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Shaoxing-based Sleemon Group successfully exported a batch of spring mattresses and quilts worth over 600,000 yuan (approximately $83,635) to Iceland on July 4 — without requiring a traditional Certificate of Origin issued by customs authorities.

Instead, the shipment was cleared using a self-declared origin certificate, granting it a 10 percent tariff reduction under a free trade agreement between China and Iceland.

In May, Sleemon became the first home furnishing company in Shaoxing to be designated as an Approved Exporter. Iceland is one of the company’s key emerging markets, with exports doubling in the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2024.

To qualify as an Approved Exporter, companies must be Authorized Economic Operators with a strong grasp of relevant rules of origin under free trade agreements and a robust internal management system. Approved Exporters are authorized to issue their own origin certificates, which carry the same legal weight as those issued by customs authorities.

This designation significantly reduces compliance costs and accelerates customs clearance procedures. China has implemented this mechanism across six free trade agreements, including those with Iceland, Switzerland, Mauritius, New Zealand, Serbia, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

To date, Shaoxing Customs has approved three exporters under the program. In the first half of 2025, these companies issued self-declared origin certificates covering goods valued at over 29 million yuan.