Q4 is when pet retailers lock in their 2027 assortments. If you buy pet toys, beds, travel gear or accessories from China, three things are worth knowing this month.
Canton Fair Phase 3: pet products in Hall 9.1
The 140th Canton Fair runs its consumer-goods phase from October 31 to November 4, 2026 in Guangzhou. Pet Products and Food sit in Area B, Hall 9.1, with toys in Area D and sports, travel and recreation products nearby in Area B. Even if you are not flying in, it is a useful calendar marker: factories finalise new samples and price lists for the fair, so late October and November is a good window to request quotes on 2027 lines.
Where US pet demand keeps growing
A Quartz review of American Pet Products Association (APPA) tracking, published October 13, lists the categories showing durable growth rather than one-season spikes. Several map directly to pet hard goods:
- Enrichment toys — puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys, wand toys and prey-like toys for indoor cats, increasingly sold as a rotating monthly refresh rather than a one-time purchase.
- Senior pet products — orthopedic beds, ramps and stairs, and mobility harnesses, as dogs and cats live longer.
- Pet travel gear — car harnesses, airline-compliant carriers and collapsible bowls now sell year-round, because more owners take pets along instead of boarding them.
- Calming products — pressure wraps, alongside supplements and pheromone diffusers.
The common thread is function: each product has a clear job, which makes it easier for retailers to explain on the shelf and online.
China's pet supply exports keep climbing
On the supply side, Ningbo Customs reported pet-related exports of RMB 2.24 billion in the first half of 2026, up 21.7% year on year. Regional clusters are growing faster still: Suqian in Jiangsu reported pet supply exports up 153.6% in January–August, with cat furniture and scratchers among the products named. The Asia Pet Fair in Shanghai this August drew more than 2,600 exhibitors, a record. More capacity and more new designs mean more choice for buyers — and more reason to compare samples before committing.
US duties: what changed in 2026
For US importers, the duty picture on Chinese goods looks different from a year ago. IEEPA tariffs, including the China fentanyl duty, ended on February 24, 2026, and the temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge expired on July 24. From the same day, a new Section 301 duty of 12.5% applies to products of China. The older Section 301 tariffs from 2018–2019 were not terminated: USTR confirmed on October 6 that they remain in effect pending a four-year review. The legacy rate depends on each product's HTS code, so landed cost should be checked per SKU, not per category.
What to do this quarter
- Build 2027 lines around products with a clear job: enrichment, senior comfort, travel.
- Request samples in November so approvals land before the Chinese New Year slowdown.
- Ask suppliers for suggested HTS codes and carton specs at the RFQ stage, so you can model duty and freight early.
- Plan private-label packaging alongside the first order, not after it.
Yling Pet supplies wholesale pet toys, cat furniture, beds, travel carriers, feeding and grooming products for brand buyers and retailers. MOQ and packaging are confirmed per SKU on RFQ.
Sources: Canton Fair official site (140th session dates and Phase 3 floor plan); Quartz, "10 pet product categories that are booming right now" (October 13, 2026, citing APPA); Ningbo Customs and Nanjing Customs regional export reports (2026); USTR and CBP notices (CSMS 69326983) as summarised by FashionTrendWire (October 15, 2026); Federal Register notice of October 7, 2026 on continuation of China Section 301 actions.
