Importing handmade rugs from India to Australia

General information, not legal or customs advice. This page summarises public official sources we opened on 31 October 2026. Tariffs, taxes and product rules change. Your customs broker or compliance adviser decides the classification, duty and labelling for your shipment.

Australia's tariff is built on the Harmonized System. Chapter 57 headings (WCO HS Nomenclature 2022, 31 October 2026):

The Australian Border Force publishes import guidance and tariff tools at abf.gov.au. Its site blocked our automated access on 31 October 2026, so we could not read the text and state nothing from it. Your customs broker decides the classification and duty.

Duty rates. We do not quote a rate. Check the ABF tariff tools for your exact heading; rates change.

As standard we provide the commercial invoice, packing list, Certificate of Origin. We do not issue a phytosanitary certificate; a buyer who needs one for jute or seagrass should check the destination's rules with their broker. Additional compliance declarations and material-composition documents are prepared based on your market and requirements. We confirm the full document set for your order before production begins. See export and logistics and our standards.

We do not issue fire-test, flammability or other test certificates unless they are arranged for a specific order and confirmed on your quote.

Biosecurity (DAFF). DAFF publishes import conditions in its BICON system. Our attempts to open DAFF pages timed out on 31 October 2026, so we have not read the conditions that apply to jute, seagrass or other plant-fibre rugs, and we do not state them. Ask: do the goods need to be free of soil, seeds and other plant material, what documents or treatment are required for your material and origin, and is a permit needed. Search BICON with the exact material and India as origin, and confirm with DAFF or your broker before you order.

What we can do on our side, on request: confirm the fibre content of the piece, and describe how it is packed. Any treatment or biosecurity paperwork beyond the standard documents is confirmed on your quote.

Consumer law and origin claims. The ACCC publishes guidance on country-of-origin claims at accc.gov.au; that page also blocked our automated access, so we did not read it. Check it and the Australian Consumer Law with your adviser before you make "made in" claims in your marketing.

On request from us: your own woven or sewn-in label, a barcode or QR sticker (you supply the numbers), your own packaging or polybag, and country of origin and fibre content on the label. See OEM and private label.

GST is collected on imports by the Australian Border Force unless you hold a deferral. The ABF explains this at GST and other taxes when importing. We could not open that page on 31 October 2026, so we state no GST rate, base or threshold; read the page and confirm with your broker.

For trade orders the buyer is the importer. For RS Living retail orders, duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer on delivery; see shipping to Australia.

The usual default for this route is FOB Nhava Sheva (JNPT, Mumbai). Under FOB we clear the goods for export and load them on board at the Indian port; from that point cost and risk pass to you, and you arrange the ocean freight, destination clearance and delivery. We work to all Incoterms 2020 terms, and the term, named place and cost breakdown are confirmed on your quote before production. See export and logistics for the full list.

Retail orders are different. For orders placed through RS Living shipping to Australia, import duties and taxes, if any, are paid by the customer to the carrier or customs on delivery, and RS Living does not collect or refund them.

1. NDA and brief. We sign an NDA as standard before designs are shared, then you send construction, material, size and quantity.
2. Sample. 5 to 20 days. The sampling cost is credited against your order. See the sampling process.
3. Approval and PO. The approved sample becomes the reference for bulk. Label, barcode or QR sticker and packaging choices are confirmed here (OEM and private label).
4. Bulk production. 8 to 16 weeks.
5. Export documents and loading. We prepare the document set and clear the goods for export at Nhava Sheva under FOB.
6. Ocean freight and import clearance. Arranged by you or your forwarder and broker. Transit time depends on the carrier and service you book.
7. Air freight. Air freight for samples and urgent small orders is typically around Rs 1,000 per kg door to door (indicative, owner estimate; varies by route, weight and season).

Constructions and materials are listed in rug specifications. For ordering see how to order and wholesale rugs. New to importing? Read how to start a rug brand.

Archived with a DOI: Importing handmade rugs from India: HS headings 5701, 5702, 5703 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0).

Core references: OEM and private label, rug specifications, how to order, wholesale rugs and the sample program.

See also: Export and logistics · OEM and private label · Rug specifications · Rug sampling process · Wholesale rugs · Importing to the USA · Importing to the UK · Importing to the EU · Importing to Germany · Importing to France · Importing to Canada · Importing to the UAE · Sea freight transit finder · Container loading calculator · Rug trade data · How to export rugs from India · Carpet exporters from India: buyer guide