Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February, 11 days earlier than in 2026 when it landed on 17 February. Vietnam’s Tết falls on the same day, so suppliers there follow the same timetable. The official holiday is expected to run from 5 to 12 February, but anyone who has bought from Asian factories knows the real disruption lasts far longer than a week.
The holiday is a week. The disruption is six to eight.
Output starts dropping two to three weeks before the holiday as workers leave for home and factories stop taking new jobs. After it, many plants take until late February or mid-March to get back to full speed, and some workers don’t come back at all. Plan for a window running from early January to mid-March, not for one week in February.
The earlier date this year squeezes the gap between the holiday sales season and the shutdown. Orders that would normally be placed in December need to be placed now.
Work backwards from your warehouse
A 5-page planner with final cut-off dates for the US, Europe and Australia, a week-by-week timeline, a factory closure tracker, LCL and container packing guidance, and checklists.
Get four dates from every factory
There is no single closing date that applies everywhere. Ask each supplier, in writing:
- The last day they’ll accept new orders.
- The last day of production.
- The last day goods can be dispatched.
- The date they expect to be back at full production.
Treat these as commitments, not estimates, and build them into your purchase orders.
Freight and stock
Aim to ship between mid December and early January. From mid January, freight rates climb steeply and space on vessels is hard to book as everyone rushes to ship before factories close. This year may be gentler: in early November carriers were already discounting Asia to North Europe rates, and forwarders were saying bookings looked lighter than in previous years. Don’t rely on it. Book early anyway.
Hold four to six weeks of extra stock on your best sellers to cover the gap. Running out in March usually costs more than carrying extra stock for a few weeks.
If you import into the US through a foreign company, one more date matters. The new CBP importer of record rule takes effect on 5 January 2027, so most pre-holiday shipments will land under it. Read our guide to the rule before your containers sail.
Talk to us
Bellson Global has managed production through Chinese New Year for more than 20 years. We can confirm closure dates with your factories, schedule inspections before the shutdown and get cargo booked in time. Get in touch or see what we do.
Last updated 7 November 2026. Holiday dates are set by China’s State Council and individual factories, so confirm them directly with each supplier.
