Pillar guide
How to Import Clothing from Pakistan
A practical, end-to-end walkthrough of sourcing and importing apparel from Pakistan, from first supplier contact to customs clearance.
Pakistan is one of the world's largest apparel exporters, and Sialkot in particular has specialised in sportswear, activewear and technical garments for decades. This guide walks through the full import process so you can move from first enquiry to delivered stock without unpleasant surprises.
Why buyers source apparel from Pakistan
Pakistan combines a deep textile base with a mature cut-and-sew workforce. Cotton is grown and spun domestically, which shortens lead times on jersey, fleece and woven programmes. Sialkot's factories are concentrated on sportswear, so tooling, sublimation printing and technical stitching are widely available.
What Pakistan does well
- Cut-and-sew sportswear and teamwear
- Sublimated kits, cycling wear and esports apparel
- Fleece, hoodies and joggers in cotton-rich blends
- Small-to-mid volume runs where flexibility matters more than absolute lowest cost
Step 1: Define your product before you approach suppliers
The single biggest cause of quoting delays is an incomplete brief. Before you contact factories, prepare a tech pack that specifies fabric composition and GSM, colours with Pantone references, size grading, trims, labelling, packing method and target quantity per size.
Step 2: Shortlist and vet suppliers
Ask every shortlisted factory for their export registration details, a list of certifications, references from buyers in your region and photos of their production floor. Verify that the company name on the quotation matches the name on their export documents and bank details.
Step 3: Sampling
Expect two rounds. The first proto sample confirms pattern and construction; the second pre-production sample confirms fabric, colour and branding. Approve the pre-production sample in writing and keep a sealed counter-sample for reference during inspection.
Step 4: Agree commercial terms
Clarify the Incoterm in writing. FOB Karachi is the most common starting point for new importers, with the buyer's forwarder handling freight from the port. EXW gives you the most control and the most work; DDP hands everything to the supplier but reduces visibility on duty costs.
Payment structures
- 30-50% advance, balance against a scanned bill of lading
- Letter of credit at sight for orders above roughly USD 25,000
- Escrow or trade-assurance platforms for first orders
Step 5: Classification, duty and compliance
Classify your goods under the correct HS heading before you place the order, because duty rates vary sharply between knitted and woven constructions. Confirm fibre-content labelling, care symbols and country-of-origin marking requirements for your destination market.
Step 6: Inspection before shipment
Book a pre-shipment inspection at 80% carton completion. Use AQL 2.5 for major defects on most apparel programmes and require measurement checks across the full size range, not just the sample size.
Step 7: Freight and clearance
Sea freight from Karachi to Northern Europe runs roughly 25-30 days port to port; to the US East Coast, 30-35 days. Add a week either side for inland movement and clearance. Give your customs broker the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and origin certificate well before arrival.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Approving a sample verbally instead of in writing
- Leaving fabric GSM out of the tech pack
- Assuming quoted prices include freight when the Incoterm says otherwise
- Skipping inspection on a repeat order
- Booking freight before production is confirmed complete
Planning your first order from Pakistan? Request a quote at beltasports.com — Belta Sports handles export documentation from Sialkot and can talk you through timelines, shipping terms and costs for your specific order.
Related reading
Planning a brand from scratch? Start with our pillar guide: How to Start a Sportswear Brand in 2027.
Once you have chosen a supplier, protect the transaction itself: How to safely pay a sportswear manufacturer.
Sourcing from Sialkot
If you are specifically considering Pakistan, our pillar guide to sourcing sportswear from Sialkot covers the industry, what you can realistically source there and what to expect as a buyer.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to import clothing from Pakistan?
- Budget 10-20 days for sampling, 25-45 days for bulk production, and 25-35 days sea freight to Europe or North America. Air freight cuts transit to 5-8 days at a much higher cost per kilogram.
- What is a typical minimum order quantity?
- Most Pakistani apparel manufacturers work from 50-100 pieces per style per colour for cut-and-sew sportswear, with lower minimums on sublimated garments and higher minimums on knitted or custom-fabric programmes.
- Do I need an import licence to bring apparel into the US or EU?
- Generally no licence is required, but you do need an EORI number in the EU, a customs bond and importer of record details in the US, plus correct HS classification and labelling for the destination market.
- How do I pay a Pakistani supplier safely?
- Common terms are 30-50% advance by bank transfer with the balance against shipping documents, or a letter of credit for larger orders. Always pay to a company account matching the exporter name on your proforma invoice.
About the author
Hamza Iqbal
Head of Export Operations, Belta Sports
Hamza has spent over a decade coordinating apparel export shipments out of Sialkot for buyers in the UK, EU, US and Australia.