Inside the factory
The Findup Sports factory in Sialkot
A transparent look at how footballs, goalkeeper gloves and teamwear leave our floor — the machines, the checks, the paperwork and the people. No stock photos, no invented certificates, no sales fluff.
Factory
At a glance
Location
Sialkot, PK
Products
Balls · Gloves · Kit
Shipping
Worldwide export
Sample time
7 – 14 days
Sialkot supplies most of the world's hand-stitched footballs. That's not marketing — it's why we're here. Panels, bladders, latex, thread and printing all come from suppliers within a short drive of our floor, so a sample can move from artwork to physical prototype in a fortnight.
Manufacturing
What we build, and how
Hand-stitched
5-ply polyester thread, deep seams — the traditional match-grade construction.
Machine-stitched
Consistent seams at scale, ideal for training and promotional balls.
Thermal-bonded
Panels fused by heat and pressure — seamless, near-waterproof match ball construction.
Hybrid seam
Glued plus stitched seams combining the touch of thermal with stitched durability.
Production process
From brief to finished carton
- 01
Discovery brief
You share the product idea, target market, quantities and any reference samples.
- 02
Quotation
Written quotation against Incoterms 2020 with material specs, print method, packaging and MOQ.
- 03
Artwork & PP sample
Digital mockup and physical pre-production sample shipped for approval before bulk.
- 04
Bulk production
Panel cutting, printing, stitching or thermal bonding, bladder insertion. Weekly milestone photos.
- 05
Quality control
Every unit checked against the approved golden sample. Optional third-party inspection welcomed.
- 06
Packing & shipping
Retail-ready packaging, master cartons, export documentation. Sea, air or courier.
Quality control
Every ball checked against your golden sample
The sample you approve becomes the reference for the whole run. Our QC team pulls units at every stage — post-cut, post-print, post-stitch and pre-pack — and checks them against the same specification list:
- Weight per unit vs approved spec
- Circumference and sphericity (calipers + shape gauge)
- Air-retention pressure test
- Rebound / bounce test on a hard surface
- Seam strength & stitch count audit
- Water absorption on outer panels
- Print adhesion & colour reference (Pantone)
- Cosmetic inspection under lightbox
Testing
Repeatable, measurable checks
Circumference & shape
Verifies the ball stays within the target diameter and sphericity band across production lots.
Pressure & retention
Balls are inflated and re-checked after 24–72 hours to confirm bladder retention.
Rebound (bounce)
Drop test from a fixed height on a hard surface to check consistency of rebound.
Water absorption
Timed submersion to check outer material and seam sealing.
Seam integrity
Manual pull tests on stitched samples; ultrasound checks on thermal seams.
For match-grade specifications, buyers can add lab-based bounce, sphericity and water-absorption tests through SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek. We provide the sample set on request.
Export
Shipping, terms and paperwork
Incoterms 2020
EXW, FOB Karachi, CFR / CIF, and DAP by air, sea or courier — you pick.
Ports of loading
Sea via Karachi (KICT / QICT); air via Lahore (LHE) and Sialkot (SKT) International.
Documentation
Commercial invoice, packing list, Form-E, Certificate of Origin, and (where applicable) fumigation.
Payment terms
30% advance, 70% before shipment. T/T and irrevocable L/C at sight both supported.
Warehouse
Where finished goods wait for the truck
Segregated by client
Each purchase order is palletised and shrink-wrapped separately, tagged with your PO number and SKU list.
Pre-shipment hold area
A dedicated bay where third-party inspectors can pull samples before goods are cleared for dispatch.
Photo record
Every finished pallet is photographed and shared with the buyer before the container is stuffed.
Container loading
Loading plan and photographs are documented for 20' and 40' containers as well as LCL groupage.
Production capacity
Scheduled against your PO
| Product | Monthly capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-stitched footballs | Confirmed per PO | size 3 / 4 / 5 |
| Machine-stitched footballs | Confirmed per PO | training & promo |
| Thermal-bonded footballs | Confirmed per PO | match-grade |
| Goalkeeper gloves (pairs) | Confirmed per PO | match, training, junior |
| Teamwear sets (kit) | Confirmed per PO | jersey + shorts + socks |
We don't publish blanket monthly numbers. Firm capacity is confirmed against your specific PO — quantity, construction, print complexity, panel count and colourway count — inside your written quotation.
Lead time
Typical timelines you can plan against
| Stage | Working days |
|---|---|
| Quotation | ≤ 24 hours |
| Pre-production sample | 7 – 14 days |
| Bulk footballs · up to 5,000 | 25 – 30 days |
| Bulk footballs · 5,001 – 20,000 | 35 – 45 days |
| Goalkeeper gloves · up to 2,000 pairs | 20 – 30 days |
| Teamwear sets · up to 1,000 | 25 – 35 days |
OEM process
You bring the design — we build to your spec
- 01
You provide the tech pack, colourways and artwork (AI / PDF vector).
- 02
We match materials, construction and print method to your spec.
- 03
You approve a physical PP sample; then bulk goes into production.
- 04
You own the design and the mould — we produce only for you under NDA.
Private label process
Our catalogue, your brand
- 01
Choose a construction and size from our factory catalogue.
- 02
Send your logo, colourways and target retail packaging.
- 03
We adapt the base product with your branding, valve stamp and hangtag.
- 04
You get a shorter lead time and lower tooling cost than full OEM.
Packaging
Retail-ready and export-safe
Polybag + hangtag
Lowest-cost retail-ready presentation. Ideal for e-commerce and gifting.
Printed retail box
Full-colour litho-printed carton with product photography and your brand marks.
Window / cradle box
Premium display packaging showing the ball through a die-cut window.
Master carton
Corrugated export carton labelled to your SKU / barcode requirements.
Certificates & compliance
What we do — and what we don't claim
We do not sell recycled or generic certificates. What we do:
Third-party pre-shipment inspection
Buyers are welcome to nominate SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek. We coordinate the visit at your cost.
In-house golden-sample QC
Every batch is checked against the sample you approved before bulk started.
Material data on request
PU / TPU outer, latex bladder, cotton-poly lining datasheets are shared under NDA.
Compliance testing on request
REACH, Prop 65, phthalate and azo-dye reports available for buyer-funded lab tests.
Findup Sports does not hold or claim FIFA, ISO, BSCI, SEDEX, WRAP, SGS or Intertek certifications on the company's own behalf. Any FIFA-mark, WFSGI or lab-approval claim is tied to a specific customer product, made only when the physical test has been run and the certificate is issued against your production lot in your (the buyer's) name.
Industries served
Who we build for
- Football brands & retailers
- Sports academies & clubs
- National federations & associations
- School and university programmes
- Sports distributors & wholesalers
- Promotional & corporate gifting
- E-commerce private-label sellers
- Print-on-demand & drop-shipping
Why choose Findup Sports
Six reasons buyers stay with us
Made in Sialkot
The historic home of hand-stitched footballs, with the deepest supplier network for panels, bladders and thread.
One point of contact
A single project manager owns your order from quotation to shipment — no chasing across departments.
Transparent milestones
Weekly photos of your run — cutting, printing, stitching, QC — before goods leave the factory.
No hidden costs
Written quotation against Incoterms 2020, with printing, packaging, freight and duties all itemised.
Inspection-friendly
SGS, Bureau Veritas and Intertek visits are routine. Your inspector, your protocol.
Own-brand or ours
OEM under your specification or private label from our catalogue — same factory, same quality bar.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Findup Sports factory located?+
Our production floor is in Sialkot, Pakistan — the region that supplies most of the world's hand-stitched footballs. Sourcing, sampling, production and packing all happen on the same site.
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?+
MOQ depends on the construction and print complexity. Hand-stitched footballs typically start at 200 – 300 units per size / design; thermal-bonded footballs at 500 units; goalkeeper gloves at 100 pairs. Written MOQs are confirmed in your quotation.
How long does production take?+
Pre-production samples ship in 7 – 14 days. Bulk production is typically 25 – 45 days depending on quantity and printing method. See the lead-time table on this page.
Do you support third-party inspections?+
Yes — buyers are welcome to nominate SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or their own agent. We coordinate the visit; the inspection cost sits with the buyer.
What certificates or compliance testing do you provide?+
Buyer-funded lab tests (REACH, Prop 65, phthalates, azo dyes) can be arranged. Material datasheets are shared under NDA. We do not sell third-party certificates that are not tied to a specific production lot.
Can you produce under my own brand?+
Yes. Both OEM (your full specification and tooling) and private label (our factory catalogue rebranded with your logo and packaging) are supported. OEM designs stay yours and are produced only for you under NDA.
Which Incoterms do you ship on?+
EXW, FOB Karachi, CFR, CIF and DAP by air, sea or courier. Choose the term that matches your logistics setup and we'll price accordingly.
How is payment structured?+
Standard terms are 30% advance and 70% against pre-shipment inspection. We accept T/T and irrevocable L/C at sight; other structures are considered case-by-case.
Ready when you are
Send us your brief — get a quotation in 24 hours
Share quantities, target price band and artwork. You'll get back a construction plan, an itemised quotation against your Incoterm and a realistic lead time — no follow-up chase required.