Sourcing apparel from Sialkot, Pakistan: the buyer's guide.

Who wrote this. Adriqa Enterprises is a manufacturer in Sialkot, so we have an interest in this topic. We wrote the guide so that you can check any factory, including ours, with the same questions. Where a fact comes from an outside source, we name the source and the date.

01

What Sialkot is, and why buyers come here.

Sialkot is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, near the border with India. It is known worldwide as a centre for sports goods, and over time its stitching skills have grown into sportswear, streetwear, promo wear and activewear. Here are the facts that matter to a buyer, each with its source and date.

Figures are as stated by the named source on the date shown. They change, so check current numbers with the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) before you quote them.

What this means for you: a buyer can find many experienced exporters in one place, support services such as customs clearance close to the factories, and a workforce with decades of stitching experience. It does not mean every factory is good. The verification steps exist because quality varies from one factory to the next, in Sialkot as everywhere.

02

Where Sialkot fits, and where to ask harder questions.

No sourcing region is right for every product. Use this table as a starting point, then ask each factory to show a finished example of your exact product type.

03

From first search to shipment: ten steps.

Skipping a step rarely saves time. It usually moves the problem to a more expensive moment. This is the order that works, with a link to the detail for each step.

1. 01

   Write your brief

   One page: the product, the target customer, the spec (fabric, weight, colours, sizes), decoration, quantity per style and colour, the market you sell in and the date you need stock. A clear brief gets comparable quotes. See the tech pack checklist.

   • Decide your must-haves and your flexible points.
   • Choose a target landed cost, not only a factory price.
2. 02

   Find candidates

   Use sources you can check: referrals from other brands, the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TDAP and its trade exhibitions, and focused searches for your product type. Shortlist three to five factories.

   • Look for factories that already make your product type.
   • Note whether each is a manufacturer, a trading company or an agent.
3. 03

   Make first contact

   Send the same short message to each, with your brief. Watch how they reply: speed, clarity and whether they ask good questions about your product and market.

   • Vague answers and flattery with no questions are a warning sign.
   • Ask for finished examples of your product type.
4. 04

   Verify identity and legality

   Before you share artwork or money, run the eight identity checks: registration, tax numbers, chamber membership, address, live video, bank account name, references and capacity.

   • Check each document with the body that issued it.
   • Keep copies of what you received.
5. 05

   Check certificates and audits

   Ask which certificates the factory holds and which your customers need. Use the certificate decoder to see what each one proves and how to verify it.

   • Match the name, address, scope and dates.
   • Read audit findings, not only the certificate.
6. 06

   Request and compare quotes

   Send every factory the same quote request. Put each quote into the landed-cost calculator, then score the factories on the scorecard.

   • Ask each to list what the price includes.
   • Ask for FOB and DDP quotes so you can compare.
7. 07

   Approve samples

   Make a first sample, correct it, then approve a pre-production sample. Wash it, wear it, measure it and check colour in daylight. Keep the approved sample as the standard for bulk. See samples and inspection.

   • Give feedback in writing, with photos and measurements.
   • Do not approve production until the sample is right.
8. 08

   Agree the order and payment

   Put the spec, quantity, price, terms, delivery date, inspection plan and payment schedule into one purchase order that both sides sign. See payment and the order.

   • Pay by traceable transfer to the company account.
   • Tie payments to milestones.
9. 09

   Monitor and inspect

   Ask for progress photos. Inspect before production, during production and before shipment. Pay the balance only after the final inspection passes. See inspection and AQL.

   • Agree AQL and the inspection method in writing.
   • Book the inspection before the goods are packed.
10. 10

    Ship, clear customs and reorder

    Confirm the route, Incoterm and documents with your forwarder. When stock lands, check it against the approved sample and note what sells by size and colour, so the reorder is faster. See shipping and customs.

    • Ask your broker to check the product code and origin.
    • Reorder early; repeat orders are quicker.

04

Verify the factory before you trust it.

Photos and websites can be copied. Verification means checking facts with a source that is not the supplier. Start by understanding who you are really dealing with.

Factory, trading company or sourcing agent?

None of the three is wrong. The problem is only when a trader or agent pretends to be the factory. Ask directly, and ask for proof.

Eight identity checks

1. Company registration. Ask for the incorporation or firm registration certificate. For a company in Pakistan, the registering body is the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP); check the name and number with it.
2. Tax registration. Ask for the National Tax Number (NTN) and, where applicable, the sales tax registration. The name must match the registration.
3. Chamber membership. Ask for the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry membership number and confirm it with the chamber if you are unsure.
4. Address. The address on the registration, invoices, website and bank letter must be the same. Find it on a map.
5. Live video walk-through. Ask for a live call through the cutting room, sewing floor and finishing area, and ask them to show something you choose on the day, such as a sheet with today's date and your name.
6. Bank account. The account name must be the registered company name. Ask for a bank letter. Never pay a personal account.
7. Past work and references. Ask for finished examples of your product type and, where possible, to speak to a current customer.
8. Capacity facts. Ask for machine counts and types, staff numbers and daily output for your product, then compare with what you saw on video.

For the questions to ask about quality, samples and terms, see the twelve vetting questions in Guide 01.

05

Certificate decoder: what each one proves.

A certificate is evidence, not a guarantee. Each one covers a specific thing: a quality system, a workplace, a material or a product. Match the certificate to the question you need answered.

Five checks for any certificate

1. Name and address. They must match the exact factory you will use, not a group company or a supplier.
2. Scope. It must cover your product type and process, such as cut-and-sew or printing.
3. Dates. It must be valid for the time of your production, not expired.
4. Issuer. It must come from an independent body, not the factory.
5. Confirmation. The issuer or its public database must confirm it.

A mill's certificate does not cover the garment factory, and the reverse is also true. Adriqa sends copies of its certificates and audits on request, each with its number and dates.

06

Duties, origin and labels: what to check for your market.

Rates and rules change, and they depend on your country, the product code (the HS code), the origin and any trade preference. Rather than quote figures that may be out of date, this section shows you where to check them.

Why fabric origin matters

Preferential duty depends on the origin of the finished product. For garments, the rules can depend on where the fabric, and sometimes the yarn, was made. Because fabrics for Sialkot sportswear have been reported as largely imported (TDAP, 2021), ask the factory early: where is my fabric made, and how will you prove the origin of the finished garment?

07

Landed-cost calculator: compare quotes on what you will really pay.

Landed cost is the total you pay to get goods to your door: product cost, freight, insurance, duty, import taxes, customs and port fees, and delivery. Enter the numbers from each quote and from your forwarder. The calculator runs in your browser and does not send anything anywhere.

Rules differ by country. The tax base and what can be reclaimed vary, so confirm with your broker or accountant. Adriqa does not publish prices; the numbers here are only the ones you type in.

08

Request quotes you can compare, then score the factories.

If every factory gets a different brief, you cannot compare the answers. Send the same request to each, then score the replies side by side.

Subject: Quote request: [product], [quantity] pieces, [market]

Hello [factory name],

We are looking for a manufacturer for: [product type and short description].

1. Style and spec: [attach tech pack, sketch or reference photo]. Fabric: [fibre, weight, finish]. Colours: [list]. Sizes and split: [quantity per size].
2. Decoration: [method, size, positions]. Artwork attached as vector files.
3. Labels and packing: [brand label, care and composition label for (country), hang tags, polybags, carton marking].
4. Quantity: [per style and colour], with possible reorders.
5. Destination and terms: [country and port]. Please quote FOB [port] and DDP.
6. Deadline: [date the stock must be at your warehouse].

Please include in your quote: the spec the price is based on, price per piece at each quantity step, minimum per style, colour and decoration, sample cost and time (and whether it is credited to the order), production lead time after sample approval, packing details, payment terms and how long the quote is valid.

Please also send: your company registration and tax numbers, copies of current certificates and audit reports with expiry dates, and photos or a live video of the floor that makes this product.

Thank you,
[Name, company, WhatsApp]

What a complete quote includes

• The spec the price is based on (fabric, weight, decoration, labels, packing)
• Price per piece at each quantity step, and the terms (FOB, DDP)
• Minimum per style, per colour and per decoration
• Sample cost, sample time and whether the cost is credited
• Production lead time after sample approval
• Payment terms and how long the quote is valid

Factory scorecard

Score each criterion from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) for up to three factories, then add them up. Give extra weight to the criteria that matter most for your product.

Print the scorecard

09

Samples, inspection and AQL: how to protect the order.

The approved sample says what you want. Inspection checks that the bulk order matches it. Agree both in writing before production starts.

Four samples, four jobs

Three inspections

What AQL means

AQL, the Acceptable Quality Limit, is the number of defects you accept in a random sample from your order. It is based on the ISO 2859-1 sampling tables: the bigger the order, the bigger the sample. Defects are usually grouped as critical (unsafe), major (the customer would return it) and minor (small flaws). Many apparel buyers use about 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor ones, with none allowed for critical ones. Agree your own levels in writing before production.

10

Pay safely, and put everything in one purchase order.

Most sourcing problems that cost real money are payment problems. The rules are simple: pay the right account, in stages, against a document, and keep the final payment until after inspection.

Letters of credit and escrow services add protection on larger orders, at a cost and with more paperwork. Ask your bank or a trade adviser which suits your order. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.

What goes in the purchase order

• The spec and the reference to the approved sample
• Quantity by style, colour and size
• Price per piece and the Incoterm
• Delivery date and what happens if it is missed
• Packing, labels and carton marking
• Inspection rights, AQL and who pays for re-inspection
• The payment schedule and the bank details
• Confidentiality and who owns the artwork and patterns
• How disagreements are handled, and which law applies

11

Shipping from Sialkot: routes, Incoterms and customs.

Your forwarder confirms the exact route. This shows the usual shape of each one.

Schematic only, not to scale. The Sialkot Dry Port, in Sambrial, is run by the Sialkot Dry Port Trust, which states that it offers customs clearance round the clock, sealed GPS-tracked bonded vehicles, and terminal offices in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The Sialkot International Airport was developed by the local business community to address exporters' and buyers' travel and logistics.

Incoterms, in plain words

Documents for customs

• Commercial invoice and packing list
• Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air)
• Proof of origin, if you claim a trade preference
• Labels and any test reports your market requires
• Your importer registration number, where your country needs one

12

Plan the calendar: work backwards from the date you need stock.

Start from the date the goods must be in your warehouse and subtract each stage. These mid-range values are for illustration, not a promise. Your factory confirms real dates in writing.

See typical ranges for your product, quantity and country in the lead-time planner.

Things to plan for in Pakistan

13

Visiting Sialkot, or auditing from home.

A visit shows what documents cannot: how the floor looks, how people work and how the factory handles a problem. If you cannot go, there are good alternatives.

Plan for two or three factory visits per day at most, and keep one day free for sample review and a meeting with your forwarder.

14

Ten sourcing mistakes, and how to avoid each one.

1. Paying a deposit to an unverified account. Verify the company and the account name first.
2. Judging a factory by photos or a website. Both can be copied. Ask for a live video.
3. Comparing factory prices, not landed cost. Freight, duty and fees can reverse the order.
4. Ignoring fabric origin. It can decide whether a trade preference applies.
5. No written inspection plan. Agree AQL and the final inspection before production.
6. Planning with no holiday buffer. Allow for Eid closures and monsoon delays.
7. Accepting a certificate without checking it. Name, scope, dates and issuer must all match.
8. Sending designs to many factories with no confidentiality. Agree confidentiality before you share artwork.
9. Relying on one supplier for everything. Keep a tested second source for key products.
10. Skipping a small trial order. A trial order finds problems cheaply.

15

Glossary for sourcing from Pakistan.

HS code

The product code used by customs worldwide. It decides the duty rate.

Landed cost

Everything you pay to get goods to your door.

FOB

Free on Board: the seller delivers to the ship at the export port.

CIF

Cost, Insurance and Freight to your port.

EXW

Ex Works: you collect from the factory.

DDP

Delivered Duty Paid: the seller delivers to you with duty paid.

AQL

Acceptable Quality Limit: how many defects you accept in a random sample.

Final random inspection

A check of a random sample of the packed order, before you pay the balance.

Pre-production sample

A sample made from the bulk fabric and trims. It sets the standard for the order.

Pro-forma invoice

A seller's draft invoice you pay against.

Packing list

A list of what is in each carton.

Bill of lading

The sea transport document that also proves ownership of the goods.

Air waybill

The air transport document. It is a receipt, not a title to the goods.

GSP+

The EU preference scheme that lowers duty for eligible developing countries, on conditions.

NTN

National Tax Number: a Pakistani taxpayer registration.

SECP

Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan: registers companies.

TDAP

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan: the national export promotion body.

Lead time

The time from approved order or sample to goods ready to ship.

16

Questions buyers ask, by topic (24 answers).

Short, direct answers to the questions buyers ask most about sourcing apparel from Sialkot. Jump to a topic, or read them in order.