We are once again at that time of the year where we have to try & convince new importers & sometimes existing importers to speed up their decision making due to the approaching Chinese New year holiday. When they ask us the dates and realise it’s nearly 3 months away, they are bemused as to why we are pushing them. You could potentially get three rounds of production completed in that time, then why the fuss?

So this series of posts will go into the nitty-gritty of what happens in China & in particular in Chinese factories during the Chinese New Year, how it impacts importers and how they can be better prepared.

As I have quite a bit to say on this subject, I will make this a multi-part post.

What is the Chinese New Year & why is it such a Big Deal?

“Chinese New Year”, also called the “Spring Festival”, is the most important festival in China by a long way. It’s the Christmas or Diwali of China only on a much grander scale. Because the date is decided based on the lunar calendar the exact date varies each year but normally falls between mid-Jan and to end of Feb. The variable date is one of the factors that adds to the confusion & planning complexities.

The Chinese New Year is extremely important to the Chinese people as this is the time of the year when gifts & “Red Bags” are exchanged and people get to spend time with their families. This is even more important for blue-collar workers, as often this is the only time of the year when they get to see their families. This is because a majority of the factories in China are located in the coastal regions while traditionally factory floor workers come from far-flung inner regions, often leaving their families and sometimes young kids back home. This time of the year, therefore, holds significant “emotional value” to the people of China.

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