Booklist Season: When to Order Your Child's Lab Coat

Every December, the same thing happens: booklists go out, everyone relaxes, and then the second week of January arrives and parents all over the state order at once. Here's how to skip the rush — and what to do if you're already in it.

The Timing, Simply

• Order as soon as the booklist arrives: in-stock coats are dispatched within 24 hours, so December orders arrive calmly, with plenty of margin
• Adding logo printing? Allow 3–5 business days for printing before dispatch — still comfortable in December
• Late January: the crunch. It's the busiest window of the year, so expect the longest turnaround. Order anyway — and check timing with us if the first science class is close
• February (school's back): contact us and tell us the school and year level — with 25,000+ coats in stock we can tell you honestly what's possible for the week you need it

Why the Rush Is Real

Booklist season compresses a huge share of the year's school orders into about six weeks. We scale for it and hold deep stock — but printed coats need their 3–5 days of printing time, and couriers have capacity. December orders skip all of it.

How to Make Your Order Fast (Any Time of Year)

1. Check your school's page first — if your school is booklisted with us, the exact coat is listed, and your order needs no guesswork
2. Know the size before you order — the two-minute flat-garment method on our sizing guide means no exchanges needed
3. Order online — online orders queue automatically the moment you pay, and in-stock coats dispatch within 24 hours

Tracking Your Order

Once it's shipped, our Track Order page shows you exactly where your coat is — no guessing, no ringing to ask.

Common Questions

School starts Monday and there's no coat. Now what?

Contact us now — tell us the school and year level. In-stock coats dispatch within 24 hours, and if there's any way to make it, we'll say so. Worst case, ask the science teacher — schools expect booklist stragglers in week one.

Do you charge extra for rush delivery?

No — courier costs are the same all year, and shipping is free over $100. The only cost of late January is waiting in the queue.

When do booklists usually come out?

Most schools release booklists in Term 4 (Oct–Dec). The day it lands is the day to order — it's the difference between December calm and January queues.

The One-Line Version

Order the day the booklist arrives, and this entire page is irrelevant. Browse the Shop or find your school on Booklisted Schools.