Ready stock tiles from Morbi often load within one to three weeks. Made-to-order production commonly takes three to six weeks, counted from the day the factory receives your advance and approves your samples.
Sea freight comes on top of that. Peak season, fuel disruption and custom designs can all add weeks. The clock also does not start when you first ask for a quote, which is where many first orders lose time.
Where the time goes
- Sampling and approval comes first: you receive samples, check them and confirm the design, size, grade and finish in writing.
- The advance payment then reaches the factory, and the factory books your order into its production plan.
- Production follows, which means pressing, glazing and printing, firing, sorting by grade and shade, and packing.
- Inspection and loading take place once the lot is packed, followed by the shipping documents.
- Sea freight and customs clearance in your country complete the timeline.
The first two steps cause most of the delay on a first order. Samples travel by courier from India, and a second round is needed if the first does not match. An advance can also take several days to clear between banks. Our guide to getting tile samples from Morbi explains how to speed up that stage.
Ready stock versus made to order
Ready stock means the boxes already sit in the factory's warehouse. You still need to check the grade, shade and batch before loading. The risk is that the stock is smaller than promised, or comes from more than one batch. Ask for the batch and shade codes and the box count before you pay.
Made to order means the factory runs your design on its line. It will fit your order between other customers' runs. A plant with a full order book may quote a date that slips. Ask for the planned production week in writing, and ask again when the advance lands.
What makes lead times stretch
Custom designs take longest. A new digital print file, a new glaze effect or a new size needs trials and a second round of samples. Our guide to custom tile designs from Morbi covers that process.
Fuel is the other big factor. Morbi kilns run on natural gas and propane. In early 2026 a Middle East crisis raised fuel and freight costs and restricted industrial propane. Several units suspended operations from mid-March 2026, and gas use only recovered by late April 2026. When margins fall, some plants pause lines or shut for maintenance, and orders wait. Our article on gas prices and Morbi tile costs explains how this works.
Peak season, holidays and shortages of containers or vessel space can also push dates back. Your forwarder can tell you how the shipping side looks for your route.
How to protect your date
- Approve samples quickly and in writing, with photos and codes, so there is no doubt about what was approved.
- Put the planned production week and the loading date in the purchase order.
- Ask for photos or a video call when your order is on the line, not only when it is packed.
- Book inspection before the factory closes the boxes, so a problem can be fixed before loading.
- Build a few weeks of buffer into your own sales plan for a first order.
Next step
We follow production at the factory, report progress, have lots checked and supervise loading, so you know where your order stands. To plan the timeline for your first order, book a free sourcing review.