In short
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February 2027. The official holiday lasts about a week, but factories close for two to four weeks and slow down about 15 days before and after the break. In practice, production largely stops for about a month. Workers go home, some do not come back, and freight gets scarce and expensive before the break. Three dates to keep: plan your orders about four months before (early October 2026), place them about three months before (early November 2026), and have goods inspected and loaded before factories slow down, around mid-January 2027.
Updated for Chinese New Year 2027. Chinese New Year is the biggest stop in Chinese production every year. Our team in Guangzhou has worked with it since 2008: we stop too, so we plan our clients’ orders, inspections and loadings before the break. This guide gives the dates, what really stops, a planning calendar and the risks after the holiday. It is written for companies with large, recurring or project orders, for whom a one-month delay is a real cost.
When is Chinese New Year 2027 and how long does China stop?
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, follows the lunar calendar. The date moves every year between late January and mid-February. In 2027, New Year’s Day is Saturday 6 February and New Year’s Eve, the family reunion night, is Friday 5 February. The Lantern Festival, which closes the festive period, falls on Saturday 20 February 2027.
The official holiday calendar for mainland China is published by the State Council, usually late in the year. The 2026 calendar came out on 4 November 2025 and gave a 9-day break. For production, though, the official dates matter less than what factories do around them.
| Period | For CNY 2027 (approx.) | What happens at factories | What happens in logistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 weeks before | Early to mid-January 2027 | Rush to finish orders. Some factories accept more than they can deliver. | Peak demand: space is tight, rates go up, bookings fill |
| About 2 weeks before | From about 22 January 2027 | Workers start leaving. Output drops fast. | Last loadings, early cut-offs, trucks hard to find |
| The holiday | From 5 February 2027 | Most factories closed, often for two to four weeks | Forwarders, trucking and customs brokers run with minimal teams |
| After the holiday | Until the Lantern Festival (20 February) and beyond | Gradual restart, staff missing. Full speed often only after the Lantern Festival, sometimes later. | Blank sailings (cancelled departures) while few goods are ready, then a backlog |
Many factory workers come from other provinces, and this is often their only long holiday of the year. That is why the break in factories is much longer than the official one.
Planning calendar for Chinese New Year 2027
This is a planning guide, not a rule. It applies the advice we have given clients for years: plan about four months before Chinese New Year and order about three months before. Your lead time, product and forwarder change the exact dates. A long or complex production needs earlier dates.
| When | Target for CNY 2027 | Step | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| About 17 weeks before | Early October 2026 | Plan: volumes, specifications, suppliers, quotations | Time to compare offers and fix specifications calmly |
| About 13 weeks before | Early November 2026 | Last orders for delivery before CNY: contract signed, deposit paid, sample approved | Factories fill their pre-holiday slots first |
| About 8 weeks before | Mid-December 2026 | Book containers as soon as the end-of-production date is confirmed | Space before the holiday is limited and expensive |
| About 4 weeks before | Early January 2027 | Final inspections | Leaves time to rework a failed batch before workers leave |
| About 3 weeks before | By mid-January 2027 | Last loadings and shipments | After about 22 January, factories and trucking slow down |
| About 2 weeks after | Around 20 February 2027 | Restart: confirm who is back and get new production dates | Factories reopen gradually |
| 3 to 6 weeks after | Late February to March 2027 | First production after CNY: inspect it from the start | New workers, backlog and rush |
If an order cannot be finished before the break, decide early: either it starts after the holiday, or you reduce the quantity to what can really be done. Tell your own customers at the same time. An order finished in the last days before the break is one of the riskiest of the year. More on schedules and contracts in our order management guide.
The risks after Chinese New Year
- Workers who do not come back. Some change jobs or stay in their home province. Factories restart with new staff who must be trained.
- Backlog. Orders waiting from before the break, raw materials that also stopped, and every buyer asking for priority.
- Rushed production. To catch up, lines run fast and checks get skipped.
- Quality drops. New workers, pressure and materials bought in a hurry give more defects and quiet substitutions.
- Half-finished orders. Goods started before the break and finished after, by a different team, are worth a close look.
That is why we recommend inspecting the first batches after Chinese New Year, even with a supplier you trust. Check materials and first pieces against the golden sample, inspect during production to catch recurring defects, and run a final inspection before you pay the balance. A good order in December does not guarantee a good one in March. Our quality control guide explains each inspection and AQL sampling.
Shipping around Chinese New Year
- Before the break: everyone wants to ship at the same time. Space on ships and planes gets scarce, rates rise and late bookings can be rolled to a later departure.
- During the break: forwarders, trucking companies, warehouses and customs brokers work with minimal teams. Little moves from the factories.
- After the break: with few goods ready, shipping lines cancel some departures (blank sailings). Then the backlog arrives, and space stays tight for a while.
Goods that miss the last loading wait until factories, trucks and forwarders are back: at least a month of delay. Few companies can absorb that, especially those that sell on pre-orders or supply a project with fixed dates. Book as soon as the end-of-production date is confirmed, and keep a margin between the end of production and the loading date.
Chinese New Year is not the only break. Golden Week, the National Day holiday in early October, stops many factories and offices for several days, and the pre-Christmas peak tightens space from late summer. Our guide to importing from China covers booking, Incoterms and costs. If you are looking for new suppliers, plan visits to the spring session of the Canton Fair in Guangzhou once factories are back at full speed.
How Asiaction helps around Chinese New Year
Our French-managed team works from Guangzhou, close to the factories. Like everyone in China, we stop for Chinese New Year. So we plan with our clients well before the break:
- Production follow-up before the factory closes: dated schedules, updates with photos, and early warning when a date slips.
- Inspections before the break: final inspections early enough to rework a batch if needed.
- Loading supervision: carton count, random opening, container condition and sealing, so nothing is loaded in a hurry without checks.
- Shipping: sea, rail or air freight from China, booked early.
- After the break: we inspect every production we follow, including the first batches after the holiday.
You follow production dates, inspection reports and containers in our online client portal. See also our order management and shipping management services.
FAQ: Chinese New Year and production in China
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
Chinese New Year’s Day is Saturday 6 February 2027, and the Lantern Festival is Saturday 20 February 2027. The official public holiday calendar is published by the State Council, usually late in the year.
How long do Chinese factories close for Chinese New Year?
Usually two to four weeks, much longer than the official holiday. Factories also slow down about 15 days before and after the break, so production largely stops for about a month.
When should I order to receive goods before Chinese New Year?
Start planning about four months before and place your order about three months before: for 2027, that means early October and early November 2026. A long or complex production needs earlier dates.
Is it risky to produce right after Chinese New Year?
It is possible, but it is a risky time: missing workers, new staff, backlog and rush. Inspect the first batches after the holiday, from materials to final inspection, before you pay the balance.
Does Golden Week in October also affect production?
Yes. The National Day holiday in early October stops many factories and offices for several days. The impact is shorter than Chinese New Year, but the same logic applies: plan production and bookings around it.
Planning orders before Chinese New Year 2027?
Send us your products, volumes and target delivery dates. Our team in Guangzhou will tell you what can still be produced, inspected and shipped before the break, and how to plan the restart.
