Working backwards from your retail dates, here is when UK brands need to be sampling, committing and shipping to hit AW2026, Christmas and SS2027 on time.
The biggest scheduling mistake UK knitwear brands make is planning a Turkish programme to the same timeline as a Far-East one. The lead times are shorter from Turkey — but the dates are not forgiving either. From your first tech pack to pieces in your UK warehouse, allow 100–120 days for a standard programme: samples in two rounds (4–6 weeks), bulk production (45–60 days) and ocean freight to Felixstowe (10–14 days). Miss any milestone and you slide the delivery date proportionally.
| Stage | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tech pack review & pricing | 2–3 days | 48h response standard; complex styles may need 3 days |
| First sample | 10–14 days | From tech pack approval to sample despatch |
| Sample review & amendments | 7–14 days | Time in your hands; 1–2 rounds typical |
| Second / salesman sample | 7–10 days | If required |
| Sample approval & bulk order | 1–3 days | Purchase order placed, deposit paid |
| Bulk production | 45–60 days | From confirmed order; TOP sample ships at ~day 40 |
| Ocean freight to Felixstowe | 10–14 days | From Mersin; confirm with forwarder |
| UK customs clearance & delivery | 2–5 days | Standard clearance with EUR.1 in order |
| Total (fast programme) | ~90 days | One sample round, clean approval |
| Total (typical programme) | ~110–120 days | Two sample rounds, one revision |
Start SS2027 direction-setting and colour research. For AW2026, tech packs should be with the factory by late January to hit a September–October UK delivery. Early January is also ideal for committing any carry-over AW styles — production windows fill up from February.
AW2026 first samples typically arrive this month if tech packs were submitted in January. Review quickly — every day in your hands is a day off the remaining schedule. First approval or amendment round completes by late February for a July delivery target.
Eid al-Fitr 2026 falls approximately 20–21 March — a major Turkish holiday with 9 days of factory downtime (including official period and local observance). Bulk orders for AW2026 should be confirmed before mid-March, or expect production to start after the holiday. Budget for the Eid buffer in your schedule.
AW2026 bulk production runs through April. Simultaneously, submit SS2027 tech packs for sampling now if you want samples in hand for buyer presentations in May–June. First SS2027 samples arrive late April / early May from April submissions.
AW2026 bulk shipments leave Turkey in May for early July UK arrival. Simultaneously, Christmas / holiday knitwear tech packs submitted now target a late-October to November delivery. This is the last realistic month to start a new Christmas programme without risk.
Eid al-Adha 2026 falls approximately 27–28 May to 1 June — with up to 9 days downtime. Plan around this for any June sampling starts. Christmas samples from May tech packs arrive in June; review and approve promptly. Critical month for Christmas programme timelines.
AW2026 shipments arriving in UK. Customs clearance with EUR.1 at Felixstowe, domestic delivery to 3PL or warehouse. Confirm receipt and check TOP sample against bulk — raise any quality concerns within the agreed inspection window. Christmas bulk orders should be placed this month.
Christmas knitwear in production. SS2027 bulk orders should be placed if samples were approved in June–July. August is a lower-activity month for UK retail but a critical production month in Turkey — avoid leaving orders to September if you can place them now.
AW2026 on the floor (retail) — AW begins for most UK retailers. Christmas knitwear bulk shipments leave Turkey in September for late October/early November UK arrival. Last realistic month to start a brand-new Christmas programme — only if the style is simple and samples are already approved.
Christmas knitwear shipments clearing UK customs in October — aim for clearance by 31 October for full November on-floor availability. SS2027 first shipments leaving Turkey for January UK arrival. Start planning AW2027 direction — long-lead styles (WHOLEGARMENT, intarsia) need to be in development by November.
Christmas knitwear on-floor and trading. AW2027 tech pack preparation — Gaziantep's production calendar fills from January. Early submissions (November–December) get preferred machine time for the AW season. SS2027 on floor by end of month.
Yılbaşı (Turkish New Year) 1 January — minimal impact (1 day). Submit AW2027 tech packs before the Christmas break so they reach the factory in early January. Use the December lull to confirm yarn specifications, review this season's quality data and plan any adjustments to your Turkey programme for the year ahead.
| Holiday | 2026 Approx. Dates | Factory Downtime | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr (Ramazan Bayramı) | ~20–21 March (±1 day, lunar) | 7–9 days (official + local) | Confirm bulk orders before 15 March |
| National Sovereignty Day | 23 April | 1 day | Minor; note in delivery schedule |
| Labour Day | 1 May | 1 day | Minor |
| Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bayramı) | ~27 May–1 June (±1 day, lunar) | 7–9 days | Allow 10-day buffer; confirm timing in April |
| Republic Day | 29 October | 1 day | Minor |
| Yılbaşı (New Year) | 1 January | 1 day | Minimal impact |
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha dates are lunar and shift approximately 10–11 days earlier each year. Confirm exact dates each year as part of your sourcing planning — small shifts can move a holiday into or out of a critical production month.
Time spent reviewing a sample is time off your delivery date. Aim to respond within 3–5 working days of receiving a sample. Build your internal review process to match that cadence — not a two-week committee review that slides your bulk order by two weeks.
Both Eid holidays involve 7–9 days of factory closure. A bulk order placed after the Eid cutoff will not start production until the factory reopens. This is not a negotiable constraint — it is a fixed calendar feature. Plan around it, not through it.
We do not have a fast-track option that compresses the knitting process — garments take the time they take. What we can do is prioritise machine scheduling for repeat clients and straightforward programmes. New programmes, intarsia and jacquard designs take full sample and production timelines.
Once goods arrive at Felixstowe, standard customs clearance with a prepared EUR.1 and correct documentation typically takes 2–5 working days. Add this, plus domestic delivery to your 3PL, to the end of your timeline. Do not plan goods arriving at a UK warehouse on the day the container lands.
Send your tech pack and target delivery date. We'll confirm whether the timeline is achievable and flag any holiday or capacity constraints upfront — before you've committed to a retail date.
Manufacturer Pages