Are you planning to have retail display fixtures, store furniture, showcases, or other custom products manufactured in China prior to the 2027 Chinese Lunar New Year? Overseas buyers should be aware that the impact of this holiday on production and logistics can last for several weeks.
Chinese New Year falls on February 6, 2027. However, for overseas buyers sourcing Made in China products, especially custom-made products, the real impact may begin in late January and continue through late February.
At Guangzhou ONI Shopfitting Limited, we manufacture custom retail fixtures, shopfitting, store furniture and display solutions for international retail projects. Based on the realities of factory production in China.
The following are several factors overseas buyers should consider when planning projects around Chinese New Year.
1. Factory Workers Start Returning Home Before Chinese New Year
Many manufacturing workers in Guangdong and other industrial regions come from provinces far from the factories where they work. As Chinese New Year approaches, large numbers of workers begin making long journeys home to reunite with their families.
Some workers may start leaving around two weeks before the festival, which means a factory can remain officially open while its actual production capacity has already begun to decline. Different departments may also reduce staffing at different times.
For custom manufacturing projects involving woodworking, metal fabrication, glass, painting, electrical work, assembly and packaging, reduced staffing in just one department can affect the entire production schedule. Overseas buyers should therefore plan for possible slowdowns before the official holiday begins.
2. Chunyun — The World’s Largest Annual Travel Rush
The Chinese New Year period also brings Chunyun (春运), China’s annual Spring Festival travel rush. During this period, hundreds of millions of people travel across the country, creating heavy demand for trains, flights and road transportation.
High travel demand can affect not only factory workers, but also truck drivers, logistics teams, installation workers and other personnel throughout the supply chain. For overseas buyers, this can influence: Raw material delivery → Production → Subcontract processing → Packaging → Domestic trucking → Container loading → Port delivery.
As a result, completing production does not always mean the goods can be shipped immediately. Additional time may be needed for trucking, container arrangements and port delivery during the Chinese New Year period.
3. Suppliers Also Have Chinese New Year Holidays
A custom retail fixture is rarely made from only one material. A typical shopfitting project may involve:
- Plywood, MDF and veneer
- Stainless steel and other metal components
- Glass and mirrors
- Stone or solid-surface materials
- LED lighting and electrical components
- Hardware and accessories
- Paint and finishing materials
- Acrylic and signage
- Packaging materials
These materials often come from different suppliers, and each supplier may have its own Chinese New Year holiday schedule. Some may reduce production or stop accepting new orders before the main factory officially closes. As a result, the supply chain may begin slowing down before the factory holiday starts. Buyers should confirm key materials and components early to reduce the risk of production delays.
4. Reopening Does Not Mean 100% Production Capacity
A common misunderstanding is that once a factory reopens, production immediately returns to normal. In reality, Chinese New Year 2027 falls on February 6, while the Lantern Festival is on February 20.
Some workers return earlier, while others come back later. As a result, different departments may recover production capacity at different speeds.
For planning purposes, buyers should treat late January through late February as a potentially reduced-capacity period. Exact timing will vary by factory and supplier.
5. Custom Shopfitting Projects Need Even More Planning
Compared with standard products, custom retail fixtures and shopfitting projects require more planning and coordination because design, materials, drawings and production details must be confirmed before manufacturing starts.
Before manufacturing begins, a project may need to go through: Store Layout → Design → 3D Rendering → Material Confirmation → Shop Drawings → Samples → Production → QC → Packing → Container Loading → Shipping
If design approval, drawings or material confirmation are delayed by one or two weeks, the project may miss the final production window before Chinese New Year. In some cases, production may need to wait until factory capacity recovers after the holiday.
When Should You Start Your China Manufacturing Project?
If you need fixtures or store furniture delivered around January, February or March 2027, we strongly recommend discussing your schedule with your Chinese manufacturer as early as possible.
For projects involving: Retail Store Fixtures | Shopfitting | Jewelry Showcases | Cosmetic Displays | Pharmacy Furniture | Fashion Store Furniture | Optical Displays | Supermarket Fixtures | Kiosks | Custom Display Cabinets
please provide your supplier with:
1. Required delivery date
2. Store opening date
3. Project drawings / floor plan
4. Quantity
5. Destination country / port
6. Required installation date
A professional manufacturer can then work backwards from your required opening or delivery date and identify which stages should be completed before Chinese New Year.
Our Recommendation for Overseas Buyers
If your project needs to ship before or shortly after Chinese New Year 2027, plan early, confirm designs early, approve materials early and reserve production capacity early. Do not rely only on the official public holiday dates when calculating your schedule.
For custom manufacturing in China, buyers should also consider the availability of factory workers, material suppliers, logistics providers and subcontractors, as these can all affect production and shipping timelines.
At Guangzhou ONI Shopfitting Limited, we can review your required delivery date and work backwards to create a practical production schedule. If you have a retail project planned for Q1 2027, send us your floor plan, drawings, quantity and required delivery date, and we can help you evaluate how much time should be reserved before Chinese New Year.
Contact us today to start your custom display fixtures project.
WhatsApp/Call: +86 186 2096 3396
Email: sales1@onishopfitting.com
Factory Location: Guangzhou, China
