Sportswear Manufacturer for Startup Brands
- Est. 2005 · Sialkot, Pakistan
- MOQ 20–25 pcs per design · no limit for brands
- Free 24h digital mockup
- Sample 5–7 days, credited on bulk
- Bulk 15–25 business days · express 7–12
- DHL/FedEx/UPS 5–10 days
- 🛡️ Free remake within 3 days
All pages in this section
Why 20–25 pieces per design is the right size for a first range
A first range of three to five styles at 20–25 pieces each gives a new brand between 60 and 125 garments to sell, photograph and learn from, without tying up cash in a single style that may not move. ZipaSports sets its minimum at 20–25 pieces per design. Lower quantities are possible on request for sample runs and small teams, and once a brand is established there is no MOQ limit at all.
The minimum applies per design, not per order. Sizes can be mixed freely inside the 20–25 pieces, so a legging in XS, S, M, L and XL is still one design. A second colourway of a sublimated style is normally a separate print file and therefore a separate design; tell us both colourways at the mockup stage and the quote will state exactly how the minimum applies.
If you are still deciding how many styles to launch, read MOQ explained for apparel startups and how to start an activewear brand before you brief us.
From brief to delivery: the timeline for a startup order
Most first orders from a startup brand move through eight stages. Nothing in production starts until you have approved the mockup and, if you chose one, the physical sample, so the clock below runs from your approvals rather than from your first message.
| Stage | What happens | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brief | You send a logo, sketch, reference photo or idea, plus garment type and rough quantity | Day 0 |
| 2. Digital mockup | In-house studio returns a mockup free of charge; unlimited revisions before approval | Within 24 hours |
| 3. Quotation | Fabric, GSM, decoration, labels, packaging and freight confirmed in writing | Within 24 hours of the brief |
| 4. Physical sample (optional) | Charged at sample cost, credited against your bulk order | 5–7 days, plus 5–10 days courier |
| 5. Approval | Approved sample becomes the reference standard for bulk QC | Your decision |
| 6. Bulk production | Cutting, printing, sewing, labelling, in-line and final QC | 15–25 business days (express 7–12 days at additional cost) |
| 7. Packing and documents | Polybags, boxes, commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin | Included in production time |
| 8. Delivery | DHL, FedEx or UPS to your door; sea freight for large volumes | 5–10 days air; 3–6 weeks sea |
See how it works and how long custom sportswear takes for the same steps in more detail.
First range planner: style, fabric, GSM, minimum and decoration
This is the planning sheet we use with founders who have a logo but no tech pack yet. Every fabric is a standard option at ZipaSports; each row links to the startup guide for that product family.
| Style | Fabric option | GSM range | Minimum | Usual decoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leggings, sports bras, shorts | Nylon- or polyester-spandex 4-way stretch, 12–20% elastane | 240–300 | 20–25 per design | Sublimation, heat-transfer label, small embroidery |
| Seamless-look sets | Nylon-elastane circular knit | 180–260 | 20–25 per design | Heat transfer, embroidery |
| Hoodies, joggers, crewnecks | Cotton-polyester fleece or performance poly fleece | 280–350 / 240–300 | 20–25 per design | Embroidery, puff print, screen print, DTF |
| Jerseys and shorts | Polyester interlock, mesh or pin-dot mesh, moisture-wicking | 140–180 | 20–25 per design | Full sublimation with names and numbers |
| Rash guards, spats, fight shorts | Polyester-spandex 180–220; satin 120–160 for boxing shorts | 120–220 | 20–25 per design | Sublimation, embroidery |
| BJJ and judo gis | Pearl weave or single weave cotton or poly-cotton | 350–550 jacket; 8–12 oz trousers | 20–25 per design | Embroidery, woven patches |
| Leotards, crop tops, skirts | 4-way stretch lycra/spandex, foil, velvet, mesh | 180–220 | 20–25 per design | Sublimation, rhinestone |
| MX jerseys and pants | Ventilated polyester mesh; 600D with reinforced seat and knee | 150–180 (jersey) | 20–25 per design | Sublimation with sponsor logos |
| Bags, caps, socks | 600D polyester or 420D nylon; sublimated poly-cotton-spandex socks | n/a (denier) | 20–25 per style | Embroidery, heat transfer, sublimated panels |
Private label: what leaves the factory carrying your brand
Every garment ZipaSports makes for a startup is private label: your name on the neck, your size tag, your hang tag and your polybag, with no factory branding anywhere. Woven neck labels, printed size tags, hang tags and branded polybags or boxes are all produced in-house, so the label artwork is approved alongside the garment mockup rather than sourced separately.
Founders usually supply a vector logo and a preferred label size; if you have neither, the studio designs the label set as part of the free design service. Fibre content and care wording differ by market, so confirm the requirement for the country you sell in and we print it as supplied. Tagless heat-transfer labels are available where you want a bare neck inside a legging or rash guard.
If you are unsure whether you need OEM, ODM, private label or white label, the distinctions are explained in OEM vs private label vs white label sportswear. The full label and packaging menu is on the labels, tags and packaging page and the private label page.
Decoration choices for a first collection
Decoration runs in-house at the Sialkot factory, and the right method depends on the fabric more than on the design. Sublimation only works on polyester and polyester-blend fabrics; cotton-rich fleece takes embroidery, screen print, DTF or puff.
| Method | Works on | Suits a startup when | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dye sublimation | Polyester jerseys, leggings, rash guards, shorts, socks | You want all-over prints, unlimited colours and no fade, crack or peel | Sublimation |
| Embroidery | Fleece, piqué, caps, gis, bags | A small chest or sleeve logo needs a raised, durable finish | Embroidery |
| Screen printing | Cotton and poly-cotton tees, hoodies | One to four flat colours on a larger run | Screen printing |
| DTF transfer | Almost any fabric | Full-colour artwork on cotton blends at 20–25 pieces | DTF |
| Puff print | Fleece, tees | A raised streetwear logo | Puff print |
| Rhinestone and crystal | Dance and cheer stretch fabrics | Stage and competition pieces | Rhinestone |
Mixing methods in one garment is normal: a sublimated legging with an embroidered waistband logo, or a fleece hoodie with puff on the chest and a woven label at the hem. The mockup shows each method in place before you commit. For a side-by-side comparison read sublimation vs DTF vs embroidery.
Shipping a first order to the UK, USA, Europe, Australia and Canada
A first order of 60–125 pieces travels by express courier. ZipaSports ships from Sialkot by DHL, FedEx or UPS with door-to-door delivery in 5–10 days to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe, and a tracking number is provided for every consignment. Sea freight at 3–6 weeks becomes worthwhile only when a reorder is large enough to fill pallets.
Each consignment leaves with a commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. Import VAT and any duty are payable by the importer on arrival unless a different arrangement is agreed in the quotation, so budget for them when you set your retail price. The mechanics for each market, including what the courier does at customs, are set out in import duties and shipping from Pakistan and on the shipping policy.
Country-specific notes on sizing conventions and seasons are on the UK, USA, EuropeIrelandNew ZealandUAESaudi Arabia, Australia and Canada pages. Pre-shipment photos of the packed order are available on request before the courier collects.
What to send us, and the Quality Guarantee
You do not need a tech pack to start. The table shows what gets an enquiry to a mockup fastest; the studio fills any gaps during the free design stage.
| What to send | Format | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Logo | Vector (AI, EPS, PDF) or a clean PNG | Print files and embroidery start from it |
| Styles and quantities | List of 3–5 styles with a rough size split | Confirms the minimum per design and the quote |
| Colours | Pantone references or a photo | Matched to Pantone, kept on file for reorders |
| Fit reference | A garment you like, a sketch or a tech pack | Sets the pattern before the sample is cut |
| Label and packaging wishes | Label size, tag artwork, polybag or box | Approved with the mockup |
| Destination and deadline | Country and launch date | Sets standard or express production |
Every order is covered by the written Quality Guarantee: if any garment arrives with a manufacturing defect, we remake it free of charge — the remake goes into production within 3 days of your report. Send photos and the order reference within 7 days of delivery; replacements ship at no charge. Full terms are on the Quality Guarantee page. A tech pack guide is available if you want to prepare one.
The mistakes first-time founders make
The production team at ZipaSports sees the same handful of errors in first orders, and all of them are avoidable at the brief stage.
- Launching too many styles. Ten designs at 20 pieces each is harder to sell and photograph than four designs at 25. Start narrow and reorder what moves.
- Skipping the physical sample. A mockup shows placement and colour; only a sample proves fit, hand-feel and stretch recovery. Its cost is credited against the bulk order, so it is not wasted money.
- Choosing GSM by number alone. A 300 GSM legging and a 240 GSM legging are both squat-proof in the right knit; the sample tells you which your customer prefers.
- Sending a JPEG logo. A vector file avoids redrawing and keeps embroidery edges clean.
- No size chart. Adopt one before sampling, or ask for ours and adjust it; changing sizes after bulk cutting means a new run.
- Forgetting labels until packing. Woven labels have their own artwork approval; brief them with the garment.
- Judging suppliers on unit price alone. Landed cost includes sampling, freight and duty. What a custom jersey costs explains the drivers without quoting figures.
Factory, trading company or marketplace: how ZipaSports differs
ZipaSports is the factory: cutting, printing, embroidery, sewing, QC and packing happen in-house in Sialkot, Pakistan, and enquiries go to the same team, with WhatsApp answered within 2 hours in business hours. That changes what a startup can expect at each stage.
| Question | Factory (ZipaSports) | Trading company | Marketplace listing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who makes the garment? | The company you are speaking to | A factory you never speak to | Unknown until goods arrive |
| Minimum | 20–25 per design; none for established brands | Set by the factory plus the agent's margin | Varies by listing |
| Mockup and sample | Free 24-hour mockup; sample 5–7 days, credited on bulk | Relayed, with delay at each hop | Often a stock photo |
| Changes mid-order | Direct to the production floor | Through an intermediary | Rarely possible |
| Defects | Written free-remake guarantee | Depends on the contract | Platform dispute process |
A trading company or marketplace is not wrong for every buyer; it is wrong for a founder who needs to talk to the sewing line about a hem. Factory vs trading company vs marketplace covers how to tell them apart and how to verify any of them, including a video tour of this factory on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really launch with only 20 pieces of each style?
ZipaSports produces 20–25 pieces per design for startup brands, with sizes mixed inside that quantity, and lower runs on request for sampling. Three to five styles at that level is a normal first collection, and there is no MOQ limit once your brand is established and reordering.
I only have a logo and some ideas. Is that enough to start?
A logo, a sketch or reference photos and the garment type are enough to start, because the in-house studio at ZipaSports returns a free digital mockup within 24 hours with unlimited revisions before approval. A tech pack helps but is not required; the studio builds the specification with you.
What does the mockup cost, and how many revisions can I ask for?
The digital mockup is free and arrives within 24 hours, with unlimited revisions before you approve it. There is no obligation to order. A physical sample, if you want one, is charged at sample cost and that cost is credited against your bulk order.
Do I have to pay for a physical sample?
A physical sample is charged at sample cost and takes 5–7 days, and the cost is credited against your bulk order when you proceed. The approved sample then becomes the reference standard that bulk garments are checked against, so most founders order one before a first run.
Can my 20–25 pieces be split across sizes and colours?
Sizes can be mixed freely within one design. A second colourway of a sublimated style is normally a separate print file and counts as a separate design; for solid-dye garments it depends on fabric availability. Tell us both colourways at the mockup stage and the quotation will state exactly how the minimum applies.
Will the garments show only my brand, not the factory's?
Garments made by ZipaSports for a startup carry only the startup's brand: woven neck labels, printed size tags, hang tags and branded polybags or boxes all carry your name, and no factory branding is added. Full private-label packaging is produced in-house alongside the garment.
How long is it from my first message to stock in my hands?
A first startup order with ZipaSports typically runs: mockup within 24 hours, physical sample in 5–7 days plus courier, then bulk production 15–25 business days after approval and 5–10 days by DHL, FedEx or UPS to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia or Europe. Express production of 7–12 days is available at additional cost.
Once my brand is established, is there still a minimum order?
ZipaSports applies no MOQ limit to established sportswear brands and companies, so reorders and new styles can be any quantity. The 20–25 piece floor applies to first designs; lower quantities for sample runs are possible on request.
What happens if something arrives faulty?
Any garment with a manufacturing defect is remade free of charge, with the remake in production within 3 days of your report. Send photos and the order reference within 7 days of delivery; we confirm within 24 hours and ship replacements at no charge, or issue a credit if you prefer.
How much will my collection cost per piece?
Unit cost depends on fabric type and GSM, decoration method, quantity, labels, packaging and freight, so ZipaSports does not publish list prices. Send your styles and quantities and a full quotation, including payment terms, is confirmed with your enquiry; WhatsApp gets a same-day reply.