FASHION DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION TIMELINES

Understanding the fashion development and production process is essential in order to prepare handovers, timelines and set realistic expectations for products to be completed on time.

Production Timelines

Factory lead times vary depending on product type, availability of material and trims, current production capacity, quantities, client’s preparation and the number of changes during the sample stage.
Factories will provide general lead times, however, confirmed exit-factory dates for sample and bulk production can only be provided once all handovers are confirmed and any outsourced suppliers have confirmed delivery dates, such as trims and treatment. 

Schedule with plenty of notice

It is always best to schedule in work with designers, manufacturers and suppliers with plenty of notice. Rushed work is stressful for everyone involved and creates an increased risk of an undesirable result. Scheduling with reasonable timelines will ensure the process is enjoyable and no corners are cut in order to deliver a premium product on time. 

Interruptions to timeline

All work within a factory is carefully scheduled. Interruptions to a timeline that are not accounted for such as; the client making changes during the sample process, or unavailability of material or trim from supplies, will affect the scheduled timeline as the originally scheduled workers will then continue with other work until they can confirm the re-scheduled dates to continue. Therefore, always allow for additional time to your timelines.

First round with a new factory?

Customers developing samples for the first time with a factory should always allow for about 1-2 additional months on top of the general lead times for the factory due to the unpredictable nature of a new project. ​Fashion development and production is a carefully planned process.

Don’t forget to include any lengthy public holidays in the country where you are producing into the timelines, such as

Chinese New Year: this date marks the beginning of the “Spring Festival” in China and is a period of renewal, family and wishes for prosperity among those of Chinese descent and particularly for Confucians. In 2024, Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, February 10 and in 2025, it will fall on Wednesday, 29 January.

Galungan & Kuningan : These holidays in Bali are unique to the Balinese calendar and thus, they take place twice a year. They celebrate the triumph of good over evil and in 2024, they take place on Wednesday, 28 February and Saturday, 9 March and then again on Wednesday, 25 September and Saturday, October 5. Then again, the following year it will be Wednesday, 23 April 2025 and Saturday, 3 May 2025 with a further occurrence on Wednesday, 19 November 2025 and Saturday, 29 November 2025.

Fashion Development and Production sample lead times and timelines