How Long Does Hair Take to Ship from China? The Full Timeline
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | One business day | Specs, quantities and payment confirmed |
| Samples (if needed) | 5–7 days plus 3–7 days | You approve the hair before bulk |
| Production | 1–3 days for stock, 15–25 days for standard bulk, 25–40 days for custom | Hair is made to your specs |
| Quality control and packing | Included in lead time | Checked, packed and labeled |
| Transit | See shipping methods below | Express, air, DDP or sea |
| Customs clearance | Usually a few days | Can take longer if documents are queried |
Ask any supplier to split their quote into lead time and transit time. "Ships in 1–3 days" and "arrives in 1–3 days" are very different promises.
Transit Times by Shipping Method
| Method | Transit time |
|---|---|
| Express courier | 3–7 days |
| Air freight | 7–12 days |
| DDP door to door (DDP by air or by sea) | 10–20 days by air or 30–50 days by sea |
| Sea freight | 25–45 days |
What Changes Lead Time
Quoted lead times assume everything goes to plan. In the factory, four things push an order past them.
Raw hair runs short for some lengths and textures. Long hair (26" and over) and certain natural textures are collected in small quantities, and a big order can wait for the next lot of raw hair to be sorted. Order your longest lengths early, or split them into a second shipment so the rest of the order isn't held.
A dye batch can fail. Colors such as 613, honey blonde or a custom ombre are lifted and toned in batches, and a batch that comes out off-shade against your approved sample has to be stripped and redone, which costs days and can weaken the hair. Approve a physical color sample, not a photo, and send your reference swatch with the order so the dye room matches the same thing you saw.
QC rework holds the shipment. Units that fail inspection for shedding, lace tears, knot size or length go back to the workshop for repair or remaking. The more precisely your spec is written, the fewer arguments at QC and the less rework.
Peak season fills the production schedule. Orders placed in the months before Black Friday and Chinese New Year queue behind everyone else's. Book production slots early and pay the deposit on time, because production starts only when the deposit arrives and the samples and packaging artwork are approved. Printed boxes and bags take 15–20 days on top, so order them with your samples. See our wholesale terms for how orders are scheduled.
Plan Around Holidays and Peak Seasons
| Period | Effect |
|---|---|
| Chinese New Year (late January or February; February 6 in 2027) | Factories and carriers slow down or close for several weeks; workers return gradually afterwards |
| National Day week (early October) | Short closure, busy before and after |
| Q4 retail peak | Air and express capacity tight before Black Friday and the holidays |
Work back from the date you need the hair on your shelf:
Order date = arrival date − transit − production lead time − buffer
Example: you want stock in your warehouse by November 15 for Black Friday. Air freight takes 7–12 days, bulk production takes 15–25 days, and in peak season add at least two weeks' buffer for full flights and full production lines. Subtract all three from November 15, and that's the latest day to confirm the order and pay the deposit. If a holiday such as National Day falls inside that window, add its closure to the buffer. Customs in your country also slows down around its own holidays.
How to Avoid Delays
- Approve samples and packaging artwork early
- Confirm specs in writing so production isn't paused for questions
- Give the correct consignee name, address and tax ID where required
- Keep a reorder point: order again when stock covers your sales for lead time plus transit, with a buffer. Salons that reorder by shade can track grams used per shade each month and set the point from that
FAQ
What is a hair vendor's processing time?
The time from order to dispatch. For our stock items it's 1–3 days. Custom and private label orders take longer.
Why is my hair order stuck in customs?
Usually missing information, a value query or a duty payment due. Your courier or broker will contact you. Correct documents from the factory prevent most holds.
What is the fastest way to ship hair from China?
Express courier, for samples and urgent orders. For larger orders, DDP or air freight balance speed and cost.
Plan Your Next Order
Tell us your target arrival date and we'll work back to an order date and shipping method.
Related reading
![Photo of [Export Author Name]](/images/author-export.jpg)
Handles export orders at ZUVI WIGS: quotes, shipping, customs paperwork and private label projects. [Export Author Years] in hair exporting.
Reviewed by [Customs Reviewer Name], [Customs Reviewer Credentials]