Chargeable weight for apparel: why China direct bills actual weight
China direct bills apparel on actual weight, so a light garment in a bulky mailer is not charged for air. Sydney standard and express switch to volumetric weight above 3 kg, which matters for multi-unit orders.
What is the short answer?
China direct bills every route on the actual weight of the parcel. Volumetric weight is not used. For apparel, which is light but often bulky, this means a hoodie in a large mailer is billed on what it weighs, not on the space it takes. Sydney economy also uses actual weight. Sydney standard and express use actual weight up to 3 kg and then the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight.
What is chargeable weight?
Chargeable weight is the weight used to pick the price band. Carriers usually compare the actual weight on the scale with a volumetric weight calculated from the parcel size, and bill whichever is higher. The volumetric formula on the Sydney card is length × width × height in centimetres divided by 4000.
A soft garment in a poly mailer is the classic case where the two numbers differ. The parcel weighs little but its dimensions can imply a much larger volumetric weight.
How does China direct calculate it?
China direct uses actual weight on every published route. Australia has no volumetric rule on China direct. The United States has a 0.03 kg minimum. The United Kingdom, Canada and Europe have a 0.05 kg minimum. In Japan, general goods and battery have a 0.5 kg minimum and bill in 0.5 kg steps, but apparel uses actual weight and does not take that floor.
How does Sydney calculate it?
Sydney economy uses actual weight. Sydney standard and express use actual weight up to 3 kg. Above 3 kg they take the greater of actual weight and length × width × height ÷ 4000. So a single garment is almost always billed on actual weight, while a heavy multi-unit order in a large carton can jump to a much higher band.
Worked example 1: one hoodie in a large mailer
A hoodie weighs 0.6 kg packed, in a 35 × 25 × 8 cm mailer. Its volumetric weight is 35 × 25 × 8 ÷ 4000 = 1.75 kg. Reference prices to postcode 3000: China direct apparel economy bills 0.6 kg at AUD 10.89. Sydney economy bills 0.6 kg at AUD 9.54. Sydney standard also bills 0.6 kg, at AUD 11.69, because the parcel is under 3 kg.
Worked example 2: a four-kilogram multi-unit order
A bundle of several items weighs 4 kg in a 50 × 40 × 30 cm carton. Its volumetric weight is 50 × 40 × 30 ÷ 4000 = 15 kg. China direct apparel economy bills 4 kg at AUD 41.91. Sydney economy bills 4 kg at AUD 13.21. Sydney standard bills 15 kg at AUD 27.63, and express bills 15 kg at AUD 41.69. The carton, not the clothes, sets the price.
Worked example 3: a 2.5 kg parcel just under the threshold
A 2.5 kg parcel in a 40 × 30 × 20 cm carton has a volumetric weight of 6 kg. Because it is under 3 kg, Sydney standard still bills 2.5 kg at AUD 14.39. China direct apparel economy bills 2.5 kg at AUD 26.49. Add a few hundred grams and the Sydney standard price would follow the 6 kg volumetric weight instead.
What can I do to keep the chargeable weight down?
Use the smallest mailer that fits the garment without crushing it. Poly mailers usually weigh less than cartons and suit most soft apparel. For Sydney standard and express, split heavy multi-unit orders when one large carton would cross 3 kg and trigger volumetric weight. Fold to a consistent size so the packing specification is repeatable. Optional garment work such as refolding, changing the outer bag or folding a mailer box can be added in the China warehouse when a SKU needs it.
What happens if the weight I give you is wrong?
The price band is confirmed from the parcel as packed. An order can be held when the weight or the address needs a check, and the formal quote confirms the band and the Sydney zone. Give packed weight, not product weight, and include the mailer or carton you plan to use.
Does apparel have its own lane?
Yes. Apparel economy is a separate product from general goods and battery on several routes, with its own price card. To postcode 3000 at 0.2 kg it is AUD 6.89, against AUD 6.94 for general-goods economy. Other markets use their own currency: for example, 0.2 kg apparel economy is USD 7.41 to the United States, GBP 3.23 to the United Kingdom, CAD 8.30 to Canada, EUR 4.85 to Germany and JPY 995 to Japan, at the reference rates of 7 October 2026.
How do other markets compare at the same weight?
China direct apparel economy reference prices at the 7 October 2026 rates. United States: USD 7.41 at 0.2 kg, USD 12.11 at 0.5 kg, USD 19.58 at 1 kg, 6–12 working days. United Kingdom: GBP 3.23, GBP 4.97 and GBP 7.80, 4–6 working days. Canada: CAD 8.30, CAD 13.19 and CAD 21.06, 7–9 working days. Germany: EUR 4.85, EUR 6.99 and EUR 10.52, 5–8 working days. Japan: JPY 995, JPY 1,031 and JPY 1,090, 6–7 working days.
Notice how the price climbs with weight on most routes. Japan is the flattest, while the United States and Canada rise steeply between 0.2 kg and 1 kg. Shaving 100–200 grams off a typical order can matter more on those routes than on others.
Do local warehouses use the same volumetric rule?
No, each local warehouse follows its own carrier card. Sydney standard and express divide by 4000 above 3 kg. In the United States, local 7-day uses actual weight under 1 lb and then the greater of actual weight and length × width × height ÷ 6000. In Germany, standard uses actual weight, while a zonal area uses the greater of actual weight and length × width × height ÷ 5000. The UK warehouse uses actual weight but charges extra for a volume over 0.04 m³. When you move stock into a local warehouse, check the size rule as well as the price.
How should I measure a packed parcel?
Measure the parcel as it will ship: packed, sealed and with any inserts inside. Take the longest length, the widest width and the tallest height in centimetres, and weigh it on a scale that reads to at least 10 grams. Measure a few real orders rather than one sample, because soft mailers change shape. Record the figures per SKU and per common bundle so the warehouse and the quote use the same numbers.
A quick checklist
Packed weight, not product weight. The smallest mailer that protects the garment. Multi-unit Sydney orders kept under 3 kg where you can. Battery items declared separately, because they use their own lane. Japan general goods and battery rounded to 0.5 kg steps, apparel not.
What should I send for a quote?
Send each SKU with its packed weight, the mailer or carton dimensions, typical units per order, and the countries you ship to. We will confirm the chargeable weight per route and point out any SKU where a different pack size would move it into a cheaper band.