any Indian supplier, including us.
Why India, and why Morbi
India is one of the largest ceramic producing countries in the world, and most of that output comes from a single cluster in Gujarat around the town of Morbi. Hundreds of factories sit within a few kilometres of each other, along with the clay processing, glaze, mould, packaging and transport businesses that feed them.
For a buyer that density is the real advantage. It keeps prices competitive, it means a mixed container can be put together without waiting on a dozen distant suppliers, and it puts the port at Mundra close enough for inland transport to stay sensible.
It also means quality varies enormously between factories in the same town. The cluster is a reason to buy from India, not a reason to trust any particular supplier.
1. Pin the specification down first
Before price, agree exactly what is being made. For closets and pans, that means:
- Trap type and rough-in: S-trap or P-trap, and the exact distance from the wall or floor centre. This is the single most common cause of goods that cannot be installed in the destination market.
- Flush volume: single or dual flush, and the litres per flush. Some markets regulate this.
- Seat cover: which seat fits which pan, whether it is included, and whether the hinges are plastic or metal.
For basins, confirm the tap hole arrangement (one hole, three holes or none), the overflow, and the overall dimensions with tolerance. Ceramic shrinks in the kiln, so a small variation is normal. What matters is that both sides agree in advance how much variation is acceptable, rather than arguing about it after the goods arrive.
Finally, fix the shade. "White" is not a specification. Ask for an approved sample and state that production must match it, because a repeat order in a visibly different white is very hard to sell alongside the first one.
2. Learn to read a sample
When samples arrive, spend an hour with them. Most quality problems are visible without any equipment:
- Run your hand over the glaze. It should feel like glass. Pinholes, specks under the surface and orange-peel texture all point to a rushed glazing or firing.
- Look for crazing — a fine web of hairline cracks in the glaze. It grows over time and ends in staining.
- Check that it sits flat. Put the piece on a level surface and try to rock it. Warping in the kiln shows up here, and a warped pan never seals properly to the floor.
- Tap the side gently. Well-fired vitreous china rings. A dull thud can mean a hairline crack.
- Inspect the unglazed underside. The body should be dense and even, not chalky and coarse.
Ask which body the factory is using. Vitreous china is dense and absorbs very little water, which is why it stays hygienic and resists staining, and it is the normal standard for quality sanitary ware. Ask for test reports rather than assurances.
3. Check what your own market demands
This is the step that catches first-time importers, because the requirement sits in the destination country, not with the supplier.
Many markets operate a mandatory conformity scheme: the European Union and the UK work to EN standards with their own marking rules, Australia requires WaterMark certification for plumbing products, Saudi Arabia runs SABER, the UAE has its own conformity route, and several African markets including Kenya and Nigeria require pre-shipment verification through programmes such as PVoC and SONCAP, with inspection carried out by agencies like SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas.
Find out what applies to you before production, not after. Verification usually has to happen while the goods are still in the country of origin. Goods that arrive without the right certificate can be refused entry, and at that point your options are all expensive.
4. Ask exactly how it will be packed
Ceramic does not forgive rough handling, and a container is handled many times between the factory and your warehouse. Packing is not a detail, it is most of the risk.
Ask for photographs of the actual export packing. You are looking for a sturdy corrugated carton of a stated grade, moulded foam or thermocol protecting the corners and rim, the piece held so it cannot shift inside the box, and cartons stacked in a pattern that carries weight on the walls rather than the lids. For long voyages or rough inland roads, ask whether pallets are used.
Agree the carton marking too: model, quantity, fragile and orientation symbols, and your own barcode or brand mark if you need one. Confirm how many pieces fit a 20-foot and a 40-foot high cube container, because that number decides your freight cost per piece more than anything else.
5. Settle terms in writing
Three things belong in the proforma invoice before any money moves:
- The Incoterm. EXW, FOB and CIF divide cost and risk very differently. FOB is the common middle ground for first orders, where the supplier delivers to the port and you control the shipping.
- Payment terms. An advance by bank transfer with the balance against a copy of the bill of lading is standard practice. A letter of credit costs more but suits larger orders and new relationships.
- Lead time. Ask for production time and transit time separately, and ask what happens if production runs late.
Check the document list as well: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin at minimum, plus whatever your customs authority or your certification scheme adds. A missing certificate of origin can cost you a preferential duty rate you were counting on.
6. Inspect before it sails, not after it lands
Once a container leaves the port, your leverage is gone. Book an inspection while the goods are still at the factory, either your own visit or a third-party agency, and set out what is being checked: quantity, model, shade against the approved sample, glaze condition, dimensions and packing.
For a first order with a new supplier, this is money well spent even on a small shipment.
Questions worth asking any supplier
- Do you manufacture these items yourself, or buy them in?
- Which models do you already export to my market, and to which certification?
- Can you send photographs of your export packing, with a carton opened?
- What is your production lead time for this quantity, and what is your transit time to my port?
- How do you handle breakage or a shade mismatch found on arrival?
- Can you supply a mixed container of closets, basins and urinals in one shipment?
The answers tell you as much as the prices do. A supplier who answers question five without hesitating has dealt with the problem before, which is exactly the supplier you want.
Where we fit
We manufacture ceramic sanitary ware in Morbi and prepare orders for buyers overseas: one piece and wall hung closets, the full range of basins, urinals, seat covers and flush tanks. You can see how we work with export partners on our export page, or send us your product list and destination and we will come back with what we can supply, how it packs and what it will cost to land.
