Most late Christmas orders are not late because of the factory. They are late because the logo file took a week to find, three people had to approve the mock-up, and the deposit waited for next week's payment run. Production time does not shrink in December, so the only time you can save is the time before production starts.
This guide gives the real order-by dates for bags in hand by 24 December 2026, the lead times behind them, and what to do each week from now until then.
Key dates at a glance
🧪 30 October: last day to order samples (27 October if you aim for the 4 November target)
✅ 4 November: target date to approve artwork and pay the deposit, about a week of safety
⛔ 10 November: last day for bags with your logo
📦 3 December: last day for stock bags, more than 100 per model
📦 11 December: last day for stock bags, up to 100 per model
🎁 24 December: bags in hand
Why the dates are what they are
Every date above is our standard lead time counted back from 24 December, using the long end of each range. Only the 4 November target adds about a week of safety.
| Order type | Lead time | Order by (in hand 24 Dec) |
|---|---|---|
| Bags with your logo | 30–35 days production after deposit and artwork approval, then 5–9 days delivered duty paid |
10 Nov target 4 Nov |
| Samples | About 7 days, delivered duty paid |
30 Oct arrive about 6 Nov |
| Stock bags, more than 100 per model | 14–21 days door to door | 3 Dec |
| Stock bags, up to 100 per model | Dispatched in 1–2 business days, then 5–9 days delivered duty paid | 11 Dec |
Lead times checked 18 October 2026. The dates for your order are confirmed on your pro-forma invoice. Stock dates depend on the model being in stock when you order. The last dates leave no buffer, so earlier is safer.
How a logo order runs, in five steps
Production starts when two things are in: your approved artwork and the 30% deposit. Everything before that is on your side of the table, which is good news, because it is the part you can speed up.
Week by week
22 to 30 October: choose it and see it
- Pick one or two models. One model for the whole team keeps the cost per head and any reorder simple. Our minimum is 50 per model, not per colour, so you can still mix the stock colours.
- Send your logo now. We make a free concept mock-up on up to two models within 24 hours. Seeing the logo on the bag is what gets internal approval moving.
- Find the vector file. A logo in AI, EPS or PDF saves days. A low-resolution JPG means redrawing, and redrawing means another round of approval.
- Name one approver. If marketing, HR and finance all sign off, put them on one email with one deadline.
- Order samples by 30 October. A sample box holds up to five styles and ships in one parcel. Samples are paid, and the fee is credited against your first bulk order.
2 to 6 November: approve and pay
- Check the sample for what the person carrying it will notice: zips, strap padding, laptop sleeve size, colour in daylight.
- Agree the logo method. Embroidery, printing and patches each suit different fabrics and quantities. We confirm the method and its price in the quote; it is never hidden inside the tier price.
- Approve the final artwork: position, size and colours.
- Pay the 30% deposit. Branded orders run on a pro-forma invoice, paid by bank transfer or Wise, with the balance due before shipping. Check your payment run dates now.
- Target: 4 November. Last date: 10 November.
11 November to early December: production, and your addresses
- One address or several? Send every delivery address with a postcode or ZIP and a named contact.
- Check office closures. If an office shuts early for Christmas, the delivery has to land before it does.
- Someone to sign. Delivered duty paid means nothing is due on arrival, but someone still has to take in the boxes.
Mid-December: shipping and hand-out
- Pay the balance the day production finishes. The order ships once it is in, so a late transfer moves your delivery date.
- 5–9 days in transit, delivered duty paid to your door.
- Plan the hand-out. A note card or a team message on the day makes a branded bag feel like a gift, not merchandise.
✅ What saves days
Vector logo sent with the first email
One named approver
Samples ordered the same week as the mock-up
Deposit paid the day the pro-forma arrives
All addresses in one list
❌ What costs days
A JPG logo that has to be redrawn
Three approval rounds on one mock-up
Changing the model after the sample
A deposit waiting for next week's payment run
Addresses collected in December
What your logo can look like
Eight fictional brands, eight bags and five methods: embroidery, leather patch with gold foil or deboss, woven label, screen print and full-colour print. Send us your logo and you get a free concept mock-up on up to two models within 24 hours. The method and its price are confirmed in your quote.
Which situation are you in?
You want your logo, and it is before 10 November
Send the logo and model today, order samples by 30 October, approve and pay by 4 November.
It is after 10 November and the bags must arrive for Christmas
Choose stock bags without a logo: order by 3 December for more than 100 per model, by 11 December for up to 100.
You want the logo, but you missed the date
Make it a new year gift: approve the artwork and pay the deposit by 14 December and the bags land in late January. Later orders run into the Chinese New Year break (6 February 2027); we confirm the date on your pro-forma.
What we will not do is promise a logo order after 10 November for Christmas. The 30–35 days of production do not get shorter in December.
Models teams order for Christmas
Lightweight laptop backpack
Work backpack with USB port
USB laptop backpack
Mini sling chest bagWhat to send in your first email
One complete email saves a round of questions:
- The model links, or the type of bag and the budget per head.
- How many bags per model and per colour.
- Your logo in vector format, and where it should go.
- The date the bags must be in hand.
- Every delivery address, with a postcode or ZIP.
FAQ
Can you still add a logo after 10 November for Christmas?
No. Production takes 30–35 days after the deposit and artwork approval, plus 5–9 days of delivered duty paid shipping. After 10 November we offer stock bags without a logo, or a logo order approved by 14 December for late January.
What is the minimum order?
50 pieces per model. The minimum counts per model, not per colour, so 50 bags can be split across the stock colours. Your logo is possible from 50 pieces and is quoted per order; a fully custom design starts at 100.
Do we pay for samples?
Yes, samples are paid, and the fee is credited against your first bulk order. Up to five styles ship together in one parcel, delivered duty paid, in about 7 days.
What does delivered duty paid mean for us?
The price we quote includes freight, duty and import charges to your door. Nothing is due when the boxes arrive. The freight is priced by our forwarder after packing, so it is confirmed on the pro-forma rather than guessed in advance.
How do we pay?
By pro-forma invoice, through bank transfer or Wise. Logo orders pay a 30% deposit and the balance before shipping. Small stock orders are paid in full upfront.
Send your logo today, get a free mock-up within 24 hours
Tell us the model, the number of people and the delivery date. A real person replies within 4 hours.
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