What is Ex-Factory Date?

Ex-factory date is the date on which the supplier (here a garment manufacturer) needs to keep the shipment ready and need to move the shipment out from the factory and hand it over to the shipment forwarder. Packing and garment inspection need to be done prior to the ex-factory date.

According to the ex-factory date, the garment manufacturer plans its production schedule, pre-production and material sourcing schedule. The ex-factory date may or may not be the same date as the shipment date. But to the factory, ex-factory date is the shipment date.

Sometimes buyers want to keep shipment ready at the factory on the ex-factory date and plan for picking it later. Later they can pick and ship it together with other orders.

When I was working in a garment manufacturing factory, we used to get the ex-factory date from the buying house. Sometimes we were aware that shipment date mentioned by the buyer is different. Buying house keeps some days in their hand as a buffer. In case shipment gets delayed by the factory they can compensate the delay and extend the ex-factory date.

Also read: What is the meaning of ETD and ETA in the Fashion Business?