Sheesham chests of drawers — dense Indian rosewood for heirloom-grade storage.
Sheesham is the wood buyers choose when a chest has to feel permanent — dense, dark-grained and strong enough to carry loaded drawers for a lifetime. We manufacture sheesham chests, dressers and tallboys in Jodhpur, CITES-handled and fully documented, with dovetailed drawers and kiln-dried carcasses, shipped from a single trial order up to repeat container volumes.
The dense rosewood that makes storage an heirloom.
Sheesham — Indian rosewood, Dalbergia sissoo — is the traditional hardwood of North Indian furniture for one reason: it lasts. At roughly 1660 lbf on the Janka scale it is markedly harder and denser than mango or acacia, so a sheesham chest shrugs off the dents, knocks and constant drawer-loading that wear lesser dressers out. That density also gives it a planted, solid presence on the floor and a surface that takes crisp carving, fluting and mouldings for decorative fronts. Its grain is unmistakable — a rich golden-to-chocolate brown shot through with dramatic darker streaks that deepen with age and oil, reading as genuinely premium. Because it is a true rosewood, Dalbergia sissoo is CITES-listed; we handle it fully compliant and documented, so its heirloom quality never costs you at customs. It is the wood for buyers who sell furniture meant to be kept.
Why sheesham outlasts softer dressers.
| Attribute | Sheesham chest characteristic |
|---|---|
| Wood type | Dense tropical hardwood / true rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) — solid carcass and drawers |
| Hardness | High (Janka roughly 1660 lbf) — strongly resists dents, scratches and drawer wear |
| Grain & colour | Rich golden-to-chocolate brown with dramatic dark contrasting streaks; deepens with age |
| Weight | Heavy — gives a solid, permanent feel; freight planned via knockdown and mixed loads |
| Workability | Takes crisp carving, fluting, turning and mouldings for decorative drawer fronts |
| Best setting | Indoor — bedrooms, dressing rooms and premium retail ranges |
| Legality | CITES Appendix II — handled fully compliant with permits and documented chain of custody |
| Sustainability | Vriksh timber-legality and FSC chain-of-custody on request; EUDR-ready sourcing |
Grain figure and streaking vary from board to board, so we recommend approving a physical sample before production. Request a sheesham sample and we will send grain and finish references. For the full species profile, see the sheesham wood material guide.
Compact chests to wide dressers and tallboys.
Every dimension below is a standard starting point — we build sheesham chests to your exact drawer count, width, depth and internal layout for retail and contract ranges.
| Type | Width | Height | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-drawer chest | 30–36 in · 76–91 cm | 28–32 in · 71–81 cm | Compact bedrooms, hallways |
| 5-drawer chest | 30–36 in · 76–91 cm | 42–50 in · 107–127 cm | Main bedroom folded storage |
| Wide dresser (6–8 drawer) | 40–60 in · 102–152 cm | 30–36 in · 76–91 cm | Double bedrooms, dressing rooms |
| Tallboy | 18–30 in · 46–76 cm | 44–54 in · 112–137 cm | Narrow rooms, vertical storage |
Drawer build
Dovetail or dowelled drawer boxes on solid sheesham carcasses, with wood-on-wood runners as standard or metal soft-close / ball-bearing slides on request. The density of sheesham makes for firm, long-lasting runner surfaces.
Finishes & fronts
Natural oil, wax, or satin / matt lacquer that lets the dark grain show — in CARB / TSCA Title VI formaldehyde-compliant formulations. Hand-carved, fluted or plain fronts with brass, iron or wooden handles.
Packing & shipping
Assembled or knockdown (flat-pack / RTA) to manage the weight of dense rosewood and cut breakage, with retail-ready, Amazon-FBA-ready or branded packaging. ISPM-15 heat-treated export packing, FOB or CIF from Mundra / Nhava Sheva.
Rosewood that clears customs correctly, every time.
Sheesham is a true rosewood, so it sits under CITES Appendix II as well as the broader timber regulations across your markets — and we handle every layer. Every sheesham chest ships CITES-compliant with the required permits, Vriksh timber-legality verification, FSC chain-of-custody on request, and EUDR-ready geolocation and deforestation-free due diligence. We provide US Lacey Act declaration support, UK Timber Regulation coverage, and CARB / TSCA Title VI formaldehyde-compliant finishes, with social and quality assurance under SEDEX / SMETA, ISO and SGS inspection, and ISPM-15 heat-treated export packing. Certificate references go directly to serious buyers — never published.
| Area | Our standard |
|---|---|
| Species legality | CITES Appendix II · permits · documented chain |
| Timber legality | Vriksh verified |
| Sustainability | FSC chain-of-custody on request · EUDR-ready |
| US market | Lacey Act support · CARB / TSCA finishes |
| Social & quality | SEDEX / SMETA · ISO · SGS inspection |
| Export packing | ISPM-15 heat-treated · flat-pack options |
A dresser built to be handed down.
Sheesham carcasses and drawer boxes are kiln-dried to stable moisture levels before joinery, so the dense timber holds its shape and drawers stay true. Dust with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth and keep the chest out of prolonged direct sun, which can lighten the rich tone over time. A light wax or oil refresh once or twice a year feeds oiled and natural surfaces and deepens the grain; sealed finishes need only wiping. The density that makes sheesham so durable also makes it heavy, so position the chest before loading drawers. Hand-carved fronts should be dusted with a soft brush to keep detailing crisp. Full care and finish guidance ships with every order so your retail and contract customers get consistent advice.
Sheesham chest sourcing, answered.
What is sheesham wood?
Sheesham is Indian rosewood — botanically Dalbergia sissoo — one of the hardest, densest and most prized furniture hardwoods grown in North India. It is instantly recognisable by its rich golden-to-chocolate brown colour with dramatic dark contrasting streaks, and it is strong enough to carry heavily loaded drawers for generations, which is why it is the traditional choice for heirloom chests and dressers.
Is sheesham good for a chest of drawers?
Exceptionally. Its high density (Janka around 1660 lbf) resists dents, scratches and the wear of daily drawer loading, and the timber takes crisp carving, turning and mouldings for decorative fronts. Its weight gives a chest a solid, planted feel on the floor. We kiln-dry every component to stable moisture levels so drawers stay true and glide cleanly through climate changes.
Is sheesham CITES-regulated, and can you still export it?
Dalbergia sissoo is listed under CITES Appendix II, which governs international trade in rosewood species. We handle it fully CITES-compliant, with the required permits and documented, legal chain of custody, so your sheesham chests clear customs correctly. We also provide Vriksh timber-legality verification, FSC chain-of-custody on request and EUDR-ready due diligence.
How heavy are sheesham chests, and how does that affect freight?
Sheesham is dense and genuinely heavy, which is part of its heirloom appeal but adds weight to a container. We offer knockdown (flat-pack) builds and help you plan mixed containers to balance weight against volume, so you get the density of rosewood without wasting freight capacity.
What is your minimum order for sheesham chests of drawers?
A trial or sample order can ship LCL (part-container). For best wholesale pricing thereafter, one 20ft full container load is our standard minimum, and we consolidate sheesham chests with beds, sideboards, nightstands and other categories into a single mixed container.
Can you make sheesham chests to our own design?
Yes. We work as ODM (our catalogue designs) and OEM (your drawings, dimensions, finishes and private-label or retail-ready packaging), including hand-carved and fluted fronts, brass hardware, and colonial, rustic and mid-century dressers built to your exact specification.
Sample the grain and drawer action, then ship from one container up.
Approve the grain, colour and drawer glide on a physical sample, then scale from a trial order to repeat container volumes on a 30–45 day lead time — CITES-handled, QC-governed and documented for your market. Read the full species profile on the sheesham wood material guide, or compare woods and configurations on the chests of drawers hub.