Sourcing Strategies to Avoid the Pre-Chinese New Year Scramble

If you’ve been in apparel sourcing for more than one season, you know the feeling. Late December arrives, and suddenly the inbox is filled with urgent requests. Lead times compress. The pre-CNY scramble has officially begun.

As we move into the Chinese New Year 2026 window, we’ve watched this play out from both sides—standing on factory floors during these critical weeks and sitting across from merchandising teams at global brands trying to hit their launch dates. What we’ve learned is this: the brands that navigate this period most successfully aren’t necessarily the ones who push harder. They’re often the ones who plan differently.

What CNY Means Beyond the Calendar

Chinese New Year represents the largest annual human migration on the planet. We are talking about hundreds of millions of people traveling to reunite with family, often for the only time all year.
For the skilled professionals who manage production, dyeing equipment, and quality control—this is their major holiday. At ECI, we’ve always believed that company success stems from every employee's contribution. Our founder, Chiang-Lin Chen, established a guiding principle over 50 years ago: "Pursue Flexibility, Create with Full Sincerity."
Think about how you approach your own holiday time in December—the quiet days when you finally catch your breath. That same rhythm exists across the apparel supply chain; it just happens at a different time of year.

Why the Production Bottleneck Happens

The pre-CNY compression happens because the whole ecosystem shifts at once. It’s not just factories taking a holiday; it’s yarn suppliers, packaging vendors, trucking companies, ports, and customs brokers.

• Raw Materials: Transportation networks slow down days before the official holiday. Without yarn arriving on schedule, production timelines shift regardless of urgency.
• Dyeing & Finishing: These processes require precise timing and specific environmental conditions. They have their own rhythm that can't be compressed indefinitely.
• Logistics: Ports experience heavy volume as shippers work to move containers before the holiday.

When brands try to compress garment production timelines during this period, quality can suffer and relationships can strain. Often, goods don't necessarily arrive faster anyway.

How Experienced Merchandisers Navigate the Window

The brands we’ve worked with for decades—those who consistently get their goods on time—tend to follow these four common practices:
1. Early Conversations (The October Rule)
Planning for the next year often happens three to four months before CNY. By October, sharing Q1 forecasts with manufacturing partners allows for:

• Securing raw materials before markets tighten.
• Strategic booking of machine time.
• Identifying potential issues while there is still time to address them.

2. Geographic Flexibility
ECI operates facilities in Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. While CNY affects the entire region, the timing and impact can vary. Our Vietnam facilities, established in 2008, provide significant capacity, while Taiwan houses our R&D. Strategic merchandisers allocate production across these locations to balance holiday impacts.
3. Building in "Buffer Zones"
Treating the two weeks surrounding the holiday as "buffer zones" can save a season. Aiming for goods to be ex-factory two weeks before the holiday begins allows the system to absorb small delays—like port congestion or raw material hiccups.
4. Identifying Priorities
Rather than treating every SKU as equally urgent, work with suppliers to identify what is truly critical for a floor set and what can be scheduled for post-holiday production.

Lessons from 50 Years in Manufacturing

We’ve navigated oil crises, economic downturns, and pandemics. From our founding in 1974 in Taiwan to our current position as a global solutions provider, we’ve seen that sustainable success comes from sustainable relationships.
During the 2020 pandemic, ECI pivoted to support national responses while maintaining global commitments for brands like Adidas. That kind of flexibility comes from relationships built over years of open communication.

Looking Toward 2027

Chinese New Year is part of the natural rhythm of our industry. Working with it—rather than against it—creates smoother outcomes and higher quality.
Behind every meter of product, there are skilled professionals who take pride in their work. When they return from holiday refreshed, they bring that dedication back to maintaining your brand's standards.
As you navigate the close of the 2026 window, are you ready to start the conversation for a smoother next year? Let's review your upcoming timeline together.