Lunar New Year 2021:

For brands manufacturing overseas, production planning for Spring and Summer 2021 begins now. As you plan, do not forget about Lunar New Year, which begins Friday, February 12th, 2021.

For those new to manufacturing overseas, the Lunar New Year, is the largest holiday for several East-Asian countries. While the holiday officially last for one week, many factories and business, especially in China and Vietnam, are closed for three weeks or more. If not planned for, this holiday can destroy your manufacturing timelines and leave you without product for weeks.

Critical Path Timelines:

Blacksmith helps our clients plan for holidays, like the Lunar New Year by using Critical Path timelines. You should give your factory a minimum of 60 days to complete your order. Transporting your product to the port for shipping also requires a few days. We highly recommend that companies place Spring 2021 orders before the end of November to ensure you receive your product on time.

IMPORTANT – If you are currently developing your product and cannot begin manufacturing until 2021, please be aware that many factories can be hesitant to take on new projects in the weeks leading up to the Lunar New Year holiday.

How to Avoid Lunar New Year Altogether:

One way to avoid the supply chain disruption caused by the Lunar New Year is to implement a hybrid U.S./Asia manufacturing strategy. By using both overseas production and Blacksmith’s U.S. Demand-based Factory, brands don’t have to wait for their overseas factories to re-open to get product. This hybrid manufacturing strategy concept, best described in this case study, not only allows brands to restock core styles in a matter of days, but low minimum order requirements mean that brands can test new styles with low risk.

The best way to handle Lunar New Year is to prepare for it. At Blacksmith we always advise our clients on how to best deal with the holiday — if you have any questions, we’re happy to help. Contact us HERE.