The regulatory environment for importers of natural plant-based products has changed substantially in recent years. Two pieces of legislation in particular — the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the United States Lacey Act — now place meaningful due diligence obligations on companies importing natural fiber goods such as rattan baskets, seagrass products, water hyacinth goods, and related items. For wholesale buyers and importers in the EU and US, understanding these requirements is no longer optional: non-compliance carries the risk of shipment refusal, financial penalties, and reputational damage.
This guide explains what each regulation requires, which products and buyers are affected, and what documentation a responsible supplier should be able to provide to support your compliance obligations. It is written for procurement managers, import compliance teams, and sourcing directors working with natural fiber products from Indonesia and other producing countries.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (Regulation EU 2023/1115) entered into force in June 2023 and applies to a defined list of commodities and derived products where there is a risk of association with deforestation or forest degradation. The regulation requires EU operators — companies that place regulated products on the EU market for the first time — and traders to conduct due diligence on their supply chains and to demonstrate that goods are both deforestation-free and legally produced in the country of origin.
The core commodities listed in the EUDR include cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, wood, and rubber, along with products derived from these commodities. Rattan, seagrass, water hyacinth, and banana fiber — the materials used in most handwoven natural fiber baskets — are not currently listed as core EUDR commodities. However, importers working with wood-framed products, products containing rubber or bamboo with wood-derived components, or products incorporating any EUDR-listed material should verify their specific product’s compliance status with their legal counsel.
Irrespective of whether a specific material falls under the EUDR’s current scope, the regulation signals a broader direction of travel in EU import compliance: an expectation of supply chain transparency, traceability to origin, and documentation of legality. Responsible importers are building these practices into their supplier relationships now, ahead of potential scope expansions and to meet the growing expectations of EU retail buyers and sustainability auditors.
For natural fiber importers working with Indonesian suppliers, the practical implication is straightforward: your supplier should be able to provide documentation covering the origin of raw materials (species, region of harvest, harvesting authorisation), the processing and manufacturing chain from raw material to finished product, and a statement confirming that materials were legally sourced under applicable Indonesian law. A reputable Indonesian manufacturer will have this information structured and readily available for buyers who request it.
The Lacey Act is a US federal law that prohibits the import, export, purchase, sale, or acquisition of plants and plant products that were taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of US or foreign law. Since amendments in 2008, the Lacey Act has applied to a wide range of plant-based products, including those made from rattan, bamboo, seagrass, water hyacinth, and other natural fibers.
The key compliance requirement for US importers is the submission of a Plant and Plant Product Declaration (USDA APHIS Form PPQ 505) at the time of import for regulated plant products. This declaration requires the importer (or their customs broker, acting on the importer’s behalf) to provide the scientific name (genus and species) of the plant material in the product, the value of the product, the quantity and unit of measure, and the country of harvest of each plant component.
The PPQ 505 is a declaration made by the importer, not the supplier — however, the importer can only complete it accurately if the supplier has provided the necessary species and origin information. A supplier that cannot identify the species and harvest country of the plant materials in their products is a compliance risk for any US importer, regardless of how competitive their pricing may be.
Importantly, the Lacey Act does not prohibit the import of products made from legally harvested plants — it prohibits the import of products where the plant material was illegally taken or traded. An Indonesian rattan supplier working with legally harvested rattan from permitted concessions is fully compliant with the Lacey Act’s intent; the importer’s obligation is simply to declare this accurately at the border.
Importers bringing natural fiber products into Australia must comply with the biosecurity requirements administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). All rattan, seagrass, water hyacinth, and similar plant-based products require a Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the exporting country — in Indonesia’s case, by BKIPM (Badan Karantina Ikan, Pengendalian Mutu dan Keamanan Hasil Perikanan, or for plant products, the relevant Ministry of Agriculture authority).
In addition to the phytosanitary certificate, DAFF may require a Fumigation Certificate for certain natural fiber products, particularly those made from unprocessed or minimally processed plant material. It is advisable for Australian importers to confirm the specific requirements for their product category with DAFF’s Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) database before placing an order, as requirements can change and are product-specific.
A compliance-ready Indonesian natural fiber supplier should be able to provide, either as standard or upon request, the following documentation in support of your import compliance obligations.
For all markets: a commercial invoice with full product description including plant species and material composition, a packing list with carton-level detail, and a phytosanitary certificate issued by BKIPM covering the specific shipment. For the United States: the plant species, country of harvest, and weight information needed for you to complete the PPQ 505 declaration, together with any supporting harvest or processing documentation. For the European Union: supply chain traceability documentation covering raw material origin (including geo-location data for sourcing areas where available), harvesting authorisation records, and a due diligence statement appropriate to the EUDR framework. For Australia: a phytosanitary certificate and, where required by DAFF, a fumigation certificate.
PT. Mitra Eco Bhavana maintains supply chain records for all raw materials used in our production — including species identification, origin region, and relevant harvesting or processing documentation. We provide a full phytosanitary certificate with every shipment, Lacey Act species and origin information for US-bound orders, EUDR-relevant due diligence documentation upon request for EU importers, and fumigation certificates where required for Australian shipments.
We have structured our documentation processes to support buyers operating in regulated markets, and we treat compliance transparency as a fundamental component of a sustainable supplier relationship. If your import compliance team has specific documentation requirements beyond what is listed here, please share them with us at the time of order.
To discuss your compliance requirements or to request sample documentation for your import market, please contact our team via WhatsApp.
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