In pictures
In this article
Short answer: our standard production time is 30 to 45 days. For orders that run through the June to September monsoon, or across a major festival, plan for the upper end and add one to two weeks. Tell us your deadline when you ask for a quote and we'll say honestly whether it is safe.
What the monsoon slows down
| Stage | Effect of heavy rain and humidity |
|---|---|
| Drying after dyeing and washing | Takes longer when the air is wet |
| Road transport between units and to port | Slower, occasionally interrupted |
| Port operations | Loading can pause in severe weather |
| Storage | Cotton must be kept dry, so goods are not left waiting in the open |
None of this stops production. It removes the slack. A schedule with no buffer in July is a schedule that will slip.
Festivals that close units
Dates move each year, so check the calendar for your order.
| Festival | Usual time | Where it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pongal | Mid-January | Tamil Nadu textile clusters |
| Onam | August or September | Kerala |
| Diwali | October or November | All of India |
| Christmas and New Year | Late December | Kerala, and shipping lines worldwide |
Workers travel home for the main festivals, so a two-day holiday can cost a week of output around it.
A month-by-month guide
| If production runs in | Plan this buffer |
|---|---|
| January to May | Standard 30 to 45 days |
| June to September | Add 1 to 2 weeks |
| October to November | Add 1 week around Diwali, and expect year-end shipping to be busy |
| December | Book vessel space early |
What this means for your order date
A hotel that needs linen for a December peak season should not order in October. Work back:
- Goods needed at your door: 1 December
- Clearing and delivery: 1 week
- Sea transit: 7 to 10 days to the UAE, 21 to 26 days to the UK
- Production with a festival buffer: 7 to 8 weeks
- Sampling and approval: 2 to 3 weeks
A UK buyer should be approving samples in early August. A UAE buyer has until about the end of August.
What we do about it
- We quote a ship date that already allows for the season.
- We tell you at the start if a festival falls inside your order.
- We send progress updates, so a delay is something you hear about early.
What you can do
- Order earlier, and take delivery earlier if you have space.
- Approve artwork and samples quickly. Days lost here cannot be recovered in a wet August.
- Split the order. Ship the part you need first, and the rest two weeks later.
- Keep air freight as a fallback for a small top-up. See sea vs air freight.
The order planner on our production capacity page works back from your date. For the stage-by-stage view, see the 60 days after you approve a sample. To check a deadline, ask us.
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Written by
Dr Abin Babu
Founder & Chairman, Anabyn Global Ventures
Anabyn exports hotel and home linen from Kerala, India. These guides come from the questions buyers ask our desk. About the team
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