Chinese New Year 2027: factory closure dates and cut-offs
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on 6 February. The statutory holiday starts on New Year's Eve, 5 February, provisionally for four days until the State Council publishes the full dates, but factories close for far longer: plan for most to wind down by about 30 January 2027 and for full capacity to return only in early March. Place orders that must arrive before spring well before the January rush.
The 2027 dates
Chinese New Year's Day 2027 is 6 February, the first day of the first lunar month. Under the regulations the statutory holiday is four days starting on New Year's Eve, 5 February, but the full dates are provisional: the State Council publishes each year's holiday notice, which adds bridged days and make-up working days, and it had not published the 2027 notice when this was written.
The statutory holiday is not the number that matters. Factories wind down well before it and restart slowly after it, so plan against the real closure in the table, not the public holiday.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 9 January 2027 (planning estimate) | The pre-holiday rush starts: factories fill capacity, quality risk rises and freight space tightens |
| 30 January 2027 (planning estimate) | Most factories have wound down and stopped production |
| 5 February 2027 (provisional) | The statutory holiday starts on New Year's Eve; the State Council notice sets the full dates, with bridged days and make-up working days |
| 6 February 2027 | Chinese New Year's Day, the first day of the first lunar month |
| 6 March 2027 (planning estimate) | Full capacity is usually back |
Why factories close for longer than the holiday
Before the holiday, factories rush to finish orders, quality slips under pressure, and freight rates rise as space tightens. During it, production stops for weeks rather than days and many workers travel home. After it, capacity returns gradually, because not everyone comes back and lines have to be restaffed and retrained. The effect is a window of roughly two months where normal lead times do not apply, see shipping lead times.
Order cut-offs by shipping mode
The last safe order date depends on production time and the shipping mode, so work backwards from the date you need the goods in the UK. Our Chinese New Year planner does that for sea, air and express, and the China holiday calendar shows the other public holidays that stop factories. Assume an order placed just before the wind-down ships after the holiday, whatever the assurances.
What to do now
Approve pre-production samples before the rush starts, book the pre-shipment inspection early because inspectors are busy in January, confirm in writing the date the factory will stop and restart, and hold enough UK stock to cover the closure and the slow restart. Check the first production after the holiday closely, because new staff and restarted lines are where quality slips.
Cambridge China Bridge plans orders around Chinese New Year for UK buyers with its own staff in China; for a deadline that is already tight, see urgent orders.
Frequently asked questions
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
Chinese New Year's Day is 6 February 2027. The statutory holiday starts on New Year's Eve, 5 February, provisionally until the State Council publishes the 2027 holiday notice.
When do Chinese factories close for Chinese New Year 2027?
Plan for most factories to wind down by about 30 January 2027, with the pre-holiday rush from about 9 January.
When do Chinese factories reopen after Chinese New Year 2027?
Many reopen soon after the statutory holiday, but capacity returns gradually; plan for full capacity only in early March 2027.
What is the last order date before Chinese New Year 2027?
It depends on production time and shipping mode; our Chinese New Year planner works it out backwards from the date you need the goods.