Why the choice matters
Whether you run a boxing club ordering kit for members or a brand launching your own gloves, choosing a manufacturer is the decision that most affects what arrives in the box. Two suppliers can quote similar prices and send equally good photos, then deliver very different products.
How an order runs, from brief to bulk
These twelve checks help you separate them before any money changes hands. They're the same questions we'd want a buyer to ask us, and for each one we explain what a good answer looks like and how we answer it ourselves.
1. Do they make the gear, or pass your order on?
Many suppliers are trading companies that take your order and place it with whichever workshop is free. That isn't always a problem, but it means the person you speak to doesn't control the cutting, stitching or checks, and your next order may be made somewhere else.
Ask
Where is the workshop, and can you show me photos or video of my product being made there?
How we answer: everything we sell is made in our own workshop in Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan.
2. Do they specialise in combat sports?
Gloves, pads and guards are built differently from general sportswear. Padding layers, wrist support and stitching on stress points all need machinery and experience that general apparel factories often don't have.
Ask
What share of your work is combat-sports gear, and which products do you make most often?
How we answer: combat sports is all we do — boxing, MMA, kickboxing and BJJ gear, plus the lifting gear and club apparel that goes with it.
3. Is the mockup free, and how many changes can you make?
A digital mockup is where most mistakes are caught cheaply: the wrong shade of red, a logo too close to a seam, a size label in the wrong place. A supplier that limits changes at this stage pushes errors into the physical sample, where they cost more to fix.
Ask
Do you charge for mockups, and is there a limit on revisions?
How we answer: mockups are free, with as many changes as you need.
4. Will you see a physical sample before bulk?
Photos can't tell you how a glove feels on the hand, how stiff a belt is, or whether a print cracks when the material bends. Never approve a bulk order without holding a sample.
Ask
Is the sample free? How long does it take to reach me? What happens if it needs changes?
How we answer: your first physical sample is free and reaches you in 7–10 days. Your first revised sample is free. If you need further revised samples, we charge them at cost — agreed with you before we make them — and credit that amount against your bulk order. If a change is needed because we made a mistake, the revised sample is always free.
5. Is bulk production checked against the approved sample?
The sample is only useful if bulk production is held to it. Ask how the supplier checks finished goods and what they compare them against.
Ask
What do you check before packing, and against what?
How we answer: every bulk order is checked against the sample you approved.
6. How is the minimum order counted?
"MOQ 50" can mean very different things. Some suppliers count it per size or per colour, which can quietly turn 50 into 200. For a club ordering across members' sizes, this matters more than the headline number.
Ask
Does the minimum apply per design, per colour or per size? Can I split it across sizes?
How we answer: 50 pieces per design, or 50 pairs for gloves. A design is one product in one colourway, and you can split it across sizes in any mix. A second colourway counts as a separate design.
7. Is the lead time a range or a promise?
"4 to 8 weeks" without a start point or a date tells you very little. A useful answer says when the clock starts and confirms a date in writing.
Ask
When does production start, how long does it typically take for my product, and will you confirm a dispatch date in writing?
How we answer: production starts when you approve your sample. Fightwear, club apparel, rash guards and BJJ gis typically take 3–5 weeks. Gloves, pads, protective gear, bags and lifting gear typically take 4–6 weeks. Courier transit is added on top. Your exact dispatch date is confirmed in writing with your quote.
8. Which branding methods do they use — and which don't they?
Sublimation, screen printing, DTF, embroidery and embossing all look and wear differently, and not every workshop offers all of them. A supplier who says yes to everything may be outsourcing part of your order.
Ask
Which methods do you do in-house, and which would you recommend for my material?
How we answer: we use three methods: sublimation; DTF (direct to film) and heat transfer; and screen printing. Labels are printed, not woven. We don't offer embroidery, embossing or debossing, so if your design depends on them, we'll tell you at the brief stage.
9. Can they show real finished work?
Renders and stock photos prove nothing about what a workshop can make. Ask for photos of finished products made for real clients, and check that the client agreed to be named.
Ask
Can you show finished products made for a named client, with their permission?
How we answer: our portfolio shows real photographs of finished gloves, guards, wraps and straps made for Athlomax, a UK boxing, MMA and activewear brand, who agreed to be named.
10. What happens when you reorder?
The first order is only half the relationship. If a supplier doesn't keep your approved sample and specification, your second run can differ from your first in colour, padding or fit.
Ask
Do you keep my approved sample and specification? Will a reorder need a new sample?
How we answer: your approved sample stays in our workshop and your specification is stored digitally, so reorders match the first run.
11. Are certification and testing claims backed by paperwork?
Certification claims are easy to make and hard to check. If a supplier says its gear is certified, ask for the certificate, who issued it and which product it covers.
Ask
Which certificates or test reports do you hold, and can I see them for my product?
How we answer: we don't claim any certification. If your market or retailer needs test reports, we'll discuss them for your order.
12. How do they ship, and who handles it?
Know how your order will travel before you plan a launch or a season start.
Ask
How do you ship, and how is the dispatch date communicated?
How we answer: we ship by international courier. Your dispatch date is confirmed in writing with your quote. Transit time is added on top.
A quick way to use these checks
Send the same brief to each supplier you're considering and compare their answers side by side. The ones worth shortlisting will answer clearly and in writing. If you're not sure what to put in the brief, start with our guide.
