When hotel procurement managers and FF&E consultants contact us for the first time, they ask roughly the same ten questions — in the same order. After years of supplying wall art to hotel chains, boutique properties, and commercial interiors across the US, Middle East, and Europe, we have learned that these questions are not really about product specs. They are about risk: will the pieces arrive on time, look consistent, and survive the install inspection.
This guide answers those questions directly. No sales language. Just what you actually need to know before placing a bulk hotel wall art order.
1. What is the minimum order quantity?
There is no minimum order quantity for custom-sized pieces at Qitong Arts. You can order one piece as a sample or several hundred for a full property rollout in the same shipment.
For standard sizes (40x50cm to 120x160cm), we typically produce mixed SKUs — multiple sizes, finishes, or subjects — on a single FOB Xiamen shipment. This is useful when different room categories (standard, suite, corridor, lobby) require different artwork dimensions.
2. What finishes and formats are available?
Our standard production covers four formats:
Giclée canvas prints — EPSON archival inks, gallery-wrapped or framed. Color accuracy tested to Delta-E standards per batch. Standard lead time: 15–25 working days.
Handcrafted impasto oil painting — pigment applied layer by layer on linen or cotton canvas. Each piece is unique; small texture variations are normal. Lead time: 20–35 working days depending on quantity.
Framed fine art prints — crystal film, crystal porcelain, or aluminum substrate, in metal or wood frames. Lead time: 18–28 working days.
3D UV relief panels — raised surface texture produced by UV print layering. Suitable for feature walls, lobbies, and corridors. Lead time: 20–30 working days.
All formats are available in custom sizes. Frame finish options include matte black, brushed gold, natural wood, and white.
3. How do you handle color consistency across a large order?
This is the question that separates buyers who have been burned before from those who have not.
We run colorimetric QC on every production batch. For giclée orders above 30 pieces, we provide a Delta-E batch report on request — this shows the deviation between the master proof and each production piece. Most hospitality clients request a Delta-E tolerance of ≤2; we routinely hit ≤1.5. For a side-by-side comparison of Delta-E tolerances between giclée and hand-painted oil, see our giclée vs oil painting comparison guide.
For handcrafted oil pieces, we photograph every finished piece in controlled lighting before packing. Buyers approve the photos before we ship. If a piece falls outside the agreed color range, we repaint before dispatch — not after delivery.
4. What is your lead time for a 200-room hotel project?
A typical 200-room project requires 400–800 pieces (two to four artworks per room, depending on the room category). Our production capacity is approximately 3,000 pieces per month across all formats.
Realistic lead time for 400–800 mixed pieces: 35–45 working days from approved artwork files, measured to FOB Xiamen. Add 15–25 days for sea freight to US East or West Coast ports.
We strongly recommend booking production slots 90 days before your FF&E installation window. Hotels that contact us 60 days out can usually still be accommodated; 30 days is difficult for large quantities.
5. Do you provide samples before the main order?
Yes. We produce a production-grade sample set — typically three to five pieces in the final sizes, substrates, and finishes — before committing to a full run. Sample lead time is 7–12 working days.
We cover the sample production cost for confirmed project enquiries (minimum 100 pieces). For smaller or speculative enquiries, samples are charged at cost and credited against the main order.
6. What compliance documentation do you provide for US shipments?
For US-bound shipments, we provide:
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Country of origin certificate (China, Xiamen)
- Material safety data sheet for frame adhesives and coatings
- Framing materials documentation for import compliance
For California-specific projects, buyers should confirm CARB P2 and Proposition 65 requirements with their logistics team. We can provide material composition reports to support your compliance review.
We do not claim specific third-party certifications unless we can provide the original certificate. If you require Bureau Veritas, Intertek, or SGS inspection of a production batch, we support third-party inspector access to our facility.
7. What are your payment terms?
For orders under $5,000 USD: full payment upfront via Trade Assurance or T/T.
For orders above $5,000 USD: 50% deposit before production, 50% balance before shipment.
We work exclusively through Alibaba Trade Assurance for new clients. This protects both parties: production only begins after funds are held, and payment is only released after shipment confirmation.
8. Can you work from a designer's artwork files or a mood board?
Yes. We receive artwork as:
- High-resolution TIFF or PDF (300 DPI minimum for giclée)
- Layered AI or PSD file for color adjustment
- Physical artwork for studio photography and digitization
If you provide a mood board or color palette without specific artwork, our studio can source or create artwork to match — subject to copyright clearance on any referenced works.
We do not use AI-generated imagery in production files unless the client explicitly requests and approves it.
9. How do you handle shipping and installation?
We ship FOB Xiamen. We work with several established freight forwarders for US, EU, and Middle East destinations and can recommend partners if needed, though the freight contract is between the buyer and their chosen forwarder.
Each piece is individually poly-wrapped, corner-protected, and packed in double-wall corrugated export cartons. For framed pieces over 100cm, we use wooden crates.
We do not provide installation services directly, but we can supply hanging hardware specifications and installation guides for your local contractor.
10. What if pieces are damaged in transit?
We photograph every piece before packing and provide a pre-shipment inspection report. If damage occurs in transit and the buyer provides photographic evidence at delivery, we replace the damaged pieces in the next available production slot.
Our standard lead time for replacement pieces is 15–20 working days. Replacement is FOB Xiamen; outbound freight is at buyer cost for replacements, unless the damage is attributable to defective packing on our side.
Why factory-direct matters for hotel projects
Most wall art distributors servicing the hospitality sector are brokers sourcing from factories like ours. Going directly to the factory removes one margin layer (typically 30–50%) and gives the procurement team a direct line to the production floor.
At Qitong Arts, our Xiamen-based production network covers approximately 5,000 sqm and has been operating since 2016. We are Alibaba-verified with on-site inspection passed, and have shipped to hotel clients in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and Australia.
We do not work with every client who contacts us. We ask about the project scale, timeline, and decision-making process before quoting — not because we are being selective, but because a hotel project with a fixed installation date is a different supply chain challenge than a retail order, and we want to be honest about whether our current schedule can accommodate it.
Next steps
If you have a hospitality project where wall art procurement is on your specification list, we are happy to review the scope and provide a structured quote.
Contact: sales@qitong-arts.com
Response time: within one business day
Trade Assurance: available on Alibaba for all orders
FOB port: Xiamen, China