Chinese New Year shutdown 2026

The 2026 Chinese New Year is approaching, one of the most important festivals of the year in most East Asian countries and generally the longest holiday of all the festivals. For example, the statutory holiday for the Chinese New Year in 2026 will be 9 days, from February 15th to February 23rd. The holidays for the Chinese New Year in other East Asian countries are similar. Although the statutory holiday is 9 days, objectively speaking, some factories and companies will be shut down for 2 weeks or even longer, especially factories. Some workers will take leave after the Chinese New Year holiday to extend their vacation. Even if companies and factories resume operations in time, it often takes some adjustment time to fully restore production. Chinese New Year is the happiest holiday for Chinese people, as everyone can go home to reunite with their families and children. However, considering that most East Asian countries are the gathering place for manufacturers, suppliers, and factories in import and export trade, especially China, with its huge labor force and unparalleled cost advantages, China has become a veritable "world factory," with its manufacturing added value ranking first in the world for 15 consecutive years. During the Chinese New Year holiday, with almost all workers returning home, most factories and companies in China suspend operations, significantly impacting global supply chains and logistics. As in previous years, the 2026 Chinese New Year period will also see a slowdown in production, factory shutdowns, and tighter transportation capacity across China. The shutdowns and reduced production activities in China will greatly affect global transportation capacity, transit times, and freight costs.

2026 Chinese New Year holidays in various regions

The Spring Festival holiday dates for major countries and regions in 2026 are roughly the same, all concentrated in the middle and late January. If your factory or logistics agent is located in these countries, please pay close attention to their Spring Festival holiday schedule.

1、Logistics pressure ahead of the 2026 Chinese New Year

Due to the desire of all parties to ship goods out of China before the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday, freight volume will increase significantly between mid-to-late December 2025 and mid-January 2026. This is partly due to the Spring Festival holiday, which will cause people to want to stock up in advance. Another special factor is that the Spring Festival in 2026 falls on February 17th, and Valentine's Day is on February 14th, which are very close in date, so many foreign customers need to receive goods shipped from China before Valentine's Day. This could lead to severe capacity bottlenecks throughout the supply chain, with widespread container shortages at major ports, driving up freight rates and peak season surcharges. Air freight faces similar issues. Port congestion is exacerbated by expedited shipments, and document processing times are significantly extended. Customs clearance backlogs, container return delays, and shipping schedule disruptions are all likely to become common challenges.

Furthermore, the surge in orders from US customers before the Lunar New Year was also influenced by special policies. According to Brian Burke, Chief Commercial Officer of Worldco Logistics, in an article on CNBC, "If the Supreme Court rules these tariffs illegal, order volumes will certainly be affected, and booking demand will increase for three reasons: First, it's the Lunar New Year holiday. Second, we fully anticipate other tariff provisions being invoked, but these provisions have limitations and implementation periods, which will prompt businesses to 'race against time' again. Third, a significant influx of funds is expected to fund these purchases in the future."

2、Trade slowdown during the 2026 Chinese New Year

During the 2026 Chinese New Year, factories and cross-border trading companies across China will suspend operations for at least nine days as workers and office workers return home for the holiday. During the post-holiday adjustment period, all production and logistics speeds will not be able to recover quickly. Therefore, there will not be enough manpower to produce products and handle trade during this period, and the entire production and logistics process will slow down or even stop.

3、Product quality decline after the 2026 Chinese New Year

The Spring Festival holiday triggers a large-scale return of employees to their hometowns, followed by their gradual return to work. During this period, factories and businesses often face staff turnover, as some employees may extend their holidays by taking leave or even use the holiday to switch jobs, while some factory workers may resign. Therefore, even after resuming work, production efficiency usually declines in the initial stage, especially with fewer employees and the need to train new staff, all of which may temporarily affect product quality.

4、Rising costs before the Spring Festival

Shipping prices often rise by 20% to 30% in the weeks leading up to the holiday due to limited ship space and increased exports (businesses rely on exports). Air freight prices also experience a similar surge as companies rush to transport critical inventory before shutdowns. During the Spring Festival, with fewer employees on duty, production or transportation costs typically increase significantly if needed.

How to minimize the impact of Chinese New Year 2026

While the impact of the 2026 Chinese New Year is unavoidable, you can minimize the impact of the holiday on your business through some proactive measures in advance:

1、Plan Ahead with Partners

Our advice is to start discussing with your suppliers, logistics agents, and other partners as early as November of last year. First, review your sales performance during the same period last year to determine your inventory needs in advance. Then, confirm the inventory quantities with your suppliers. Next, discuss with logistics agents like ChinaDivision to determine a transportation plan that can avoid peak logistics periods as much as possible. Professional logistics service providers will generally develop a logistics plan that meets your requirements, allowing you to receive your inventory before the Spring Festival and peak logistics season, smoothly navigating this holiday period.

2、 Ensure Sufficient Inventory

It's important to note that while you can refer to previous years' sales volumes to determine inventory levels, it's crucial to keep inventory slightly larger than sales volume, just in case. First, ensure all best-selling items have ample stock. Second, even for less popular but potentially out-of-stock items, stock up on a larger quantity. Finally, consider this year's special circumstances; for example, if Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day fall on the same day, you'll need to stock up on extra Valentine's Day-related items—this is especially important. Ideally, ensure essential items won't run out and that holiday gifts can be delivered in time for the respective holidays.

3、Develop contingency plans with partners

Inquire about potential delays from suppliers and logistics agents, and then work together to determine effective ways to overcome these contingencies. Note that if you are working with suppliers provided by ChinaDivision, you don't even need to communicate with the suppliers directly; you only need to communicate with ChinaDivision. They will provide you with pre-screened suppliers and are responsible for their selections. You can efficiently develop contingency plans with ChinaDivision for unexpected production or logistical issues.

4、Seeking alternatives

Seeking alternatives is also a wise business choice. You can work with multiple factories and logistics agents in different countries and regions, especially those with shorter or no Spring Festival holidays. If there is really no other way, and you still need to ship and deliver inventory on time during the Spring Festival holiday, please contact those suppliers and logistics agents to see if you can temporarily transfer some production to other locations.

FAQs

1、Why is Chinese New Year so late in 2026？

Because the festival is based on a lunisolar calendar, dates of the holiday on the Gregorian calendar vary from year to year. The beginning of the festival typically falls sometime between late January and late February. In 2025, Lunar New Year will fall on January 29th, and in 2026 will fall on February 17th.

2、 How far in advance should I place my purchase order and book shipping？

The goal is to place the purchase order 8-12 weeks before the Spring Festival. The goal is to have the goods ready by early to mid-January. If possible, please book ocean freight space in December and finalize the shipping plan 2-3 weeks before pickup. If you are unsure which shipping option is the cheapest and most reliable, please contact ChinaDivision; they will customize a logistics plan for you.

Reference:

1、China is the world’s sole manufacturing superpower: A line sketch of the rise

https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/china-worlds-sole-manufacturing-superpower-line-sketch-rise

2、Supreme Court tariff ruling: It’s not just about refunds. Volume of U.S. freight trade could hinge on decision

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/14/supreme-court-trump-tariffs-decision.html