TREASURE HUNTING IN CHINA

BEHIND THE SCENES: MINI-SERIES

Novembers’ seasonal sourcing trip in China, our very own treasure hunt for unique, character-filled pieces. As a supplier sourcing across Asia for more than 60 years, we’re always on the lookout for the most special items to bring to our clients.

This trip was extra meaningful: Eveline joined Ingrid for the first time. It turned out to be a wonderful, emotional, and very successful journey. We discovered magnificent pieces that will soon make their way to our warehouse in Belgium, and we also designed new models for our upcycled collection — with even more exciting developments in progress.

We captured many moments along the way, and we’re excited to share a behind-the-scenes mini-series.

PART 1

Traveling to China always feels magical. It's more than sourcing old materials, unique pieces - it’s about reconnecting with the people we’ve worked with for decades. From small family-run workshops to artisans who have refined their skills over generations.

Here, we search for character-rich furniture and decoration pieces with history, soul, and potential. Some will remain beautifully old; others will be transformed into new designs for our upcycled collections.

Join us as we take you behind the scenes of our journey — where culture, craftsmanship, and creativity come together.

PART 2

In this episode you get an exclusive glimpse into the restauration process of our old reconstructed sideboards (RC).

We source and gather the best of old sideboards with unique characteristics. Together we decide for each piece the new look and feel; how many doors, dimensions, if we can add drawers, colour and more. Our artisans then restore them using reclaimed wood. Last but not least, the old pieces get a fresh lacquer finish by the traditional method.

PART 3

"Sometimes true love means letting go"

As a wholesale supplier of unique furniture and decor we:

• Fall in love with pieces when we source in Asia.
• Give them extra love and threat them right. Our local artisans restore them using reclaimed wood.
• Take them to a safe place. Export by boat to our 5000m2 warehouse in Belgium, the center of Europe.
• Give them a confidence boost and pep talk. Our in-house workshop does the Quality Check and relacquer every lacquered piece.
• Show them the world and send them off to where they can shine. Deliver them to our clients and their finale destination. Let them tell their own story.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the unique pieces that will arrive next year.

PART 4

In this episode we take you deeper into our upcycling and restoration process — where forgotten materials become timeless pieces.

It all begins with the search: sourcing old furniture, architectural fragments, and reclaimed wood with history and soul. From there, we decide how each find will be transformed. Sometimes we restore a piece to its former glory; other times we reimagine it entirely.

Old Chinese doors become unique table tops. Weathered window sills evolve into characterful console tables. Antique windows turn into striking wall décor. And vintage trunks get a second life as handcrafted sideboards.

Every object carries a story — and we’re here to help it continue.

Catch our updates on:
Instagram: @pagodainternational
LinkedIn: PAGODA International