Home storage
Wholesale storage bins from China, quoted with the freight included
Plastic bins, folding boxes and baskets come to us from 1688 sellers and the Yiwu market. Because storage goods are light and bulky, our quote starts from the packed size.
Free quote, usually in 24–48 hours for 1–3 products
Short answer
What to know first
Storage bins are simple to make and costly to ship. A rigid plastic bin is mostly air, so freight per unit can outweigh the factory price. Nesting or folding designs change that. Our freight price uses the seller's packed carton size and units per carton. Listing data is rarely enough, since most listings in our shipping-weight study gave incomplete package dimensions.
Products
What we source in home storage
Most storage orders fall into the groups below. Packing decides the cost of each.
Plastic bins and boxes
Lidded boxes, stackable bins, drawer units and under-bed boxes. Ask whether they nest. A nesting design fits far more units in a carton.Folding fabric boxes
Non-woven and fabric cubes with board or plastic inserts. They ship flat, which keeps freight low.Baskets
Seagrass, rattan, cotton rope and wire baskets. Natural fibers need a mold and moisture check, and some destinations inspect plant-based goods closely.Organizers and small racks
Drawer dividers, closet organizers, hangers and shoe racks. Kits with small parts add a check for missing pieces.
Where we buy
Where storage goods come from
Light storage goods fill whole aisles of the Yiwu market. Large molded bins come from factories across China, and we compare those on 1688.
Yiwu market, District 4, floor 2
The official Chinagoods directory lists daily necessities and packaging boxes here, and storage is among the district's listed goods.
Yiwu market, District 2, floor 3
Kitchen and bath goods, our starting point for kitchen and bathroom organizers.
1688 sellers across China
Injection-molded bins and wire racks come from factories in several provinces. We compare them on 1688 and have samples sent to our partner warehouse.
MOQ and price
Minimum orders and what drives the price
Listed minimums are low, as on most of 1688. In our MOQ study, 102 of 120 sampled rows listed two units or fewer. The real minimum shows up once you want your own color or a custom size, which can need a new batch or a new mold.
Price follows plastic weight for bins, fabric and insert board for folding boxes, and weaving labor for baskets.
Package data is where storage quotes go wrong. In our shipping-weight study, only 2 of 10 storage box listings, 3 of 10 laundry basket listings and 2 of 10 shoe rack listings gave complete package dimensions. Nearly every weight in that study was entered by the seller, not measured. We ask for carton size and units per carton first.
Look-alikes vary in price. In our image-search pilot, 3 of 4 storage box listings had a cheaper visual match. We compare wall thickness and weight before we switch to a cheaper seller.
From our published 1688 data
2 of 10 storage box listings gave complete package dimensions.
117 of 120 top-ranked listings used a shipping weight the seller entered.
3 of 4 storage box listings had a cheaper visual match.
Small, non-random samples. Listing fields are what sellers display, and they are not quotes or audited facts.
Customs
HS code starting points
Use these as a starting point with your customs broker. Storage goods are classified by material and by whether they are sold for the home or for packing.
Swipe sideways to see every column →
| Product | Starting code | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic household storage boxes | 3924.90 | Other household articles of plastics. Boxes sold for packing goods can fall under 3923 instead. |
| Plastic hangers and other plastic articles | 3926.90 | Other articles of plastics, including clothes hangers. |
| Fabric storage boxes | 6307.90 | Often reviewed as made-up textile articles. Some fabric containers fall under heading 4202, so check a ruling for large orders. |
| Baskets of plant materials | 4602 | Basketwork of rattan, seagrass, bamboo and similar materials. |
Duty rates change and depend on origin and trade measures, so we estimate them per quote from the official tariff. The final classification is made by you or your customs broker.
Compliance
Checks by destination
Most storage goods have no product-specific rules. These are the exceptions we check for.
United States, tall drawer units
Freestanding drawer units above CPSC's size and weight thresholds fall under its clothing storage unit rule, which requires stability testing and labels.
United States, composite wood
Boxes and organizers made with MDF, particleboard or hardwood plywood need TSCA Title VI formaldehyde certification and labels.
Australia, plant materials
Baskets and boxes made of rattan, seagrass or bamboo can face biosecurity checks on arrival. Check the conditions for the exact material.
European Union
Consumer storage products fall under the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988, with traceability details on the product or packaging.
We collect and compare documents. We are not a test lab or a certification body, and rules change, so confirm the current requirement with the official source for your market.
Quality
Common quality problems and what we check
Every order is counted and checked at our partner warehouse in Yiwu before it ships. For storage goods we look hardest at these.
Warped lids that do not close
We fit lids on sample bins from several cartons.Thinner walls than the sample
We weigh sample units and compare with the approved sample. A lighter bin usually means less plastic.Folding boxes that do not stand up
We assemble samples and check the insert boards.Mold on natural fibers
We open packs and look for smell and damp spots, with photos of anything we find.Missing parts in organizer kits
We count parts in opened kits against the parts list.
Examples
Example quotes and teardowns
Built from public listings to show our format and reasoning. They are illustrations, not customer results.
- Example quote: portable desk organizerExample: a Shopify listing shipping to the US. We advise a sample first, because packaging size and finish affect shipping.
- Example quote: reusable storage bagWhy bulky packing and a high minimum made it a stop.
- CBM calculatorCheck how many cartons fit your shipment before you ask for a quote.
Price
5% down to 3% of goods, $49 minimum
The quote is free. If we find the supplier, the fee is 5% on the first $5,000 of goods, 4% up to $20,000 and 3% above, with a $49 minimum. If you already have a supplier, order follow-up is 3%.
You pay Supplymo by bank transfer to our WorldFirst account. You never pay a supplier directly, and nothing is paid to one without your written approval.
Why does shipping cost so much for storage bins?
Freight is charged on volume as well as weight, and rigid bins are mostly empty space. Nesting, folding or flat-packed designs cut the volume, and we compare those options in the quote.
Can you get a custom size or color?
Color is usually possible with a higher minimum. A new size in plastic needs a new mold, which adds a tooling cost and lead time. We quote both before you decide.
Do you check that bins stack and lids fit?
Yes. When goods reach our partner warehouse we fit lids and stack bins from cartons we open, and send you photos before anything ships.
Are wooden or bamboo storage boxes a problem?
They can be. Some destinations inspect plant-based goods at the border, and composite wood like MDF has formaldehyde rules in the US. We ask the seller for the material and any test report first.
What is the minimum order for storage bins?
Not set by us. Sellers set their own. Standard colors often start low on 1688, and custom work raises the minimum.
How much do you charge to source storage bins?
The quote is free. Our service fee is 5% down to 3% of the goods value with a $49 minimum, and there is no markup on supplier prices. Samples-only orders have no service fee.
Related services
Often used together
Free quote
Tell us what you need
A few lines is enough. For 1–3 standard products the written quote usually takes 24–48 hours.
- 1Describe the product, the quantity and where it ships.
- 2We compare suppliers and send a written quote.
- 3You decide. Nothing is paid to a supplier without your approval.
Bobby reads every requestA person on our team in Yiwu. We reply within one business day.