TL;DR: For a first custom jacket order from a China factory, plan ~2 months from tech pack to your warehouse by sea: sample 7–10 days (add ~1 week per revision), bulk 25–35 days after deposit for 30–200 pcs, then sea freight 25–35 days (or air 5–7 days). Reorders skip pattern work and run ~3 weeks. Rush runs up to 1,000 pcs in ~2 weeks with a 25% expedite fee. Those are PTOUTWEAR’s own numbers; below is the phase-by-phase table and how to plan back from your selling season.
Data marked OUR FLOOR comes from our own production — PTOUTWEAR (Pt Outdoor Products Factory, est. 2013-12, Taizhou, Zhejiang: 240 workers, 20 sewing lines, ~200,000 jackets/year, ISO 9001 + SGS test reports). Data marked INDUSTRY is the typical published range across comparable China outerwear suppliers, for benchmarking. Last updated: September 2026.
How long does a jacket sample take?
7–10 days from an approved tech pack for most jackets; 3-in-1 systems can take 10–14. Each revision round adds about a week.
| Sample type | OUR FLOOR | INDUSTRY typical |
|---|---|---|
| Softshell / windbreaker / hardshell | 7–10 days | 7–14 days |
| 3-in-1 system (shell + liner) | 10–14 days | 14–21 days |
| Revision round | ~1 week | 1–2 weeks |
| Sample fee | $100, refunded on bulk | $80–150 |
| Typical rounds before bulk | 1–2 | 1–3 |
The fastest way to lose a month: sending a mood board instead of a tech pack. Measurements, fabric spec, trims and logo positions up front save a revision round.
How long does bulk production take?
25–35 days after the deposit clears for a 30–200 piece run — about 4 weeks. Phase by phase (OUR FLOOR unless marked):
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit + PO confirmation | 1–3 days | 30% deposit starts production |
| Fabric & trims in | inside the 25–35 days (stock fabric) | Longer if custom-dyed (INDUSTRY: +2–4 weeks) |
| Cutting | inside the 25–35 days | CAD-CAM auto cutting |
| Sewing, taping, logo | inside the 25–35 days | 20 lines; logo in-house |
| Pre-shipment QC | before shipment | AQL 2.5 with photo + video |
| Balance payment | before shipment | 70% |
| Total bulk | 25–35 days | vs INDUSTRY 30–45 days |
Larger volumes are scheduled per quote. Full step-by-step path and who pays for what: sample to bulk production path.
How long is shipping to the US or EU?
Sea freight 25–35 days; air 5–7 days. (OUR FLOOR planning figures; actual transit varies by port and season.)
| Mode | Transit | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Sea freight (LCL/FCL) | 25–35 days | Most bulk orders |
| Air freight | 5–7 days | Small runs, samples, season-critical top-ups |
| DDP door-to-door | quoted per destination | You don’t want to handle customs |
What’s the total timeline, first order vs reorder vs rush?
| Scenario | Sample | Production | Freight (sea) | Total to your door |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First order, 1 sample round | 7–10 days | 25–35 days | 25–35 days | ~8–12 weeks |
| First order, 2 sample rounds | 14–17 days | 25–35 days | 25–35 days | ~9–13 weeks |
| Reorder (same pattern) | — | ~3 weeks | 25–35 days | ~7–8 weeks |
| Rush, up to 1,000 pcs (+25% fee) | — | ~2 weeks | air 5–7 days | ~3 weeks |
| Print-on-demand single piece | — | 7–10 business days | air 5–7 days | ~2–3 weeks |
Totals add phases; allow extra for approvals, holidays and customs. POD details: print-on-demand jackets.
When should I order for my selling season?
Work back from the date stock must be in your warehouse, not from the launch date. Planning guide for a first order by sea (INDUSTRY seasonal windows, OUR FLOOR lead times):
| Selling season | Typical products | Stock in warehouse by | Send tech pack by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn / winter | Ski, snowboard, insulated, 3-in-1 | August–September | May–June |
| Spring | Rain jackets, windbreakers, softshell | February–March | November–December |
| Back-to-school | School & team jackets | July–August | April–May |
| Corporate year-end gifting | Softshell, fleece-lined | October–November | July–August |
Chinese New Year (late January–February) closes most factories for 2–4 weeks with slow restarts (INDUSTRY) — orders for spring should be in production before it.
FAQ
What’s the fastest way to get custom jackets?
Rush production — up to 1,000 pcs in about 2 weeks with a 25% expedite fee — then air freight. For single pieces, print-on-demand ships in 7–10 business days.
Does lead time start from the sample or the deposit?
Bulk lead time (25–35 days) starts when the deposit clears, after the sample is approved.
Why are reorders faster?
The pattern and grading already exist, so reorders run about 3 weeks.
What delays jacket orders most?
Incomplete tech packs (extra sample rounds), custom-dyed fabric, late approvals, and Chinese New Year.
Can you ship DDP so I don’t deal with customs?
Yes — DDP is quoted per destination. Our default trade term is EXW; FOB Ningbo or DDP on request. See order terms.
About PTOUTWEAR
PTOUTWEAR is a B2B outdoor jacket factory in Taizhou, Zhejiang, China — softshell, hardshell, 3-in-1, windbreaker, insulated and ski jackets. Samples in 7–10 days, bulk in 25–35 days, MOQ 30 pcs. Request a quote at ptoutwear.com.
