Halloween Products From China: Sourcing Timeline and Safety Rules
Quick answer: Halloween stock from China should be in the warehouse by late August. US shoppers start early (in the NRF's 2026 survey, 49% planned to begin in September or earlier), and China's week-long National Day holiday from October 1 shuts down production right in the middle of your selling window, so October reorders rarely arrive in time. Because unsold Halloween stock waits a full year, order a modest first batch. Before you list costumes, check the US clothing flammability rule; children's costumes also need lab testing and a Children's Product Certificate. Skip novelty contact lenses entirely: in the US they are prescription medical devices.
Why Halloween is the hardest season to stock
Christmas has a long run-up and gifts that keep selling in January. Halloween has neither:
- One fixed date. Demand ends on October 31. A costume that arrives on November 2 is a return, not a sale.
- Little after-season value. Leftover stock either sits on a shelf until next August or gets cleared at a loss.
- A shutdown in the middle of the season. Golden Week (the week from October 1) stops factories, and forwarders report the slowdown running from late September to around October 20. That is exactly when a fast-selling product would need a top-up.
So Halloween is mostly a one-shot order. The skill is choosing what to buy, how much, and how to sell the leftovers.
The Halloween sourcing timeline
| When | Step | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May – June | Shortlist, samples, compliance check | Identify which items are costumes, children's products or battery-powered; ask suppliers for existing test reports now, not in September |
| Late June – July | Bulk order and production | Agree the finish date in writing; any lab testing for children's items happens in this window |
| August | Receive, inspect, list | Stock counted by SKU and size; product pages live by late August |
| Early September | Last reorder that can realistically land | Only for items with clear sell-through; it has to be produced before the October holiday |
| September – mid October | Main selling window | Sell from stock; ship bestsellers to a US warehouse early if you use one |
| Mid October | Last order date for China-shipped orders | October 31 minus your line's slowest transit time, dispatch time and a buffer |
| November 1 | Clearance decision | Discount, bundle or store until next season (see below) |
How to keep leftover risk under control
- Prefer timeless over topical. Pumpkins, skeletons, bats and black cats sell every year. Costumes tied to this year's film or meme may be worth nothing next October.
- Keep sizes and colors tight. Every extra size is another SKU that can be left over. Cover the core sizes well instead of every size thinly.
- Look for the second season. Fall décor, string lights and party supplies can keep selling into Thanksgiving and other parties after October 31.
- Order in two layers. A first batch you are confident in, plus a small early-September reorder for proven items only.
- Price the carry-over before you buy. If you plan to hold stock for a year, ask for the long-term storage rate per cubic meter (CBM) and compare it with the margin you'd lose clearing it in November. Bulky items like inflatables and large props cost the most to keep.
US safety rules for common Halloween products
Several Halloween categories carry real compliance requirements. Under US rules, the importer is the one who certifies the product, so check these before you order, not after a shipment is held.
| Product | Rule | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Costumes, adult and children's | Flammable Fabrics Act; Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles (16 CFR 1610) | Costumes count as wearing apparel. Fabrics must pass the burn test; a few, such as sheer 100% rayon or silk, commonly fail. Plastic-film costumes fall under the vinyl film standard (16 CFR 1611). |
| Children's costumes (age 12 and under) | CPSIA children's product rules | Testing by a CPSC-accepted lab, a Children's Product Certificate (CPC), tracking labels, and lead limits on accessible parts. Since July 8, 2026, certificate data is filed electronically when the goods enter the US. |
| Masks | Same flammability rule may apply to textile masks | Ask your lab whether 16 CFR 1610 covers your design. CPSC also advises that masks shouldn't block vision or breathing; design and listing photos should reflect that. |
| Light-up décor with button or coin batteries | Reese's Law (16 CFR 1263) | A secure battery compartment (needs a tool or two separate hand movements at once) and warnings on the product, packaging and instructions. Toys follow the toy standard instead. |
| Decorative or colored contact lenses | FDA medical device rules | All contact lenses need a prescription in the US, including non-corrective "costume" lenses. Selling them without one is illegal. Don't stock them. |
| Face paint, fake blood, costume makeup | FDA cosmetics rules (MoCRA) | Facility registration and product listing apply unless you qualify for the small-business exemption, and the label needs a US contact for adverse event reports. |
One more trap: a "flame retardant" or "flame resistant" claim on packaging must be true. Nothing in the federal standard requires such a label, and a costume that simply passes the burn test isn't flame retardant. Don't add the phrase to your listings unless the supplier's test report supports it.
For more on how children's products are tested and certified, see our guide to CPSIA rules for back-to-school products; the same rules apply to kids' costumes and accessories.
Who does what
- You (the US importer or brand): issue the certificate (CPC or general certificate), choose the lab, and keep the records.
- The factory: supplies existing test reports, makes the goods to the tested specification, and prints tracking labels.
- A CPSC-accepted lab: tests children's products. A factory's in-house report doesn't count for a CPC.
- PackQuay: sources the products, asks suppliers for their reports, can send samples to the lab you choose, and checks labels and markings during inspection. We don't issue certificates or guarantee a product passes testing.
How PackQuay helps
We buy, inspect, store and ship your Halloween stock from our own warehouse in Xinxiang, Henan, with a WhatsApp account manager who follows the order from quote to dispatch.
- Inspection before the season: 20% of each batch free; full size-and-count checks at $7 per hour per person. See product inspection.
- Storage: free for your first 2 months and while you have orders to process; long-term storage priced per CBM. See storage.
- Dispatch: stocked orders leave within 24 hours, 48 hours at peak. Your landed-cost quote includes US duties where the line ships duties paid.
Send your Halloween shortlist on WhatsApp in late spring, and we'll quote landed costs and production dates.
FAQ
When should I order Halloween products from China?
Place the bulk order by late June or July so stock is in the warehouse by late August. Many US shoppers start buying in September, and China's week-long National Day holiday from October 1 makes October reorders unreliable.
Do Halloween costumes have to meet US flammability rules?
Yes. Costumes are treated as wearing apparel under the Flammable Fabrics Act and must meet the clothing textile standard, 16 CFR 1610. Plastic-film costumes fall under the vinyl film standard.
Do children's Halloween costumes need a CPC?
Costumes designed mainly for children 12 and under are children's products. They need testing by a CPSC-accepted lab, a Children's Product Certificate and tracking labels, and the certificate data is filed electronically at import.
Can I sell colored Halloween contact lenses?
No, not without a prescription process. The FDA treats all contact lenses, including decorative ones, as medical devices that require a prescription, and selling them without one is illegal.
What should I do with leftover Halloween stock?
Compare the cost of storing it for a year with the margin you'd lose by clearing it in November. Timeless designs are worth holding; topical or bulky items are usually better cleared or bundled.