What is the minimum order quantity for LED lighting from China?

Most LED products have MOQs of 500 to 2,000 units. Standard in-stock products can sometimes go lower. Custom products with specific CCT, wattage, or branding requirements typically start at 1,000 units or more.

How do I know if LED specs are accurate?

Test your samples. Use a lux meter to check lumen output, a CRI meter to verify color rendering, and a smart plug to verify power draw. Never rely on a factory spec sheet alone. Budget products routinely underperform their stated specs by 20 to 40 percent.

Do I need UL certification for LED products imported from China?

UL certification is required by most major US retailers and many commercial buyers. It's not legally required for all online sales, but it's a strong credibility signal and often a buyer requirement. Many Chinese LED factories already have UL-listed products. Verify any claimed UL number at ul.com.

What LED chip brands should I look for?

Cree, Samsung (including LM301 series), Osram, and Epistar are reputable brands. Samsung LM301 chips are especially popular for grow lights. Unknown Chinese chip brands aren't always bad, but they're harder to verify and have more variable quality.

What's the difference between Canton Fair and Alibaba for LED suppliers?

Alibaba is better for initial research and getting many quotes quickly. Canton Fair is better for relationship building, seeing physical products, and negotiating with serious manufacturers face to face. Both are useful. Use Alibaba first, then verify top suppliers at the fair if you're sourcing at volume.

Sourcing LED Lighting from China: Supplier Guide

LED lighting is one of the most popular categories for importers. China dominates global LED production. The factories are mature, MOQs are reasonable, and margins can be strong. But there’s also a lot of bad product out there. This guide tells you what to look for before you buy.

Types of LED Products Worth Sourcing

The LED category is broad. Here’s a breakdown of the main types and where the opportunities are.

LED strip lights are the highest-volume consumer item. They sell well on Amazon, in home goods stores, and through influencer-driven channels. Factory prices run $0.50 to $3 per meter depending on density, chip quality, and whether they’re addressable (like WS2812B RGB strips).

LED bulbs are competitive and commoditized. The margins are thin unless you’re moving serious volume or targeting commercial buyers who need bulk quantities.

LED panel lights work well for commercial and office clients. They’re less exciting but have consistent B2B demand. Factory prices range from $5 to $25 per panel depending on size and wattage.

LED grow lights are a strong niche. Indoor farming and home growing have pushed demand. Full-spectrum grow lights with Samsung LM301 chips can still command 3x to 5x factory cost at retail. Expect to pay $15 to $80 per unit at the factory level.

Commercial and industrial LED fixtures (high bays, street lights, flood lights) are high-ticket items. Each unit can cost $20 to $150 at factory prices and sell for $80 to $500 in Western markets. The buyer is typically a contractor or facility manager, not a consumer.

Key Specs to Verify Before You Order

This is where most importers get burned. LED product specs are easy to fake or exaggerate on a spec sheet.

Lumens. This is the actual light output. Don’t accept the factory’s claimed lumens at face value. Test your samples with a lux meter and compare against the specs. Cheap products often underperform by 20% to 40%.

CRI (Color Rendering Index). A CRI of 80 is acceptable for most uses. CRI 90 and above is better for retail, medical, and photography applications. Products claiming CRI 95+ from budget suppliers are often exaggerated. Test with a CRI meter.

Color temperature. Measured in Kelvin. 2700K to 3000K is warm white. 4000K is neutral. 5000K to 6500K is cool/daylight. Make sure samples match the spec sheet. Color inconsistency across a batch is a real quality issue.

Lifespan. Factory claims of 50,000 hours are common. Real lifespan depends entirely on chip quality and driver quality. Ask which LED chip brand is used. Cree, Samsung, Osram, and Epistar are reputable. Unknown Chinese brands are a gamble.

Driver quality. The driver is often the failure point, not the LED chips themselves. Ask whether the driver is constant current or constant voltage. Ask which driver brand is used. Meanwell is the gold standard. Cheap drivers cause flickering, early failure, and safety issues.

Compliance Requirements for LED Products

Compliance matters more for LED than for many other product types, especially if you’re selling into retail or commercial channels.

UL listing is required by most major US retailers and many commercial buyers. It signals that a third-party lab has tested the product for electrical safety. Getting a Chinese product UL listed costs $5,000 to $15,000 per SKU and takes two to four months. Many Chinese factories already have UL-listed products on their lineup. Ask for the UL file number and verify it at ul.com.

DLC (DesignLights Consortium) certification is required for commercial LED products to qualify for utility rebate programs. If you’re selling to commercial buyers, DLC is a strong competitive advantage. Check the DLC qualified products list at designlights.org.

Energy Star applies to certain LED categories, including bulbs and some fixtures. It’s a requirement for some commercial bid specs and adds credibility with environmentally conscious buyers.

FCC applies to any LED product with wireless control (smart bulbs, app-controlled strips, dimmable systems using RF protocols). See our guide on FCC and UL compliance for the full picture.

Common Quality Issues with Imported LED Products

Lumen degradation. All LEDs lose brightness over time. The question is how fast. Cheap products can lose 30% of their output in the first year. Look for L70 ratings (how many hours until the fixture is at 70% original output). A good product should hit L70 at 50,000 hours.

Driver failures. Cheap electrolytic capacitors in the driver dry out in warm environments. This is why LED shop lights fail in garages and warehouses. Ask about the driver’s rated temperature range and capacitor brand.

Fake chip ratings. A product may claim Samsung LM301B chips but actually use a lower-tier Epistar chip. Request a teardown photo or have your inspection company verify chips on arrival.

Color inconsistency across batches. LEDs are binned by color temperature and output. Cheap suppliers use mixed bins. If batch 1 looks warm white and batch 2 looks cool, your customers notice. Ask for MacAdam ellipse step rating (step 3 or lower is good).

MOQs and Pricing

MOQs for LED products typically run 500 to 2,000 units depending on the product type and whether customization is involved. Strip lights with custom CCT or density have higher MOQs. Standard products in stock at a factory can go lower.

Factory price ranges:

LED strip lights: $0.50 to $3 per meter
LED bulbs (A19 equivalent): $0.80 to $2.50 per unit
LED panel lights: $5 to $25 per unit
LED grow lights: $15 to $80 per unit
Commercial high bay fixtures: $20 to $150 per unit

Canton Fair vs. Alibaba for LED Sourcing

Both are good options. They work differently.

Alibaba lets you contact a lot of suppliers fast. You can reach 50 suppliers in a day, compare quotes, and find serious manufacturers without leaving your desk. The downside is that listing quality varies wildly, and you can’t physically inspect products until samples arrive. Start with Alibaba to build a shortlist. Read our Alibaba guide for tips on filtering suppliers.

Canton Fair Phase 2 (April 23 to 27 in 2026) is where the home and lighting category lives. You’ll walk through aisles of LED suppliers, see live product demos, and negotiate face to face. For LED sourcing at any real volume, attending Canton Fair is worth it. One trip can build relationships with five to ten factories that will serve you for years.

How to Test LED Samples

Don’t skip this step. Order samples from at least three suppliers before committing to an order.

When samples arrive, test:

Actual lumen output (use a lux meter and compare to spec)
Color temperature (use a CRI/CCT meter)
CRI rating (use a CRI meter)
Power draw at the wall (use a smart plug with energy monitoring)
Heat output after 30 minutes of operation
Driver flicker (use a phone camera at 240fps slow motion to spot flicker)

For high-value orders, hire a third-party inspection service to test a sample from the production run before shipping. See our quality control guide for how this works.