Every November we get the same email: "Can we still get scarves before Christmas?" The honest answer depends on which of two clocks you are racing - and both are worth understanding before you send an inquiry.
The Two Deadlines That Matter
The first clock is your own: retail shelves and online stores want sellable stock by early December, because Christmas traffic peaks in the two weeks before the holiday and dies almost overnight afterwards.
The second clock is ours: Chinese New Year falls on February 6, 2027. Production across China slows from late January and restarts only in late February. An order confirmed in December ships comfortably before the shutdown; an order confirmed in January very often does not. In practice, mid-December is the real cutoff for everything you want delivered before the factory calendar turns.
What Is Still Realistic for Christmas 2026
|
Scenario |
Sampling |
Production |
Shipping |
Verdict |
|
Reorder of an existing design |
Skipped - sample already approved |
25–30 days (expedited) |
Air express 5–7 days |
Possible if confirmed by ~Nov 20 |
|
New artwork, new colorway |
5–10 working days |
30–45 days |
Air express 5–7 days |
Too late for Christmas - target Spring 2027 |
|
Stock / in-production designs |
None |
As available |
Air express 5–7 days |
Best case - ask what is running now |
The pattern is simple: sampling is the step you cannot afford in November. Every day a new artwork spends in sampling pushes bulk production into December, and December production plus air freight lands goods at the very end of the month - after your selling window. Reorders of approved designs skip that step entirely, which is why they still work.
Shipping Options, Compared
|
Method |
Transit to EU/US |
Relative Cost |
Best For |
|
Air express (DHL/FedEx/UPS) |
5–7 days |
Highest |
Urgent reorders, small volumes |
|
Air freight (consolidated) |
8–12 days |
Medium |
200 kg + |
|
Sea freight |
30–35 days |
Lowest |
Spring 2027 stock ordered now |
One warning that saves money every year: air space tightens and rates climb through December. A shipment booked in the second week of December can cost noticeably more than the same shipment booked in November. If a reorder is already decided, booking the flight early is the cheapest decision you will make this quarter.
While You Are at It: Order for Spring
If Christmas is out of reach for new development, the flip side is that right now is the strongest window of the year for Spring 2027 programs. Sample in November, bulk in December–January, sea freight in January, warehouse by early March. Buyers who order spring styles in November get first pick of production slots before the New Year slowdown; buyers who wait until February compete with everyone restarting at once.
Checklist Before You Confirm
Design decision - approved sample or existing design (skipping sampling saves 1–2 weeks)
Quantity and colorway split - printed styles from 50 pieces per colorway; yarn-dyed and jacquard from 500
Labels, hang-tags, packaging - confirmed early, not after production
Payment terms - T/T 30/70, FOB Ningbo or Shanghai
Freight booking - decided before production finishes, not after
How We Can Help
Deqing Boliya Silk Co., Ltd. has manufactured scarves since 1999, with an annual output above 1.45 million pieces at our 3,000㎡ facility in Deqing, Zhejiang - supplying partners such as ZARA, C&A, NEW YORKER and OSTIN. If you tell us your deadline, we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable, and what the fastest realistic route looks like. Send us your reorder list or your Christmas timeline and we will come back within one working day.
