Sea Freight vs Air Freight from China: The Shipping Options
The four routes are express courier (3–7 days), air freight (7–12 days), sea freight in a shared or full container (25–45 days), and door to door on DDP terms by air or sea (10–20 days by air or 30–50 days by sea). The full comparison and current options are on our Shipping page; this article is about choosing between them.
Express vs Air Freight
Express is door to door, with the courier clearing customs and billing you any duties. Air freight goes airport to airport, and your broker clears the goods and arranges delivery. Express is simpler for small cartons; air freight gets cheaper per kilogram as the shipment grows.
How Freight Cost Is Calculated
Express and air: chargeable weight
Air carriers charge by the greater of the actual weight and the volumetric weight. Volumetric weight is based on the carton size. Air freight commonly uses length × width × height in cm ÷ 6,000, and express couriers ÷ 5,000, so the same carton weighs more on an express bill. Confirm the factor with your carrier. Light, bulky cartons are charged by size, not weight.
Human hair is dense and valuable for its weight, so it ships efficiently by air. Wig boxes, mannequin heads and synthetic hair packs are bulky, so their volumetric weight can be much higher than their actual weight.
Sea: volume
LCL sea freight is charged per cubic meter or per 1,000 kg, whichever is greater; a full container (FCL) is charged per container. There are also port, handling and documentation fees, which make very small sea shipments less cost-effective.
Which Products Suit Each Method
| Product | Usually ships by |
|---|---|
| Samples | Express |
| Human hair bundles and extensions, small and medium orders | Express or air |
| Human hair wigs in retail boxes | Air, or sea for large orders |
| Synthetic hair, braiding hair, crochet hair | Sea for volume, air for urgent restocks |
| Packaging, mannequin heads, display items | Sea, or with a large air order |
| Mixed container for a distributor | Sea |
When to Switch from Air to Sea
Work it out for your own orders:
- 1Compare cost per unit Ask for an air quote and a sea quote for the same order, and divide the freight by the number of units.
- 2Add the cost of waiting Sea takes longer, so you need more stock on hand. Add the cash tied up in that extra stock.
- 3Check your sell-through If you sell steadily and can plan ahead, sea freight usually wins on volume.
- 4Keep air for gaps Use air or express for urgent restocks and new styles, and sea for core stock.
The freight per unit goes straight into your landed cost (goods + freight + duties + packaging), so a lower freight bill either widens your margin or lets you price lower; Wholesale Wig Cost shows how to add it up. Many buyers start with express or air, then move core products to sea once they have steady sales and a predictable reorder cycle. If you switch, ask for desiccant in each carton: containers pass through hot and cold zones, and condensation can soften cartons and mark satin bags on a long voyage.
Shipping Terms: FOB, FCA and DDP
- FOB is used for sea freight: the seller delivers the goods onto the ship at the port of loading, and you arrange the sea freight onward.
- FCA is the usual term for air and express: the seller hands the goods to your carrier or forwarder.
- DDP means delivered duty paid: the seller delivers to your door with duties paid. DDP is a delivery term, not a carrier; it can be by air or sea.
Importing Wigs from China covers the import process in more detail.
How We Ship
We ship by express, air freight and sea freight (LCL or FCL), and offer door-to-door DDP by air or sea for buyers who want one all-in price. We can consolidate mixed orders of wigs, bundles, extensions, synthetic hair and accessories into one shipment, which helps fill cartons and containers efficiently. For volume discounts and MOQ, see Wholesale.
FAQ
Is it cheaper to ship hair by sea or air?
Sea is cheaper per unit for large orders and bulky products. For small orders, port and handling fees can make air or express the better value.
Does sea freight damage hair?
Not the hair itself. The risk is condensation inside the container softening cartons and marking satin bags, which is why we pack sea shipments with desiccant in each carton and the units sealed in poly sleeves.
What's the smallest order worth sending by sea?
LCL rates usually charge for at least one cubic meter, and port, handling and document fees are fixed per shipment. Below a few cubic meters those fixed fees eat most of the saving, and air often costs about the same door to door.
Can I ship part of an order by air and the rest by sea?
Yes. Many buyers air-ship the styles they need right away and send the rest by sea.
Get a Freight Comparison
Tell us your order and destination, and we'll quote air and sea side by side so you can compare the landed cost.
Related reading
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Handles export orders at ZUVI WIGS: quotes, shipping, customs paperwork and private label projects. [Export Author Years] in hair exporting.
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