China Factory Holiday Schedule: Order Timing Guide for Importers
Chinese New Year, Golden Week, and Qingming Festival shut down factories for weeks. Here's the full holiday calendar and exactly how to plan your orders around disruptions
China Factory Holiday Schedule: Order Timing Guide for Importers
The single most predictable supply chain disruption in China sourcing is the holiday calendar. Every first-time importer eventually gets caught — they place an order in late January expecting 25-day lead time, only to discover their factory shut down for Chinese New Year two days after production started. The goods sit untouched for three weeks.
This guide covers every major Chinese factory shutdown, when to expect supply chain slowdowns, and how to plan orders to avoid getting caught.
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) — The Big One
Duration: 7 official public holiday days, but factory shutdowns typically run 3–5 weeks. Workers travel home and many don’t return until well after the official holiday ends. Factory owners often extend the shutdown to wait for their workforce to return.
Typical shutdown period: Mid-January to late February, with the exact dates shifting each year based on the lunar calendar.
2026 Chinese New Year: January 29, 2026. Factory shutdowns typically begin the week before (around January 22) and full capacity typically doesn’t resume until late February, often around February 25–28.
The staffing problem after CNY: Worker turnover during CNY is high. Some workers take permanent jobs closer to home during the break. A factory might return from holiday at 60–70% of pre-holiday staffing for 2–3 weeks before reaching full capacity. This extends effective recovery time beyond the official holiday end.
What to do:
- For goods needed in March or April: Place orders no later than late November to mid-December. This gives the factory 5–7 weeks of production time before shutdown.
- For goods needed in February: Get finished goods shipped before the holiday (requires Q4 ordering). Or plan for mid-to-late February delivery.
- Reconfirm all open orders in early January. Ask your supplier directly: “When does your factory close for CNY and when do you return to full production?”
Golden Week (National Day) — October Holiday
Duration: 7 official days (October 1–7), but actual factory disruption runs 10–14 days in practice.
2026 dates: October 1–7, 2026. Many factories extend by a day or two on each side.
Impact: Less severe than CNY. Workers are less likely to permanently leave, and the duration is shorter. But any orders placed in the last week of September expecting a quick turnaround will be affected.
What to do: Place orders by September 10–15 for delivery needed in late October. Communicate with your supplier in mid-September to confirm production status.
Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)
Duration: 3-day official holiday.
2026 date: April 4, 2026. Often extended to a 4–5 day break in practice.
Impact: Minor disruption. Most factories take the official 3 days and resume quickly. A short delay but not a major planning concern.
Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu)
Duration: 3-day official holiday.
2026 date: Approximately June 28–30, 2026 (lunar calendar based).
Impact: Similar to Qingming. Minor 3–5 day disruption.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Duration: 3-day official holiday.
2026 date: Approximately September 29, 2026 (lunar calendar — in 2026 this may overlap with or be adjacent to National Day/Golden Week).
When it overlaps with Golden Week: This creates a “super golden week” of 10+ continuous days. This happened in 2020 and creates more significant disruption than Golden Week alone.
May Day (Labor Day)
Duration: 5-day official holiday.
2026 date: May 1–5, 2026.
Impact: Moderate disruption. Not as significant as CNY or Golden Week but factories close for the full 5 days and some workers take additional time.
The Full 2026 Disruption Calendar
| Holiday | Official Dates | Actual Factory Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese New Year | Jan 29 – Feb 4 | Shutdown Jan 22 – Feb 28 (approx) |
| Qingming | April 4 | 3–5 day pause |
| May Day | May 1–5 | 5–7 day pause |
| Dragon Boat | ~June 28–30 | 3–5 day pause |
| Mid-Autumn + National Day | ~Sept 29 – Oct 7 | 10–14 day pause (may merge in 2026) |
Pre-Holiday Rush and Quality Issues
One important and often-overlooked effect of the CNY holiday: pre-holiday quality degradation.
In the 2–3 weeks before CNY, factories run at maximum capacity to complete orders before shutdown. Workers are distracted by upcoming travel, tired from long hours, and turnover begins. Quality control often suffers.
Importers who place orders with tight pre-CNY deadlines can receive goods produced during this rush period. Pre-shipment inspections are more important than ever for orders shipping in late January.
Request that production be completed by a specific date and have a third-party inspector evaluate the goods before acceptance.
Supplier Communication Tips
Ask these questions when placing any order:
- “What’s your current production capacity and backlog?”
- “When does your factory close for [upcoming holiday]?”
- “When do you return to full production after the holiday?”
- “How does the holiday affect our lead time?”
A good supplier tells you honestly if your deadline is tight. An unreliable one says “no problem” and then misses the date. The way they answer these questions tells you something about the relationship.
The Worker Shortage After CNY
This is worth understanding in depth. The “migrant worker” model of Chinese manufacturing means factories employ large numbers of workers who travel from inland provinces to coastal Guangdong and other manufacturing hubs for work. During CNY, they go home.
Return rates vary year to year, but some percentage always find local work or decide not to return. A factory operating at 70% staffing produces 70% of its normal output, but it also experiences more quality issues because experienced workers are disproportionately part of the non-returning group.
New hires need training. Training takes production capacity. This is the real reason CNY disruption extends weeks beyond the official holiday end.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly is Chinese New Year 2026? The first day of Chinese New Year 2026 is January 29. The official public holiday is 7 days. In practice, factory shutdowns begin around January 22 and full capacity doesn’t typically resume until late February, often the last week of February.
How far in advance should I order to avoid Chinese New Year delays? For goods needed in March: order by early-to-mid December. The 5–7 week buffer before CNY shutdown gives the factory time to complete production. For goods needed in February, either order in October/November for early delivery, or accept the post-CNY timeline.
Do all Chinese factories close for the same dates? The official holiday dates are the same nationwide, but factory-specific closure dates vary. Some factories close a week early; some extend the holiday longer. Ask your specific supplier every year — don’t assume the same dates repeat.
Does factory holiday disruption affect Alibaba and online ordering? Alibaba and online platforms continue operating during holidays, but supplier response times slow significantly. Sales reps may be traveling. Factory production halts regardless of what’s shown as available on Alibaba. Factor in 2–4 week delays in communication and responsiveness around major holidays.
What happens to orders placed right before a holiday? Orders placed 1–2 weeks before a major holiday (especially CNY) face three risks: the factory rushes production and quality suffers, the factory doesn’t start production before the holiday and the lead time extends by the full holiday length, or the factory misrepresents its capacity to secure the order. Request honest communication about timeline and confirm in writing.