Your order can look perfect on paper, with an arrival date carefully calculated, and still slip by a week because the factory, the port or the customs broker closed for a holiday. That is rarely the supplier's fault; it is a planning gap. Once closures are built into your schedule from the start, they stop being a surprise and become something you manage.
Why holidays affect more than the factory
An order passes through several parties, each with its own calendar. When one stops, everyone after it waits.
| Stage | Who is affected | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Production and filling | The factory | Do lines stop, and does the agreed lead time already allow for it? |
| Packaging materials | Suppliers of bottles, caps, labels, cartons | Are their lead times affected in the same period? |
| Inspection and approval | Lab, quality team, you | When does the final sample arrive and who approves it? |
| Clearance and freight | Broker, carrier, port | What is the last hand-over date before closure? |
| Receiving at your end | Customs, warehouse, your team | Does a public holiday fall in the arrival week? |
Types of closure to know
Fixed national holidays
Morocco has public holidays on fixed dates in the Gregorian calendar, published officially. These are the easiest to plan around.
Religious holidays on the lunar calendar
Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year and Mawlid move roughly two weeks earlier each year and depend on moon sighting. Plan around a window of several days, not a single date. The real closure can also stretch beyond the holiday itself, because staff travel before and after.
Ramadan
It does not mean a full shutdown, but working hours and production rhythm may change. There is no single rule, so ask the factory for its schedule instead of assuming.
Holidays in your own country
They can close customs, your warehouse or the port. Demand peaks before Ramadan and major holidays also congest ports and carriers even without an official closure.
The backward schedule
The common mistake is counting forward: we order today, the factory needs X weeks, so we receive on this date. Start instead from the date you actually need the goods, and work back.
- Set your real need date: the day stock must be in your warehouse.
- Subtract customs clearance and local delivery, adding any holidays that fall in that window.
- Subtract transit time for sea or air, depending on your choice.
- Subtract inspection and pre-shipment approval, which need a fast reply from you.
- Subtract production and filling, using the lead time the factory confirms for your specific order.
- Subtract known closure days at the factory and its suppliers.
- Add a safety buffer of a few working days, more if your packaging is custom.
The result is the last date you can confirm the order. After that, you either miss the deadline or pay more for air freight.
What to ask the factory before confirming
- The expected closure calendar during your order, noting that holiday dates stay approximate until officially announced.
- Are closure days included in the agreed manufacturing time or added on top?
- The deadline to confirm the order and approve artwork and labels.
- The deadline to receive the deposit if it triggers production.
- A backup contact for urgent matters during the closure.
- Whether inspection and loading can be finished before the closure.
Do not rely on verbal promises. Ask for the dates to be written into the quotation, proforma invoice or purchase order.
Practical ways to reduce risk
Bring approvals forward
What loses the most days before a holiday is waiting on a label, sample or deposit approval. Prepare them early and name one person on your side who can reply quickly.
Prepare shipping documents early
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, HS code: an error found on a closure day can cost several days.
Split the order if needed
If part of the quantity is critical before the season, a smaller first shipment followed by a balance may work. Raise it early, since it can affect cost and scheduling.
Smooth it with an annual agreement
For repeat buyers, an annual supply agreement lets you schedule deliveries around known closures instead of reacting to them each time.
Pre-order checklist
- Have I set my real need date and calculated backward?
- Have I asked for the factory's and suppliers' closure calendar?
- Are the dates written into the order document?
- Are approvals and documents ready before the deadline?
- Have I checked holidays at home during the arrival week?
- Do I have a buffer and a fallback if shipping slips?
Frequently asked questions
Does the factory stop completely during Eid?
It varies by factory and by holiday. Some departments stay closed longer than others, so ask separately about production, loading and communication.
Can goods ship during a holiday?
A vessel or flight may still depart if the container was handed over and cleared beforehand. But clearance and delivery need staffed offices, so it is best to finish formalities before the closure.
How much safety buffer should I add?
There is no universal figure. It depends on the length of the closure, the freight mode and how much of your packaging is custom. Ask the factory and your forwarder, then size the buffer to how sensitive your deadline is.
Do lead times stretch in peak season?
Often, when factories and carriers are busy at the same time. Ordering before the peak beats ordering in the middle of it.
Start your order with a clear schedule
If you are preparing a launch or a season, include your need date in your request and we will review the timeline and foreseeable closures with you. You can request a quote today and see the steps on our how we work page.
