In short: a good Indonesian teak furniture supplier makes the furniture itself, uses mainly heartwood from documented sources (SVLK), kiln-dries its timber, uses proper wood joinery, finishes by hand, offers samples or prototypes, packs for export, and can show you real projects. Ask about each of these before you place an order.
Indonesia has thousands of furniture suppliers, from one-room workshops to large factories and trading agents. Prices can look similar on paper while the furniture that arrives is very different. These ten questions will help you compare suppliers properly. We have included how Indocasa answers each one.
1. Are you the manufacturer or a trading agent?
Agents can be useful, but you lose direct control over materials and quality. Ask where the workshop is and whether you can visit it. Indocasa: we are the manufacturer, with our workshop and showroom in Jepara.
2. Is it solid teak, and what grade?
“Teak” can mean anything from solid heartwood to veneer over a cheaper core. Ask whether pieces are solid teak and how much heartwood they contain. Heartwood is the dense, golden part of the trunk that carries teak’s natural oils.
3. Where does the timber come from, and is it documented?
Indonesia’s timber legality system, SVLK, verifies that wood comes from legal sources, and wood products exported from Indonesia need SVLK documentation. Since 2016, Indonesian shipments covered by SVLK have been accepted as FLEGT-licensed timber in the European Union. Ask for the documents. Indocasa: we work closely with our timber suppliers and with the government forestry department so that trees are regularly replanted.
4. How is the wood dried?
Poorly dried teak cracks and moves. Ask whether the supplier kiln-dries and to what moisture content (around 8–12% is typical for export). Indocasa: all our wood is kiln-dried in house, in chambers where temperature and moisture are controlled closely.
5. What joinery do you use?
Look for mortise-and-tenon joints and dowels rather than screws and staples alone. Ask to see a joint cut open or a sample piece.
6. How is the furniture finished, and is the finish right for my climate?
Indoor and outdoor pieces need different finishes. A supplier should be able to explain how the finish will behave in a humid tropical villa, a dry air-conditioned hotel or a European winter.
7. Can you customise or build to my design?
Hotels and retailers often need different dimensions, finishes or fabrics. Indocasa: anything in our catalogue can be adapted, and our bespoke service develops new pieces from your brief, with drawings and prototypes.
8. Do you provide samples or prototypes?
For larger orders, approving a sample before production prevents expensive surprises later.
9. How do you check quality and pack for export?
Ask what is inspected (structure, finish, dimensions, moisture) and how pieces are protected for weeks at sea. Our article on how an export order works covers this in detail.
10. Can I see your projects or visit a showroom?
References are the best evidence that a supplier can deliver. Indocasa: our furniture is in more than 100 hospitality projects. See our projects, or visit our showrooms in Ubud, Jakarta, Surabaya and Jepara.
Frequently asked questions
What is SVLK?
SVLK is Indonesia’s timber legality and sustainability verification system. It traces wood from its legal source through processing to export, and wood products exported from Indonesia must be covered by it.
Is Indonesian teak as good as Burmese teak?
Old-growth Burmese teak has long been prized, but the EU, the UK and the US now restrict imports of timber from Myanmar. Mature, well-dried plantation teak from Java offers excellent durability with documented, legal sourcing.
How can I tell solid teak from veneer?
Look at the end grain and edges. On solid teak the grain runs continuously around edges and through the thickness, while veneer shows a thin layer over a different core. Ask the supplier to confirm in writing.
Does Indocasa sell to trade buyers and hotels?
Yes. We supply private clients, hotels, resorts, developers, interior designers and wholesale partners. Contact us with your project and we will reply within one business day.
