Furniture, wood & rattan
Indonesian mahogany
Indonesia grows genuine mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla, planted on Java by the Dutch in the nineteenth century and now one of the largest plantation sources in the world. The species is listed in CITES Appendix II, and being plantation-grown does not take it off the list.
How it leaves the country.
- Sawn timber
- Boards and dimension stock. Squarely inside the CITES annotation, so a permit question applies.
- Furniture and components
- Where a finished article sits relative to the listing depends on the annotation and on the authority reading it. Confirm rather than assume.
- Veneer
- Named in the annotation alongside logs and sawn timber.
How it is graded.
Before grade, settle the permit question. After that, mahogany is contracted like any other hardwood: on cut, dimension, moisture and what the board excludes.
- CITES Appendix II
- Bigleaf mahogany was listed in 2003, with the listing reaching logs, sawn timber and veneer.1
- Plantation does not exempt it
- The listing is on the species. Where the tree grew changes the paperwork behind a permit, not whether one is needed.
- Legality on top
- V-Legal document under SVLK, required for every wood product leaving Indonesia, for every destination2
How it is packed.
- Bundles
- Strapped on bearers with end protection. Moisture pickup and end splitting are the usual arrival complaints.
- Wood packaging
- Bearers and crating are treated and marked under ISPM 15, separately from the timber3
Where it grows.
Central Java
Java
State and community plantation stands, and the milling capacity around them.
East Java
Java
Plantation timber close to Surabaya and the export routes.
West Java
Java
Smaller stands feeding the same mills and the furniture trade.
Origins with a protected name.
Names the trade contracts on, most of them on the Indonesian register of geographical indications.
Documentation, where applicable.
- CITES export permit
- For forms covered by the annotation. Establish whether your article needs one before contracting, because it cannot be obtained retrospectively.1
- V-Legal document
- Issued under SVLK. Required for wood products to every export destination.2
- EUDR due diligence statement
- For the EU only. Wood is a listed commodity, so mahogany is in scope.4
- ISPM 15 treatment mark
- On the packaging around the timber, separate from the timber itself.3
Questions buyers ask.
Is Indonesian mahogany real mahogany?
Yes. It is Swietenia macrophylla, the same species as the American timber, planted on Java in the nineteenth century. That is unusual: most timber sold as mahogany elsewhere is a different species entirely.
Does plantation origin remove the CITES requirement?
No. The listing attaches to the species. Plantation origin makes the supporting evidence easier and it does not make the permit unnecessary, which is the most common misunderstanding on this timber.
Do I need a permit for finished furniture?
The annotation names logs, sawn timber and veneer. Where a finished article falls is a question for your own CITES authority, and it is worth asking them before the order rather than after the container arrives.
What does your service cost?
Five per cent of the order value, paid by you and never by the factory. A factory audit starts at $250 depending on location. We work with orders from $10,000 per shipment.
Worth reading.
Tell us what you need.
Give us the specification and the destination port. We come back with producer options and an indicative price. Our fee is 5 % of the order value, paid by you and never by the factory.
Sources
- 1Bigleaf mahogany working group. CITES. Checked 3 August 2026.
- 2SVLK, Indonesia's timber legality assurance system. FLEGT licence information service. Checked 3 August 2026.
- 3ISPM 15, regulation of wood packaging material in international trade. International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO. Checked 3 August 2026.
- 4Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). European Commission. Checked 3 August 2026.