DRF Contract designs, manufactures, delivers and installs furniture for hotels, restaurants, homes and offices. Our head office is in Sancaktepe, İstanbul, and we produce with contracted manufacturing partners in Ankara and İnegöl, Bursa. This article explains what US owners, designers and purchasing agents can expect when the furniture for a US project is made in Türkiye.

What to send us to start

A first package does not need to be complete. These documents let us understand the scope and give a useful answer:

  • Drawings or a design-intent package, with plans and elevations for each room type.
  • A bill of quantities (BOQ) or FF&E schedule, with room types and quantities.
  • Finishes and materials: fabrics, leathers, timber species, stains, metal finishes and any approved samples.
  • The specification, including brand standards and the standards listed below.
  • The programme, with target dates for the mock-up room, delivery and opening.
  • The delivery location and the party that will act as importer of record.

If the design is not yet fixed, we can start from a brief and develop the design with your team.

Standards your project may specify

Requirements come from the project specification, the owner or brand standard and the local authority having jurisdiction. These are the references US specifiers most often use for furniture and soft furnishings.

Upholstered seating: 16 CFR Part 1640. The federal standard for upholstered furniture flammability adopts California Technical Bulletin 117-2013 (TB 117-2013). It tests cover fabrics, barrier materials and fillings for resistance to smouldering ignition. The standard has applied since June 2021. Since June 2022, each piece must carry a permanent label with the statement “Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability”.

Curtains and drapery: NFPA 701. Specifications and fire codes commonly require curtain and drapery fabrics to meet NFPA 701, Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films. The standard also covers lined and multilayer curtains, so linings and blackout layers are chosen together with the face fabric.

Performance: ANSI/BIFMA standards. These voluntary standards cover safety, strength and durability. Specifiers often cite ANSI/BIFMA X5.4 for public and lounge seating, which also covers dining and cafeteria seating, and ANSI/BIFMA X5.5 for desks and tables.

Composite wood: TSCA Title VI. Furniture that contains MDF, particleboard or hardwood plywood must be made with panels certified to the EPA formaldehyde emission standards, and the finished goods must be labelled. Because this affects panel sourcing, it belongs in the specification from the start.

DRF provides project-specific test documentation on request. Which tests are needed, and for which exact combination of materials, is agreed during design development, before fabrics and fillings are ordered.

Units and drawings

Our drawings and shop drawings are prepared in metric units, in millimetres. For US projects we add imperial dimensions on request. Designers, purchasing agents and installers can then check each item against their own documents without converting the dimensions themselves.

Shipping, customs and duties

Production, transport and customs clearance are separate stages, and each has its own schedule. The Incoterms rule is agreed for each project. It sets the point where costs and risk pass from us to the buyer. Customs clearance in the US is usually handled by a licensed customs broker working for the importer of record.

US import duties on furniture changed more than once in 2025 and 2026. In 2025, for example, the United States introduced Section 232 tariffs on certain upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities, and later postponed the planned increases. The duty for each item depends on its tariff classification and on the rules in force on the date of import. Confirm it with a licensed customs broker before you place the order.

Time difference and communication

İstanbul is on UTC+3 all year and does not use daylight saving time. While US clocks are on daylight saving time, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, İstanbul is 7 hours ahead of Eastern time and 10 hours ahead of Pacific time. In winter the difference is 8 hours and 11 hours.

The İstanbul afternoon overlaps with the East Coast morning, which is a practical time for calls. With the West Coast the overlap is short, so more of the coordination happens in writing, by email and WhatsApp, with each decision recorded against the drawings.

How a project runs

  1. Brief. Scope, quantities, programme, budget and the required standards are agreed.
  2. Design development. Materials, finishes and details are developed, and samples are approved.
  3. Shop drawings. Each item is drawn with its dimensions, materials and construction, and sent to the design team for approval.
  4. Mock-up room. A sample room or key pieces are prepared, so that fit, finish and comfort can be checked before production.
  5. Production. Items are made by our contracted manufacturing partners in Ankara and İnegöl, to the approved drawings and samples.
  6. Delivery. Goods are packed, documented and shipped under the agreed Incoterms rule.
  7. Installation. Furniture is placed, assembled and checked against the approved drawings, in coordination with the site team.