We’re a sportswear and activewear manufacturer in Sialkot, so this guide is written from inside the industry. We’ve tried to make it useful even if you end up working with someone else. A buyer who knows what to check is a better customer for every factory here.
What Pakistan makes, and where
Pakistan is one of the world’s large textile producers, built on its own cotton. The main garment cities each have their own strengths.
- Faisalabad is the center of yarn, fabric and knitting, and supplies much of the country’s cotton fabric.
- Lahore has a large garment and knitwear industry, including denim and fashion.
- Karachi has big garment and denim exporters, and the country’s main sea ports.
- Sialkot is the home of sportswear, team uniforms, sports goods, gloves and leather.
If you’re buying cotton basics or denim in large volumes, Faisalabad, Lahore and Karachi are where most of those factories are. If you’re buying team uniforms, sublimated jerseys, fightwear or activewear, Sialkot is where to look.
Why Sialkot for sportswear
Sialkot has made sports goods for more than a century. The city is best known for footballs, including balls used at recent World Cups, but the same skills grew into a full sportswear industry.
What that means for a buyer is a cluster. Within a short drive of each other are fabric knitters, sublimation printers, embroidery units, label makers, trim suppliers and packaging firms. A factory here can source a fabric, print it, sew it and pack it without waiting weeks for parts.
The city also built its own export links. Sialkot has an international airport and a dry port, both started with money from local business owners, so goods clear customs close to the factories.
The other thing the cluster brings is size. Most factories in Sialkot are small or mid-size, and many accept lower minimums than large export mills. That suits new brands, clubs and teamwear dealers who order in the hundreds rather than the tens of thousands.
What to expect when you order
Every factory works differently, but these are the usual points to agree.
- Minimum order: often a few hundred pieces per style at larger mills. Ours is 50 pieces per style, with sizes mixed.
- Samples: usually charged. Ours are made in about 7 days, then shipped.
- Production time: typically two to four weeks for a few hundred pieces. Ours is 10 to 12 business days after the deposit clears.
- Payment: a deposit before production and the balance before shipping is normal. We take 50% and 50%, by bank wire, Western Union, MoneyGram, Xoom or TapTapSend.
- Language: business is done in English. Many buyers also write to us in their own language, and we reply through translation.
Plan around public holidays. Factories close for several days at Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and the weeks before them are busy. Their dates move each year, so check them when you plan a season.
Duties and shipping into your country
Small and mid-size orders usually go by express courier, DHL, FedEx or UPS, and arrive in 8 to 10 days. Larger orders can go by sea freight from Karachi, which is cheaper but takes several weeks.
Who pays the import duty is set by the shipping terms on your quote. With DDP (delivered duty paid), the supplier pays duties and taxes before delivery, so there’s nothing to pay at your door. Most of our bulk orders ship DDP, and we confirm shipping terms on every quote.
The duty rate depends on where you import and the garment’s tariff code.
- European Union: Pakistan has GSP+ status, which removes or cuts duty on most clothing. The status is under review by the EU, so check the current position for your tariff code.
- United Kingdom: Pakistan is part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which also reduces or removes duty on many garments.
- United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: clothing from Pakistan pays the normal rates for each garment.
Rules change, so check the current rates with your customs broker or your government’s tariff tool before you set your prices.
How to check a manufacturer in Pakistan
Most problems buyers have with overseas factories could have been spotted before the first payment. A short checklist:
- Chamber membership. Ask which chamber of commerce the factory belongs to. We’re members of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- A video call. Ask to see the production floor on a live call. A real factory can show you its cutting tables and sewing lines in a few minutes.
- A sample first. Never go to bulk without a sample of your own design.
- Written terms. The quote should state the price per style, the minimum, the sample cost, the production time, the payment terms and the shipping terms.
- Payment terms. Be careful with any supplier who wants 100% up front before you’ve seen a sample.
- Your design’s safety. Ask whether the factory sells or reuses customers’ designs. We don’t, and we sign an NDA on request.
- References. Ask for the names of clients in your country who are happy to talk.
The trade-offs, honestly
Buying from Pakistan usually means a lower unit price than buying locally in the US, UK or Europe, and a lot of flexibility on design, fabric and minimums. Sialkot factories in particular know team sports well.
The trade-offs are distance and time. You’ll rely on samples, photos and video calls instead of walking the factory floor, and shipping adds 8 to 10 days by courier. A good factory makes up for it with clear communication and fast answers. If a supplier is slow to reply before you’ve paid, assume it won’t get faster after.
About us
Janletic Sports is a custom sportswear and activewear manufacturer in Sialkot, Pakistan. We make team uniforms, sportswear and activewear to the buyer’s own design, from 50 pieces per style. We started in 2021 and have made clothing for more than 500 brands, clubs and teams.
Questions
Is it safe to order clothing from Pakistan?
It’s as safe as the supplier you choose. Check the factory with the list above, approve a sample before bulk, and pay a deposit rather than the full amount up front.
Are Pakistani manufacturers cheaper than Chinese ones?
It depends on the garment. For knitwear, team uniforms and sportswear, Pakistan is often competitive, and minimums in Sialkot are often lower. Get quotes on the same tech pack and compare.
Do manufacturers in Pakistan speak English?
Business is done in English, and most exporters write and speak it well.
What’s the minimum order?
It varies by factory. Larger mills often ask for several hundred pieces per style. Ours is 50.
How long does shipping from Pakistan take?
About 8 to 10 days by DHL, FedEx or UPS. Sea freight takes several weeks.
If you’re looking at Sialkot for your next order, send us your design and we’ll come back with a price and lead time. See how ordering works for each step, and our custom sportswear and custom activewear pages for what we make.
