How to Prepare for Chinese New Year Factory Closures

• The Chinese New Year (CNY) is the most significant holiday in China, leading to a nationwide shutdown of factories and businesses for several weeks. For importers, failing to plan for CNY can result in massive delays, stockouts, and strained supplier relationships.

The Ultimate CNY Planning Timeline

• October/November (3-4 months prior):

• Finalize Orders: Place all pre-CNY orders. Production lead times will start increasing.
• Confirm Schedules: Communicate with your suppliers to get their exact holiday closure dates.
• Book Freight: Secure your shipping space. Container and vessel space becomes scarce and expensive.

• Quality Control: Schedule pre-shipment inspections. Rushing before the holiday often leads to quality dips.
• Monitor Production: Stay in close contact with your factory. Production will be at its peak, and you need to ensure your order isn't being neglected.

• Shipment Deadline: Aim to have your goods on a vessel *before* the last week of January. Ports will be heavily congested.
• Payment: Ensure all outstanding payments are cleared so your goods are released without delay.

• Expect Delays: Even after factories reopen, it can take 2-4 weeks for production to ramp back up to full capacity due to high worker turnover.
• Place Post-CNY Orders: Get your first post-holiday orders in the queue as soon as your supplier confirms their reopening schedule.