Wholesale from Kathmandu
Repeat stock, made by hand, without a factory minimum.
We place your order with the Kathmandu workshop best suited to it, follow the production, check every piece and ship it with the export paperwork done. You deal with one person the whole way through.
- Trial orders from around 10 pieces per design
- Your colours, sizes and designs, or ours
- Photos mid-production and before packing
- Commercial invoice, packing list and origin statement included
Tell us what you need
Tell us what you need. Or WhatsApp +977-9849998031
How a wholesale order runs
- Your brief. Item, quantity, colours, destination and the date you need it. A photo of something similar is the quickest specification there is.
- A written quote within 48 hours, with a price per piece, production time and an estimate for shipping.
- Pro forma and payment by bank transfer. Trial and small orders are paid in advance; larger orders are 50% to start and 50% before dispatch.
- Production, usually two to six weeks depending on the craft and the quantity. You get photos part-way through.
- Inspection and packing. We check size, colour, finish and count against what you approved, and send you photos of the finished goods.
- Shipping. Express courier for smaller orders, sea freight for large ones. Shipping is invoiced at cost once the goods are packed and weighed.
Duties and paperwork
Nepal is a Least Developed Country, so most handicrafts enter the EU and UK free of import duty when the shipment carries a valid statement of origin, which we provide. Import VAT and the courier's clearance fee are still payable in your country on arrival, and are yours to pay unless we agree otherwise in writing. For the United States, have your customs broker confirm the current treatment for the HS code before you budget, because preference schemes for Nepal have changed several times.
What sells best from Nepal
Felt is where most of our trade buyers start: low minimums, quick to make and light to ship. Pashmina and lokta paper are the usual second lines. For one-off and made-to-measure pieces, see custom orders.
Wholesale questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for wholesale?
Lower than most buyers expect, because production here is workshop-based rather than assembly-line. For felt we take trial orders from 10 pieces per design; most other categories start at a similar small trial quantity, and single custom pieces are quoted individually. Once a design is proven, larger runs get better pricing. Tell us the quantity you have in mind and we will tell you honestly whether it is economic.
How do you ship internationally?
Small orders and samples go by express courier (DHL, FedEx or Aramex), typically 3-7 working days to Europe and North America. Large wholesale orders can go by sea. Shipping is quoted separately once the goods are made and weighed, so you only pay for what is actually sent. We prepare the commercial invoice, packing list and origin statement, plus any product-specific documents such as a fumigation certificate for wood or an archaeology clearance for metal statues. Import duties and VAT in your country are payable by you on arrival unless we agree otherwise in writing.
What are the customs duties on Nepali handicrafts?
It depends on the destination and the HS code. Nepal is a Least Developed Country, so most handicrafts enter the EU duty-free under the Everything But Arms scheme, provided a certificate of origin accompanies the shipment. US preference programmes for Nepali goods have changed repeatedly and lapse between renewals, so we will not tell a US buyer their goods arrive duty-free — have your customs broker confirm the current treatment against the specific HS code before you budget. Correct classification and a certificate of origin are what actually determine what you pay.
How do you ensure product quality?
Quality is arranged per order rather than through a standing programme. We agree the specification with you in writing before production starts, and we send pre-shipment photographs of the actual goods for your approval before anything is packed. For a first order we strongly recommend samples, because handmade work varies between workshops and photographs of someone else's piece are not a specification. If you would rather not rely on our word, independent inspection agencies operate in Kathmandu and we will work with the inspector you appoint, at your cost.
Are your products fairly traded?
We work directly with the workshops that make the goods and pay the price agreed with them, with no agent between us and the maker. We can tell you which workshop made your order. We do not hold a fair-trade certificate, and we would rather say so than imply one.
Can I order product samples before placing a bulk order?
Yes, and for a first order we recommend it. A trial order of a few pieces per design is the cheapest way to check colour, finish and size before committing to a run, and we can credit the sample cost against your first full order. Samples go by express courier, usually 5-10 working days after they are made.
What payment methods do you accept?
Bank transfer (T/T) to our business account in Nepal, against a pro forma invoice. Small and trial orders are paid in full in advance; larger and custom orders are 50% to start production and the balance before dispatch, after you have approved photographs of the finished goods. We quote in USD or EUR.
What is the typical lead time from order to delivery?
Production time varies by category: lokta paper, jewelry and singing bowls 2-4 weeks; pashmina 3-6 weeks; felt 3-8 weeks; wooden crafts 3-6 weeks; thangka 4-12 weeks; metal statues 4-8 weeks, and 8-16 weeks for large or custom commissions. Shipping is on top of that: 3-7 business days by air to the USA and Europe, or 30-50 days by sea via an Indian seaport. Plan a first order on the long end of the range.