Chinese New Year 2027: January shipments start in October

Chinese New Year falls on February 6, 2027. But for appliance importers, the planning deadline comes much earlier. Factory slowdowns can begin before the holiday, and each supplier’s shutdown and restart schedule will differ.

Planning GuideSourcing & Logistics4 min read

Chinese New Year 2027: Your January shipment starts in October.

The easiest way to miss a January sailing is to wait until January to plan it.

Miniature scene: an approved purchase order and boxed air fryers and espresso machines travel by truck to a container ship, with a Feb 6 calendar and red lantern marking Chinese New Year 2027

Chinese New Year falls on February 6, 2027. But for appliance importers, the planning deadline comes much earlier. Factory slowdowns can begin before the holiday, and each supplier’s shutdown and restart schedule will differ. Check the 2027 calendar.

If you want stock on the water before the holiday disruption, October–November is a practical PO planning window—provided your supplier confirms capacity.

Oct 16 – Nov 13Production-ready order window
Jan 22Example target sailing
Feb 6Chinese New Year 2027

Here’s the math.

Work backward from your sailing date

Suppose you’re targeting a January 22 departure, with:

  • 8–12 weeks for materials and production.
  • 2 weeks for inspection, possible rework, inland transport and port cutoffs.

That puts your production-ready order date between October 16 and November 13.

Working backward from a Jan 22 sailingOct 2026 – Feb 2027, drawn to scale
Order window
Materials + production · 8–12 wks
+2 wks
OCT
NOV
DEC
JAN
FEB
Oct 1612-wk build
Nov 138-wk build
Jan 8Cargo ready
Jan 22Sails
Feb 6CNY

Light segment of the production bar = the 4-week spread between a 12-week and an 8-week build.

This is a planning example, not a guaranteed shipping schedule. New tooling, sample revisions or longer component lead times move the deadline earlier.

And “production-ready” means more than sending a PO. Confirm the deposit, specifications, packaging approvals and production slot with your supplier.

Workers at long assembly lines on the Wing Appliance production floor in Ningbo
Assembly lines at Wing’s Ningbo facility. A confirmed slot on a line like this is what “production-ready” should buy you.

Ask these three questions now

  1. What is your last confirmed production-completion date before the holiday?Not the shutdown date—the date finished goods are packed and ready.
  2. By what date must our deposit, specifications and packaging be approved?This is your real deadline. The PO date means little without it.
  3. What cargo-ready date does our forwarder need for the intended sailing?Ask your forwarder, then hold your supplier to it.

Get specific dates in writing. “Before Chinese New Year” leaves too much room for misunderstanding.

On the water is not in your warehouse

One distinction matters. If you need inventory available to sell in Q1, work backward from your warehouse delivery date—not your sailing date.

Sailing dateOn the water

Cargo has left port. Your planning clock stopped too early.

Delivery dateIn your warehouse

Add ocean transit, customs clearance and final delivery before you count it as sellable stock.

Infographic: January shipments start in October. Step 1, Oct–Nov confirm orders. Step 2, 8–12 weeks production. Step 3, Jan 22 target sailing, plus 2 weeks inspection and port buffer. Chinese New Year Feb 6.

Save this schedule for your next supplier call.

Forward it to whoever approves your POs. If you’re planning a pre-holiday run with Wing, tell us your target sailing and we’ll give you a confirmed production-completion date in writing.

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