Illustrative situation
A brand reorders a best-selling hoodie in early winter and expects delivery by the end of the season. The factory warns that the Lunar New Year holiday is approaching and that the order may be delayed. The buyer wants to plan better next time.
Main answer
Factories in China commonly close for the Lunar New Year holiday and take time to return to full capacity afterwards, so place reorders early, confirm production and shipping dates in writing, and keep a buffer on both sides of the break. The break is predictable, so the delay is a planning issue, not a surprise, if you work backwards from it.
Why it affects the whole supply chain
The holiday affects not only the factory but also fabric and trim suppliers, printers, forwarders and port services. Many workers travel home and some do not return immediately, so staffing can be thin for a period after the holiday. Material that is not at the factory before the break may arrive late, and production schedules before the break are often crowded.
Work backwards from the break
Ask the factory which dates it will close and reopen each year, since the holiday dates change. Decide the latest date by which production must finish to ship before closure, and work backwards through sampling, material purchase and approvals. If you cannot meet that date, plan for production after the break and accept a later arrival, or place a smaller order earlier.
Reduce the risk
Order key materials early so they are in the factory before the break. Confirm approvals quickly. Ask whether the factory can pre-produce core items, and agree how freight will be booked. Keep communication open during the closure period, and agree who is the contact. Be aware that freight rates and capacity can also change around the holiday.
What to confirm in writing
Ask the factory to confirm the last day it will accept material deliveries before the break, the last production day, the date it reopens and the date from which your order will resume. Ask whether sampling and shipping continue during the closure. Ask who will answer urgent questions, and how long a reply will take. Keep these confirmations with the order so that a delay can be explained against agreed dates.
Align with your own calendar
Compare the factory’s available dates with your selling season. If the timing does not fit, consider changing the launch plan instead of squeezing production. Review the process on How it works and speak to the team through Contact well before your reorder.
Fact, recommendation, uncertainty
- Established fact
- The Lunar New Year holiday is a recurring annual closure period for many factories in China, with dates that change each year.
- Recommendation
- Ask for the factory’s closure dates, work backwards from them and place reorders and material purchases early.
- Uncertainty
- Exact closure dates and the speed of restart vary by factory and year, so confirm them with each supplier.
Sources and further reading
No single official source defines this, so this answer is a recommendation based on how production and buying are commonly organised. Confirm every figure and term in your own quotation.
More perspectives from the team
Three further views on the same question, each by function. They add conditions and limits to the main answer; they are editorial notes, not customer reviews.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Sourcing
Ask the factory to write its closure and restart dates into the order confirmation, with the date from which the clock restarts. Limit: a promised restart date is a target, and staffing may take longer to recover. Ask your freight forwarder about booking cut-off dates around the holiday, since space can be tight before and after.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Product selection
Concentrate on the core styles that must be in stock, and leave minor lines to a later order. Limit: reducing range may affect sales, so decide with the sales plan in mind. Place the largest, most predictable reorders first and leave experimental items to a time with less pressure.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Quality & care
Ask whether staff changes after the holiday affect the line that makes your order and schedule an in-line check soon after restart. Limit: new staff may need time to learn your style, so allow for a learning curve. Request photos of the production line and finished goods after restart, to check output matches the approved sample.
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