2 min read · Updated 21 October 2026
Importing natural stone from Turkey: a buyer’s checklist
Turkey is one of the world’s major natural stone producers, with marble from regions such as Afyon and travertine from Denizli. A clear request saves weeks of back-and-forth. This checklist covers what buyers usually need to settle.
1. Define what you need
Material and colour, product type and dimensions, surface finish (polished, honed, brushed, tumbled), quantity and unit (pieces, sets, m²), and where it will be used.
If you do not know the quantity yet, say so — an estimate or a range is still useful.
2. Samples and natural variation
Ask for a sample or current photos of the actual stone. Because every block differs, a sample shows the character of the stone, not an exact match for every piece.
For larger orders, agree in advance how variation is handled — for example approval of production photos before packing.
3. Delivery terms (Incoterms)
The Incoterm in a quotation decides where the seller’s responsibility ends. Common ones for stone: FCA or FOB (the seller delivers to the carrier or loads the goods at the port of export; you arrange the main freight), CIF or CPT (the seller pays main freight to the destination port or place) and DAP (delivered to a named place, import duties not included).
Compare quotations on the same Incoterm, and check what is included: packing, inland transport, insurance.
4. Packing
Small objects are usually packed in individual boxes inside export cartons; heavier pieces and slabs in wooden crates or on pallets. Wooden packing for international shipping normally has to be heat-treated and marked under ISPM 15.
Ask for carton dimensions and weights early — they decide freight costs and how many units fit on a pallet or in a container.
5. Documents
A typical shipment travels with a commercial invoice, a packing list, a transport document (bill of lading or air waybill) and, where you need it for preferential duty, a certificate of origin or other origin proof.
Worked stone articles are usually classified under HS heading 6802. Duty rates and import rules depend on your country — confirm them with your customs broker before ordering.
6. Payment and timing
Payment terms, production time and shipping time are confirmed in the written quotation for each order. Make sure the quotation states validity, delivery term, place and what happens if quantities change.
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Tell us the product, quantity and delivery location. We reply with what can be supplied and a written quotation.
