Canton Fair Phases Explained: The Ultimate Guide to Phase 1, 2 & 3 (2026)

The Canton Fair is divided into three phases, and each phase covers different product categories. Choosing the wrong phase can mean arriving in Guangzhou after your target suppliers have already left.

In 2026, both the Spring and Autumn Canton Fair follow the same three-phase structure. Phase 1 focuses on electronics, machinery and advanced manufacturing. Phase 2 covers home products, building materials, gifts and furniture. Phase 3 brings together textiles, fashion, healthcare, toys, food and other consumer goods.

This guide explains the dates, product categories, registration process, supplier checks and shipping considerations for each phase.

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The Canton Fair, formally known as the China Import and Export Fair, is a large international trade exhibition held twice a year in Guangzhou. The Spring session takes place in April and May, while the Autumn session runs from October into early November.

A "phase" is a five-day exhibition period dedicated to a defined group of industries. Exhibitors change between phases, so the products available during Phase 1 will not remain on display during Phase 2 or Phase 3.

Session	Phase	Dates	Main Product Focus
Spring 2026	Phase 1	April 15–19	Electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware and new energy
Spring 2026	Phase 2	April 23–27	Housewares, building materials, gifts, decorations and furniture
Spring 2026	Phase 3	May 1–5	Textiles, apparel, footwear, toys, medical products and food
Autumn 2026	Phase 1	October 15–19	Electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware and new energy
Autumn 2026	Phase 2	October 23–27	Housewares, building materials, gifts, decorations and furniture
Autumn 2026	Phase 3	October 31–November 4	Textiles, apparel, footwear, toys, medical products and food

There are three complete changeover days between each phase. During this period, the previous exhibition is dismantled and the next group of exhibitors moves in.

Buyers attending two consecutive phases can use the gap to visit factories, inspect samples or meet suppliers in Guangzhou and the wider Pearl River Delta.

The event is held at:

China Import and Export Fair Complex
No. 382 Yuejiang Zhong Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China

The venue is also commonly called the Canton Fair Complex or Pazhou Complex. Save the Chinese address on your phone before traveling:

中国广东省广州市海珠区阅江中路382号,中国进出口商品交易会展馆

The dates tell you when to travel. The product categories determine whether the trip will be useful.

Canton Fair Phase 1 is the most industrial and technology-focused stage of the exhibition. It is designed for buyers sourcing equipment, electrical products, vehicles, manufacturing systems and energy-related products.

Major product categories include:

Consumer electronics and information products
Audio-video and communication equipment
Batteries and power products
Household electrical appliances
Refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment
Lighting and electrical products
Vehicles and automotive spare parts
Motorcycles, bicycles and electric scooters
General and processing machinery
Construction and agricultural machinery
Industrial automation equipment
Hardware and tools
New energy vehicles
Solar photovoltaic and wind-power products
Selected chemicals, plastics and rubber products

Phase 1 is the right choice for electronics importers, machinery dealers, automotive distributors, hardware wholesalers, engineering contractors and renewable-energy companies.

Technical preparation matters more here than in the other phases. Machinery and electronic products cannot be compared accurately using price alone. Buyers should ask about rated output, power requirements, materials, tolerances, certifications, maintenance, spare parts and after-sales support.

For OEM and ODM projects, confirm who owns the design, whether tooling is required, how long product development will take and whether the supplier can support testing for the destination market.

Shipping questions should also begin at the booth. Ask for packed dimensions, gross weight, loading method and battery or chemical information. Large machines may require an open-top or flat-rack container. Lithium battery products may need UN38.3 reports, safety data and dangerous-goods handling.

Phase 1 offers strong sourcing opportunities, but it also contains the products most likely to create technical, compliance and transport complications. Collect the specifications before discussing the final price.

Canton Fair Phase 2 focuses on products used in homes, commercial interiors, hospitality, construction, decoration and everyday living.

The main categories include:

Building and decorative materials
Tiles, flooring, doors and windows
Stone and glass products
Kitchen cabinets and equipment
Sanitary and bathroom products
Kitchenware and tableware
Household ceramics
General housewares and cleaning products
Gifts and promotional items
Festival and party decorations
Art ceramics and decorative glassware
Bamboo, wood, rattan and iron crafts
Gardening and outdoor products
Domestic, office, hotel and outdoor furniture

This phase is particularly relevant to homeware importers, furniture retailers, gift companies, hotel procurement teams, building-material distributors, garden-product buyers and e-commerce sellers.

Design and packaging have a direct effect on commercial value in Phase 2. Buyers should compare materials, finishes, colors, dimensions and private-label options. For original designs, ask whether the supplier owns the intellectual property and whether market exclusivity is available.

Packaging deserves equal attention.

Ceramics, mirrors and glassware require stronger protection than ordinary consumer goods. Furniture may have a low unit value but occupy significant container space. Stone, sanitary products and some building materials can be extremely heavy.

Ask suppliers for:

Carton dimensions and gross weight
Drop-test or packaging information
Pallet and wooden-case options
Moisture-protection methods
Container loading quantities
Knock-down packing options for furniture
Material and treatment details for wooden products

A low factory price can quickly lose its advantage when the product is bulky, fragile or poorly packed. Phase 2 purchasing decisions should be based on landed cost, not unit price alone.

Canton Fair Phase 3 centers on fashion, health, personal products and everyday consumer goods. It covers a wider range of regulated and seasonal products than the other phases.

Key categories include:

Men's and women's clothing
Children's, infant and maternity wear
Underwear, sleepwear and sportswear
Textile fabrics and yarns
Home textiles, carpets and tapestries
Footwear
Bags and cases
Toys and baby products
Office supplies and stationery
Sports, travel and outdoor products
Pet products
Medicines and health products
Medical devices and consumables
Rehabilitation and hospital equipment
Food and beverages

This phase serves fashion brands, textile importers, shoe and bag buyers, toy retailers, medical distributors, food importers and companies sourcing sports or outdoor products.

Compliance is central to Phase 3 sourcing.

Textile buyers should confirm fiber composition, labeling, colorfastness and restricted-substance requirements. Claims such as antibacterial, thermal-regulating or moisture-wicking performance should be supported by test reports.

Toy and children's-product buyers must check the safety standards required in the destination market. A product suitable for one country may not meet the testing or labeling rules of another.

Medical devices require even closer review. Ask for the product classification, available registrations, technical documents and storage conditions. Do not assume that a general certificate permits sale in every market.

Food buyers should verify ingredients, shelf life, labeling, packaging, storage requirements and import restrictions before placing an order. Some food and healthcare products require temperature-controlled logistics, but many do not. The shipping method must be decided product by product.

Phase 3 often involves shorter selling seasons and stricter market-access rules. Production time and compliance documents must be confirmed before the delivery window closes.

The correct Canton Fair phase depends on the product, not the buyer's company size or destination country.

Choose Phase 1 for:

Electronics and appliances
Machinery and industrial equipment
Vehicles and spare parts
Hardware and tools
Batteries and electrical products
Solar, wind and other new energy products

Phase 1 buyers usually need to compare technical performance, certification, warranty, spare-parts availability and service support.

Choose Phase 2 for:

Housewares and kitchenware
Furniture
Gifts and promotional products
Ceramics and glassware
Home decorations
Building materials
Sanitary and gardening products

Phase 2 buyers should focus on design, materials, packaging, volume, retail presentation and customization.

Choose Phase 3 for:

Apparel and textiles
Footwear and bags
Toys and baby products
Sports and outdoor goods
Medical and healthcare products
Food and beverages
Office supplies

Phase 3 buyers need to pay close attention to labels, testing, certification, expiry dates and seasonal production schedules.

Some products sit between categories. Smart lighting may appear with electrical products in Phase 1, while non-electrical home products are more likely to appear in Phase 2. Personal-care products may also be divided between phases according to whether they are appliances, cosmetics accessories or daily-use goods.

When a product is difficult to classify, search the official exhibitor directory before booking travel.

Attending all three phases is possible, but rarely necessary. Most buyers gain more from a well-planned visit to one relevant phase than from spending three weeks walking through unrelated halls.

Overseas buyers should complete registration before arriving in Guangzhou. Advance preparation reduces time spent at registration counters and makes it easier to organize supplier meetings.

The Buyer Badge is the physical entry credential used by overseas buyers. It is more accurate to call it a badge than a ticket.

First-time buyers normally need to:

Create an overseas buyer account on the official Canton Fair platform.
Complete personal and company information.
Submit a pre-application for the Buyer Badge.
Save the application confirmation.
Collect the physical badge at an authorized location.

Returning buyers should log in with their existing account, confirm that their badge information remains valid and update company details where necessary.

Invitation letters, application deadlines, collection points, required documents and onsite fees may change. Check the official buyer-service platform before departure.

Visa requirements depend on nationality and current Chinese entry rules. A Canton Fair invitation letter may support an application, but it does not guarantee approval.

Do not wait until arrival to begin searching.

Use the official online directory to identify relevant exhibitors, review product listings and save booth numbers. Organize suppliers by exhibition area and hall so that each day follows a practical route.

Book appointments with priority suppliers. Leave some space in the schedule for new products and unplanned discoveries, but do not rely on random walking.

The complex is large enough to make poor route planning a serious loss of time.

An RFQ, or Request for Quotation, is a document that gives suppliers the information needed to prepare a comparable commercial offer.

A useful RFQ should include:

Product photos, drawings or reference models
Materials and dimensions
Target order quantity
Expected annual volume
Required certifications
Packaging and labeling requirements
Destination country
Target delivery date
Preferred Incoterm
Inspection requirements

Also prepare a concise company introduction. Suppliers are more willing to discuss customization and pricing when they understand the buyer's sales channel, market and expected volume.

Good preparation turns a short booth meeting into a useful commercial discussion.

The Canton Fair is effective for discovering suppliers, but the exhibition itself is not a substitute for due diligence.

Ask whether the exhibitor is a manufacturer, trading company or brand owner.

Useful questions include:

Where is your factory?
Which production processes are completed in-house?
Can the factory be visited?
How many production lines do you operate?
Which countries do you currently export to?
Do you subcontract any major processes?

A polished booth does not prove production capacity. The company behind the booth still needs to be checked.

Record the same information for every supplier:

Minimum order quantity
Sample cost
Sample lead time
Production lead time
Payment terms
Tooling or mould fees
Customization options
Packaging
Warranty
FOB port

Get an initial price at the fair, but do not spend the entire meeting negotiating small differences. Product specifications, materials and quality standards must be aligned before a final price becomes meaningful.

Two quotations are not comparable when they refer to different materials, packaging or testing requirements.

Ask for copies of certificates and test reports, then check whether they apply to the exact product being quoted.

Confirm:

The model number
The issuing organization
The validity period
The tested standard
The destination market
Whether the report covers the final material and design

Environmental, functional and performance claims also need evidence. A supplier describing a fabric as antibacterial or a product as eco-friendly is making a marketing statement until documents support it.

After the fair, test samples, review the company, inspect the factory where necessary and put the approved specification into the purchase contract. Large orders should not be placed on the strength of a booth conversation alone.

International freight planning should begin before the purchase order is signed. Product dimensions, packing, classification and shipping restrictions can change the true cost of an order.

Phase	Typical Logistics Issues	Information to Confirm
Phase 1	Heavy machinery, oversized cargo, batteries, chemicals and technical equipment	Dimensions, weight, lifting points, MSDS, UN38.3, packing and container type
Phase 2	Fragile goods, bulky furniture, ceramics, glass and heavy building products	Carton size, CBM, moisture protection, palletization and loading quantity
Phase 3	Labels, seasonal deadlines, toys, medical products and food controls	Certificates, shelf life, storage temperature, labeling and import documents

Phase 1 cargo may require special equipment, reinforced securing or open-top and flat-rack containers. Phase 2 cargo often needs better packaging and more efficient container loading. Phase 3 frequently requires closer coordination between product compliance and shipping documents.

The freight method must match the product. It should not be chosen only by comparing air and sea rates.

Many Canton Fair buyers purchase from several factories. Shipping every order separately usually increases freight costs, local charges and customs paperwork.

A consolidation service can combine the cargo through the following process:

Collect goods from different factories.
Receive them at a warehouse in China.
Check quantities and external packaging.
Coordinate different cargo-ready dates.
Repack, palletize or label goods where required.
Combine cargo into an LCL or FCL shipment.
Prepare export and customs documents.
Arrange international transport and final delivery.

LCL, or less-than-container-load shipping, is used when several smaller shipments share one container. FCL, or full-container-load shipping, gives one shipper the use of an entire container.

The right option depends on cargo volume, product type, delivery urgency and destination charges.

Ask each shortlisted supplier for:

Carton or crate dimensions
Gross and net weight
Number of packages
Factory pickup address
Cargo-ready date
Nearest or preferred FOB port
HS code
Battery, liquid or chemical information
Storage requirements
Available export documents

This information allows a freight forwarder to identify restrictions and prepare a realistic shipping estimate before production starts.

Freight planning is part of sourcing. Leaving it until the goods are ready creates avoidable delays and costs.

Phase 1 focuses on electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware and new energy. Phase 2 covers housewares, building materials, gifts, decorations and furniture. Phase 3 includes textiles, apparel, footwear, toys, medical products, food and other consumer goods.

Yes. Overseas buyers may attend all three phases, provided they have valid entry credentials. However, attending every phase is usually unnecessary unless the sourcing list covers several unrelated industries.

The product structure is broadly similar. Choose the session that fits your purchasing cycle, supplier availability and required delivery date. Buyers preparing for year-end sales may prefer spring sourcing, while others use the autumn session for the following year.

A focused buyer may need two to four days for one phase. Buyers covering several product sections, conducting detailed meetings or arranging factory visits should allow more time.

You can discuss orders, receive quotations and sometimes arrange samples at the fair. Large orders should wait until the supplier, sample, specification, certification and commercial terms have been checked.

Small unrestricted samples may be sent by international courier. Larger, heavier or controlled products may require air freight, sea freight or collection through a warehouse. Batteries, liquids, chemicals and medical products need additional review.

Yes. A freight forwarder can collect goods from several Chinese suppliers, receive them at one warehouse and combine them into an LCL or FCL shipment. This often reduces handling and simplifies coordination.

The Canton Fair phases are separated by product category. Phase 1 is for technical and industrial sourcing, Phase 2 is for home and lifestyle products, and Phase 3 is for fashion, healthcare, food and broader consumer goods.

Choose the phase first. Then shortlist exhibitors, prepare a detailed RFQ, verify suppliers and collect the shipping information needed to calculate landed cost.

Zhejiang Wilson Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. supports overseas buyers with supplier cargo collection, warehouse consolidation, sea and air freight, customs coordination, oversized cargo, special containers and door-to-door delivery from China. Contact our team to discuss sample shipping or a logistics plan for orders placed with Canton Fair suppliers.