Manufacturing and QC blog

Tips for Importers During Chinese New Year Factory Shutdown 2024

The Chinese New Year is an annual event that carries significant implications for businesses that rely on inventory from China. Understanding and preparing for the potential disruptions caused by the 2024 Chinese New Year is crucial for maintaining the quality and efficiency of your supply chain. In this blog, we'll explore the impact of the Chinese New Year on businesses and provide tips to help you navigate these challenges effectively.

If you are a business owner who sources from China, you must have heard about the Chinese New Year (CNY), also called Spring Festival and Luanr New Year, and the factory shutdowns related to this festival. Click on our post to find out the details of Chinese New Year 2024, and tips to prepare your supply chain for it.

Sourcing from China? Prepare Your Supply Chain for Lunar New Year 2024

If you source your brand’s products from Chinese manufacturers, it's important to be aware of the Lunar New Year (also called Chinese New Year) and how it will affect your supply chain. During the 2024 Lunar New Year, which falls on February 9-15, 2024, factories will shut down, shipping will slow, and product defects may increase. Not only does that create difficulty around the Lunar New Year, but it can also make it more difficult for you to get the inventory you need in the period immediately before the holiday, when some facilities may limit production, and after the holiday, when it takes time for many factories to ramp back up to full production.

Quality control services ensure products meet predefined standards of quality – and in any industry, maintaining high-quality standards is paramount for success. Many businesses initially prefer internal quality control teams for several reasons, including proximity and availability. However, many factors, like budgeting, talent availability, and others, may soon make outsourcing appealing.

It’s no secret that the holiday decor industry is thriving; in 2022 alone, the global market for Christmas decorations was estimated to be worth more than $7 billion (U.S.). With the 2023 holiday season approaching, home decor brands have a golden opportunity to enhance their customers' festivities and secure their spot in this multi-billion dollar industry by producing on-trend home decor products.

The last thing you want as a U.S. holiday decoration importer is to find out your products have been denied by customs, rejected by Amazon, or recalled by regulatory agencies because they didn’t meet the relevant product safety standards. Implementing a robust home decor quality control and testing program can help protect you from these negative outcomes — but how do you know which product safety standards to check for in the first place?

In 2019, approximately half of all light sources in the world were LEDs. That number is expected to climb to 87% by the year 2030.

Product recalls can do a number on your brand’s reputation. Imagine one of your customers purchases your lighting product only for it to short circuit and cause an electrical fire. Now imagine the lawsuit and bad publicity that would follow soon after. 

Running small home décor businesses comes with its own set of challenges, and maintaining quality control is crucial for long-term success. Customers expect nothing but the best, making it imperative for you to implement effective quality control measures. In this guide, we will provide valuable insights and tips to help your business thrive in the competitive home décor market.