What Should an Importer Check When Buying FSC Wooden Products from China?
Check three things on paper before you rely on an FSC claim. The supplier’s chain of custody certificate must be valid in the FSC public database and cover the product group. The FSC claim (FSC 100%, FSC Mix or FSC Recycled) and the supplier’s certificate code must be written on the invoice and delivery documents for your shipment. And no FSC logo or label may be used without the approval FSC requires. A certificate shows that a supplier can sell FSC-certified material; it does not make every item that supplier sells FSC.
This guide is a checklist for importers of FSC wood and bamboo goods from China, whether you buy in Germany, Italy or elsewhere in the EU. It also shows how FSC data fits into EUDR due diligence and what Ninghai Bohong Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. holds. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a certificate and a product claim?
Four different things are often mixed up. Each answers a different question:
| Item | What it tells you | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Chain of custody certificate | The company is audited to sell material as FSC-certified, within a stated scope and period | That a particular item you are buying is FSC |
| Certificate code | Identifies the certificate in the FSC database; the format is ACB-XXX-######, where the prefix is the certification body | Anything about the scope on its own |
| FSC claim on the invoice | That this line of this sale is sold as FSC 100%, FSC Mix or FSC Recycled | Proof by itself; check it against the certificate |
| FSC label or logo on the product | That the product carries an FSC label under a trademark licence | That the whole range is FSC |
FSC defines the three claims this way: FSC 100% means all material comes from FSC-certified forests; FSC Recycled means the product is made from recycled material; FSC Mix combines FSC-certified forest material with recycled and FSC-controlled material. FSC Controlled Wood claims can only be made to other certificate holders.
How do you check a certificate in the FSC database?
FSC runs a public search of its certificate and licence holders at search.fsc.org. Older links point to info.fsc.org, which now redirects to FSC’s public search. FSC’s Claims Check page explains how to look up a licence code.
- Ask the supplier for the certificate code and a copy of the certificate before you place the order.
- Search the code, or the company’s legal name, in the FSC public search.
- Check that the status is valid and note the expiry date.
- Check that the scope and product groups cover what you are buying, for example wooden toys, crafts or bamboo household articles.
- Check that the name and address of the certificate holder match the seller on the invoice. A trading company that takes ownership of the goods and sells them with a claim needs its own certificate.
- Download the time-stamped PDF record from the database and keep it with the order file.
If a search finds nothing, treat the certificate as not valid until the supplier explains it. Repeat the check on the day you order, because certificates expire and can be suspended.
What must the invoice and delivery documents say?
FSC says the claim appears on sales and delivery documents such as invoices and packing slips, and that the certificate code must be shown on them to pass the claim on. Many certificates also state that products are covered only when the required claim is on the sales documents. A copy of the certificate alone does not show that your shipment carries the claim.
| Check on the invoice | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Claim wording | FSC 100%, FSC Mix or FSC Recycled, on the line for the goods; not only a note at the bottom |
| Certificate code | The supplier’s code, in the format ACB-XXX-######, matching the database |
| Seller identity | The company that holds the certificate is the company that invoices you |
| Cartons and labels | Packaging is a separate line with its own claim, if you ordered it as FSC |
Put the claim you need in the purchase order. FSC’s buyer guidance says the same: tell the supplier you need an FSC claim on the sales documents. The standard that sets these rules for certificate holders is FSC-STD-40-004, so use the current version when you write a supplier policy.
Who can use the FSC logo and label?
Only FSC-certified companies may put FSC labels on products, and the label depends on the claim they make. A company without a certificate that wants to use the FSC logo in its marketing must first sign a promotional licence with FSC; that licence covers promotion, not labelling products or sales documents. The trademark standard for certificate holders, FSC-STD-50-001 version 3-0, was published on 1 January 2026, applies from 1 July 2026 and has a transition period to 1 January 2029.
In practice: do not copy the FSC logo from a supplier’s website or from a product photo into your own listing. Ask your certification body or FSC’s trademark team what you may use.
Our own rule is the same. FSC logo use needs approval first, through our certification body, Bureau Veritas, with a trademark licence code. Until that approval is in place we write FSC in words only and show no FSC logo on this site or on products.
How does FSC data support EUDR due diligence?
FSC says its certification does not replace due diligence, but it strengthens the evidence. For an importer that means the certificate, the claim and the supplier records can feed your risk assessment, and the rest still has to come from you.
| FSC evidence helps with | You still need |
|---|---|
| Who the supplier is and what its audited scope covers | The species, country of harvest and quantity for each product |
| A checkable certificate and claim for each shipment | Geolocation of the plots where the wood was grown, with the production date or period |
| A traceable chain between certified suppliers | Your own risk assessment and the due diligence statement |
The full list of data items and the application dates are in our EUDR guide for wooden products importers. No certificate exists under EUDR, so do not accept a paper that claims to be one in place of data.
What does Bohong hold, and what do we supply?
We hold an FSC® Chain of Custody certificate, BV-COC-179312, issued through Bureau Veritas (BVCH) and valid to 12 July 2027. Its scope:
| Product group | Claim in the scope |
|---|---|
| Wooden toys, crafts, wooden frames and bamboo household articles | FSC 100% |
| Cartons and labels | FSC 100%, Mix or Recycled |
FSC-certified material is available on request, and not every product is FSC. Tell us when you enquire that you need FSC, and we confirm availability for your product, the claim that applies and the wording for your order documents. We send a copy of the certificate on request. See Certifications for the other standards we hold, and Packing & shipping for how documents travel with the goods.
What is the checklist before you order?
- Written request: which items must be FSC, and which claim you need.
- Certificate code and copy received; search done in the FSC public search; PDF saved.
- Scope and expiry checked against the products and the shipping date.
- Purchase order states the claim and asks for it on the invoice and delivery documents.
- Seller name on the invoice matches the certificate holder.
- No FSC logo or label planned without written approval.
- EUDR data requested separately from the FSC papers.
Send your product list and the claim you need through the contact page.
FAQ
If a supplier has an FSC certificate, is everything it sells FSC?
No. The certificate allows the supplier to sell certified material with a claim. Each sale needs the claim on its documents. Bohong’s position is the same: FSC-certified material is available on request, and not every product is FSC.
Can I use the FSC logo on my packaging?
Not without approval. Only certified companies may label products, and a company without a certificate needs its own promotional licence even to use the logo in marketing. Ask your certification body or FSC’s trademark team before you print.
How do I know a certificate is still valid?
Search it in the FSC public search on the day you order, check the status and expiry date, and save the time-stamped PDF record.
Does Bohong hold an FSC certificate?
Yes. Chain of Custody certificate BV-COC-179312, issued through Bureau Veritas and valid to 12 July 2027, for wooden toys, crafts, wooden frames and bamboo household articles at FSC 100%, and for cartons and labels at FSC 100%, Mix or Recycled.
Does FSC replace EUDR due diligence?
No. FSC itself says certification does not replace due diligence. It supports your risk assessment; the geolocation data and the statement still come from the supply data and from you.
Sources
Official and public sources used for this guide.
- FSC, claims, labels and the certificate code on sales documents
- FSC, Claims Check (how to look up a licence code)
- FSC, buyer guidance on choosing certified goods (what to check on the invoice and in the database)
- FSC, public search of certificate and licence holders
- FSC, FSC-STD-50-001 version 3-0, trademark use by certificate holders (announcement)
- FSC, FSC-STD-40-004, Chain of Custody Certification (document centre)
- FSC, FSC certification and the EU Deforestation Regulation
More guides
- EUDR Data for Wooden Products: Importer Checklist
- EN 71 for Wooden Toys: How to Check When Sourcing
- Wooden Puzzle Table Sizes and Custom Options
- Bamboo vs Wood for Bathroom Products: What to Specify
- RFQ Checklist for Custom Wooden Products from China
- GPSR for Wooden Home Products: Importer Guide
- Wooden Balance Board vs Balance Beam: Buyer’s Guide