Frequently asked questions

Request a quote here, or send us an email. Please tell us:

1. The plate shape and size
2. How many pieces you need
3. Your country

We will then send you a quote. The price depends on the shape, size, quantity and packing. For a full container, we send you the FOB price.

The minimum order is 5,000 pieces in total for your whole order. You can mix products and sizes, for example 500 round plates, 500 partition plates and more, until the total reaches 5,000. For 10 inch plates in packs of 25, the minimum is also 5,000 pieces, which is 200 packs.

Please note that sea freight is expensive for small orders, especially below 15,000 pieces. See the shipping cost examples below for 5,000 pieces.

Request a quote and we will help you plan your order.

Yes. Our standard sample set costs a flat USD 8. It has more than 20 items: plates, bowls, boat plates, trays and special shapes, in different sizes. Use the Order Samples page to ask for yours.

You pay USD 8 for the set, plus shipping. The USD 8 sample fee is deducted from your first order. You can also ask for a 25-piece pack of one product. See the next answer.

How to pay: you can pay by PayPal. The buyer pays the PayPal fee, which is about 7% to 8% in total. Or you can send us your own DHL or FedEx account number and we will use it for the shipping. You can also arrange a pickup from our factory.

We send samples only by DHL, FedEx or UPS air shipping. The pieces are delicate, and cheaper couriers can damage parcels. The box is large but light, and the courier counts it as about 4 kg. Shipping is about USD 62.

Samples reach most countries in 4 to 6 working days. We ship within 24 to 48 hours after your payment is confirmed, and we email you the tracking details.

Yes. A 25-piece pack of any product or size costs a flat USD 8. Shipping is extra, about USD 62.

You can choose either the standard sample set (see the answer above) or a 25-piece pack of one product. Each one costs USD 8. If you want both, tell us and we will confirm the total cost and the amount deducted from your first order before you pay.

The USD 8 sample fee is deducted from your first order.

Shipping looks high because samples travel by air courier (DHL, FedEx or UPS), which costs much more than sea freight. The answer "How much will shipping cost?" explains why we use air only for samples.

Sea freight is our main option. Air freight costs 2 to 3 times the price of the product, so we use air only for samples.

A full 20 ft container holds about 90,000 to 150,000 pieces, depending on the size. For a full container, request a quote and we will send the FOB price. Port of loading: Chennai Port, India. The costs below are for orders smaller than a full container.

Your total shipping cost is these 7 costs added together. Estimate yours with our calculator. They are the same whichever supplier you buy from, so please know them before you order:

1. Transport to the Indian port: about USD 110. This is fixed for any order size.
2. Customs clearance in India: about USD 40, plus USD 70 for each CBM.
3. Documents (fumigation, plant quarantine and certificate of origin): about USD 65.
4. Sea freight: about USD 80 to 120 for each CBM. The more you ship, the lower the price per CBM.
5. Customs clearance in your country: about USD 95, plus USD 40 for each CBM.
6. Import duty, if any: usually 2% to 4% of the invoice value. Some countries give this money back for eco-friendly products. Please check your customs website.
7. Delivery from your port to your door.

CBM means cubic metre (1 m x 1 m x 1 m). One CBM holds about 4,000 pieces of 10 inch square plates. For examples, see the next answer.

We also prepare the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin for you.

Example for the minimum order: 5,000 pieces of 10 inch square plates take about 1.25 CBM. Shipping and other costs to your country are about USD 550 to 600, plus import duty and delivery from your port to your door.

Shipping costs less per piece as your order grows: about USD 0.11 to 0.12 per piece for 5,000 pieces, and about USD 0.063 to 0.073 per piece for 20,000 pieces. Example for 20,000 pieces: 10 inch square plates cost USD 2,700 in India. Shipping and other costs to a USA port are about USD 1,260 to 1,460, plus import duty of about USD 55 to 110 and delivery from the port to your door. So shipping and duty alone come to about half of the product price, and the exact amount depends on the country and port.

Try your own numbers in our calculator.

FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) means Amazon stores your goods and ships them to your customers. You can book an Amazon pickup from your Seller account. After the goods clear customs at your port, Amazon collects them and delivers them to its warehouse.

We prefer T/T. This means a bank transfer.

We take 50% in advance, and the balance is paid before shipping.

Please note:

1. Payment is made to our business bank account, in the currency stated in our quote.
2. You pay the bank charges on your side.
3. We start production after the advance payment reaches our account.
4. We ship only after the balance payment is received.

Payment safety: Bank details are sent only on our official invoice from our company email. We never change bank details by chat.

You can pay in another way if you need to, but then you pay the extra fees. For example, PayPal charges about 7% to 8% in total, including the currency conversion fee.

Yes, for larger orders. A letter of credit (L/C) is a written promise from your bank to pay us once we show the agreed shipping documents. We accept an irrevocable L/C (it cannot be cancelled or changed unless both sides agree), payable at sight (paid as soon as the documents are correct), and confirmed by a bank (a second bank adds its own promise to pay). Please contact us before you open it, so we can agree the terms and the documents required.

Bank charges for the L/C are paid by the buyer. The shipping documents must match the L/C exactly, so we check every detail with you first.

We take orders directly with you, not through Alibaba, so Trade Assurance does not apply to our orders. Here is how we keep your order safe instead:

• Samples first, so you can check the quality before you order.
• You pay against an official invoice, sent from our company email to our business bank account.
• We check quality before dispatch and send the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.
• If anything is wrong, send us a video and photos within 3 days and we reply within 24 hours.
• Cargo insurance is included in every CIF quote.

For a larger order, you can also pay by letter of credit (L/C). See the answer above.

FOB (Free on Board) means our price covers the goods up to loading on the ship at Chennai Port. You arrange and pay for sea freight and everything after that, usually through your own freight forwarder.

CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) means we quote to your destination port, with sea freight and insurance included. Import duty, customs clearance in your country and delivery from your port to your door are still paid by you.

Cargo insurance: it is included in every CIF quote. If you buy FOB, we recommend you insure the cargo yourself, because the risk passes to you once the goods are loaded.

You can choose FOB or CIF in the quote form. If you are not sure, tell us and we will advise.

We always keep 10,000 to 15,000 pieces of each type in our warehouse. So if you order what we already have, it is ready in just 2 to 3 days after we receive your 50% advance payment.

If you want your own custom packing, it takes up to 1 week for orders of about 15,000 to 25,000 pieces. For other quantities, tell us how many pieces you need and we will confirm the time in your quote.

A full container order takes up to 25 days to produce and be ready to ship, counted from the day we receive your 50% advance payment. Sea transit time is extra and depends on your destination port. Tell us your country and we will give you an estimate in your quote.

We are ready to ship to North America, Europe, the Gulf (GCC) countries, South East Asia and other countries. We welcome first-time buyers and will guide you step by step.

Rules for areca plates are different in each country. Before we send a quote, we check the food-contact rules for your country.

We are based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Buyers are welcome to visit us by appointment. Message us and we will help with directions.

Yes. You can see our certificates on the Certificates page. If you need a test report or another document, tell us and we will arrange it for you.

Test reports can be done at labs in Bengaluru. Tell us which test you need, and we will tell you if a lab can do it.

Our plates are exported under HS code 46021990 / 46021919 (India, Chapter 46). Your customs office decides the final classification and import duty for your country, so please check it with your customs broker. Tell us if you need the code on your invoice.

With every export order we provide these documents:

• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Shipping bill (export customs)
• Bill of lading (sea) or airway bill (air)
• Certificate of origin

Most of our plates are packed in 5, 25 or 50 pieces per pack, depending on the product and size. If you need a different number in each pack, tell us in your quote request and we will arrange it.

Your order is still counted in total pieces, and the minimum is 5,000 pieces.

We use different carton sizes for different plates, so no space is wasted in the container. The most common carton is 21 x 11 x 11.5 inches (about 53 x 28 x 29 cm). One carton of this size holds up to 200 pieces of 10 inch square plates.

For 10 inch square plates, a 20 ft container holds about 650 of these cartons (about 130,000 pieces), and a 40 ft container holds about 1,300 cartons (about 260,000 pieces).

The carton size and weight depend on the plates you choose. We confirm the carton size in your quote and the carton weight on your packing list.

Yes. We print your own sticker and put it on top of every pack. The sticker can show your brand name, logo and barcode (UPC, the product barcode used in the USA and Canada).

Sticker size: 2.9 x 4.1 inches (A7) works for all plates. For 10 inch plates you can also use a bigger sticker, 4.1 x 5.8 inches (A6).

If you sell on Amazon FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon), you can use this sticker for your brand label and barcode (UPC). Send us your design and we will confirm the size and cost.

We pack every order carefully for export and check quality before dispatch. If something is wrong, please do this:

1. Record a video while you open the container and cartons.
2. Take clear photos of the damaged or different goods.
3. Keep the goods and the packing as they are until we agree.
4. Send the video, photos and your order number to us on WhatsApp within 3 days of receiving the goods.

We will check and reply within 24 hours.

Damaged in transit: we will check and agree a fair solution with you.

Cargo insurance is included in CIF quotes, and we recommend it for FOB buyers.

Not as per the approved sample: we will agree a fair solution with you, such as replacing or crediting the affected pieces.

Natural variation in leaf colour and thickness is normal and is not a defect.

Our plates are made only from areca leaf, pressed with heat and pressure. There is no glue and no coating.

Yes. They are suitable for hot and cold food. You can use them in a microwave for up to 3 minutes.

Both grades are heat pressed areca leaf. The difference is the finishing.

Premium (first quality)

• Heat pressed, then smoothed and edge finished, then packed
• Clean, smooth surface
• Neatly finished edges

Standard

• Heat pressed, then packed directly
• Small natural marks or spots may show
• Edges are less smooth

The leaf is a natural material, so some variation in colour and thickness is normal.

They are made for single use. Plates made only from leaf with no coating or binder can be composted.

Keep them in a cool, dry place, away from water. Keep them in their packing until you use them. The plates are made from leaf, so damp can make them grow mould.

Fallen areca leaf sheaths are collected, washed, dried and heat-pressed into shape. The plates are then trimmed, inspected, cleaned and packed.

No. Only leaf sheaths that fall naturally from the palm are used.