In this guide, we will teach you how to find quality sportswear manufacturers, for those of you who are looking for a manufacturer or a factory for your own sports clothing line, read this post, you will get the detailed answer. In addition, we will also explain what you must know about choosing sportswear suppliers or manufacturers and some technical terms.
Guide to Find Sportswear Manufacturing Companies
Sportswear Manufacturers or Suppliers are easily and widely to be found on the Internet. Most of them are coming from China, the best place for Sports Apparel Production. Many of them are from India or Vietnam, very few of them are located in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other European or North American countries. If you are trying to look for a quality and reliable sportswear manufacturer, firstly, you should decide, which country’s manufacturer you would like to choose.
If you have a limited budget or not urgent to get sportswear or want to get full customization on the clothing, I recommend you choose the Chinese Sportswear Manufacturers, they are locating in the country that has the lower-cost labor and owns most of the sportswear fabrics&materials suppliers to improve garment quality. If you do not care about money or in a hurry to get the sportswear or want to see the clothing in person, I recommend you choose the Sportswear Manufacturers in the USA, UK, CA, AU, and your domestic countries. So you are no need to wait for overseas shipping and can verify the sportswear or activewear by yourself.
Secondly, after deciding on an overseas sportswear manufacturer or domestic manufacturer, it’s time to search for a quality active sportswear manufacturer online now. You can directly search on Google, you can try to find the recommendation in social media apps and sportswear forums, or you can go to the online directories, and the last option, you can join in clothing trade shows. Among the 4 different ways to look for sportswear manufacturers, I recommend the search on Google and the visit to the online directories.
Thirdly, once you have a list of quality sportswear manufacturers in hand to choose from, you should ask them for a quotation one by one. In the quote, express your need in detail, require them to tell you the Real MOQ, Sample Fee, Turnaround Time, Shipment, and Payment, so you can have a comparison of the various sportswear manufacturers or suppliers and choose the most suitable one.
Finally, if you are still not sure which quality sportswear manufacturers to choose in your list, try to search the website’s truly review on the Internet, manufacturers from the online directories usually have the real customer’s feedback you can trust, as to the ones you found on Google, you can send email to the chosen manufacturer site and ask them to show you some successful cases. If they can send like Berunwear’s page here, you should have more trust too.
Choose Quality Sportswear Manufacturers, what you must know?
Fabric and Material Specification
A quality sportswear manufacturer, that is not saying it’s only focusing on high-end performance Sportswear. Quality can be defined in technical terms. As such, when buying Sportswear or Activewear from a manufacturer, the fabric and material specification should including:
- Fabric (e.g., 61% cotton, 33%polyester, 6% spandex)
- Fabric Weight (e.g., 180 gsm)
- Stretch (i.e. 4-Way Stretch)
- Other materials (e.g., Lining and Mesh)
- Printing
- Other fabric specifications (e.g., Quick Dry, antibacterial, UV Protected)
Technical Fabrics
Sportswear is often made of coated fabrics, and other technical textiles (often called preference fabrics). Such textiles are often both branded and patented and are therefore not readily available in the same way as a generic cotton or polyester fabric. These high-end fabrics are often manufactured outside of China, for example in Italy, Japan, and Korea.
Technical fabrics manufacturers can ship fabrics to your supplier in China, to do the cutting, sewing, and packaging. However, you will need to contact them directly and coordinate the shipment to China. The good news, if you choose Berunwear as your customized sportswear supplier, we are the authorized supplier of these technical fabrics, stock them in our clothing factory all the year to respond timely to the customers’ needs.
Sportswear Regulations and Standards
Sports and fitness wear are, in some countries and markets, subject to substance regulations. As far as I am aware, such regulations apply to most consumer products, including textiles, and don’t apply specifically to Sportswear. Buyers in the United States and the European Union must be aware of the following:
| MARKET | REGULATION | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| EU | REACH | REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and restriction of Chemicals) restricts usage of chemicals and heavy metals in all products, including Sportswear and other textile goods. Third-party compliance testing is not required by law, but non-compliance results in fines and a forced recall. |
| US | CA Prop 65 | California Proposition 65 restricts more than 800 substances in consumer products, including Sportswear and other apparel. Compliance is required for all companies with more than 10 employees, selling in, or to buyers in, California. |
| US | FHSA |
FHSA (Federal Hazardous Substances Act) restricts various substances, some of which are found in textile – for example, Formaldehyde.
|
Ensuring compliance requires Sportswear importers to apply a comprehensive testing strategy. Normally, the first step of this process is to limit the supplier selection to those able to produce verifiable test reports. However, as many experienced Apparel buyers already know, many manufacturers lack an extensive compliance track record, making it hard to tell whether a supplier is truly able to control its incoming materials.
In fact, many suppliers themselves are unsure if their products are compliant with overseas standards. As far as I am aware, the most efficient way to verify compliance, when buying apparel, is to first confirm materials and colors, which are submitted for compliance testing very early in the process. If possible, in parallel with sample development.
Buyers of Sportswear shall also consider a range of other, non-mandatory, performance testing procedures, including the following:
- Flammability
- Thermal
- Water
- Fiber Analysis
- Fabric Abrasion and Pilling Resistance
- Feather and Down Testing
- Fabric Tearing Strength
- Colorfastness (i.e., UV Light, Rubbing)
- Antibacterial and Odor
- Quick Dry
Fabric samples can be tested in Mainland China or Hong Kong, where several accredited European and American testing companies are present. However, Sportswear manufacturers require the buyer to pay all third party fees, including for substance and fabric performance testing. For reference, a variety of EU and US technical standards for textiles can be found here:
Most other markets base their standards largely, sometimes entirely, on American or European Union standards.
Sportswear Private Label Manufacturing
Importers are required to ensure compliance with all local labeling requirements. The scope of regulations varies by country and market, but tends to include the following:
- Material specification (i.e. 80% Nylon / 20% Spandex)
- Washing Symbols (i.e. ASTM and/or Washing Instructions
- Size
- Country of Origin (i.e. Made in China)
Never assume that your sportswear supplier is aware of how clothing must be labeled in your market. Asian activewear manufacturers, including Chinese, are accustomed to making goods entirely according to the buyer’s specifications, including for labeling. Yes, that’s the case even when buying ODM products. To avoid compliance issues, provide your suppliers with ‘ready-made’ .ai or .eps label files, and its placement specified in the design drawings of the Teckpack.
Technical Terms of Sportswear Manufacturing
Sportswear – generally clothing that applies more with a specific sport in mind, like for a runner, cyclist, or tennis player… or other individual or team sports. Can be worn as casual wear or for less active sports activities as well.
Activewear – labeled as such to generally apply to any sport, exercise, or activity that might require comfort, stretch wear.
Athleisure Wear – describes casual clothing that is considered acceptable and stylish for both fitness activities and daily everyday wear equally.
High-Performance or Performance-Grade Wear – As an industry term, this means performance fabrics are being used. Performance fabrics are used in the making of activewear, sportswear, summer and winter wear, mountain activities, trekking, workwear, as well as urban wear, and protective wear.
High-Tech Sportswear – suggests cutting-edge technology is used for some aspect of the garment. Innovative fabrics and design techniques that improve the wearer’s comfort and performance are advances that activewear companies strive for.
Compression Sportswear – is a flexible lightweight fabric that is commonly used in form-fitting, encapsulating, and molded workout and sportswear clothing and is often designed with a second-skin fit. Depending on the type of compression fabric, there may be other athlete advantages to using compression sportswear, including better circulation to the muscles, decreased recovery time, and improved performance. The compression strength and fabrics used for sportswear can differ from the compression graded fabrics used for medical or surgical needs.
Pressure Sportswear – is a supportive force that is applied to your body from the sportswear garment. This term may be used to suggest help securing and supporting loose areas on the body that may move during exercise or to help reinforce good posture.
Technical Spec Packaging (TECH PACK) – Includes all the information to communicate to a vendor how to produce a product (size, fabrication, quality standards, etc.)
Pattern – A paper or computer model for each piece of a product. Used as a guide to constructing a product.
Prototype – A full-size working model of a new product or new version of an existing product used as a basis for later production stages.
CAD – Computer-Aided Design- used as a conceptual tool to design and develop products
Flat Sketches – Technical sketch of a product as if it were laying flat- includes stitching & seaming details
Grading – Proportionately increasing or decreasing the dimensions of parts of a product according to the size ranges intended for production.
MOQ – The minimum quantity that a vendor requires in order to contract their goods or services.
Purchase Order (PO) – A legal, binding contract between a buyer and a supplier.
OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer, an OEM manufactures your sportswear based solely on the design data you provide. They do not design any of the products, and their responsibility is limited to just the manufacturing process.
ODM – Original Design Manufacturing, when working with an ODM manufacturer, the company will design some or all of the sportswear to your high-level specifications. This has the advantage of (usually) saving money and taking advantage of the factory with a great deal of relevant experience.
Cut and Sew – Knit fabrics that are laid out and cut like a woven fabric, instead of being full-fashioned
Knit – Fabric created by interlocking loops of yarn
Woven – Fabric composed of two yarns running in perpendicular directions woven together
Seamless Technology – This term can refer to either “seamless knitting” (See Seamless Knitting), or “welding/bonding technology”, which uses a bonding agent to attach two pieces of fabric together, and eliminates the need for sewing threads. (See welding.)
Air-Circulating Technology – allows the air to circulate in and around your workout clothing to help maintain a comfortable body temperature as you exercise. Mesh fabric or adjustable zippers may be strategically placed to allow air to come in and body heat to escape.
Comfort-Fit – reflects that the garment should fit without discomfort or irritation and should provide you a secure, well-designed fit.
Moisture Wicking/Moisture Control – will help keep you dry during activity by allowing moisture to evaporate through the fabric instead of getting trapped underneath. Fabric is often also quick-drying, so as moisture is expelled it is quickly released from the surface into the air so your garment isn’t wet and weighted down.
Reflective Components – describes that the garment includes something that will catch the light and alert another that you are there. Great for outdoor athletes.
Sleek Design – is a descriptor that suggests the garment will smooth and sculpt your body into a more streamlined agile shape.
Support & High-Support – will reinforce your body shape and muscles in areas that may need extra bracing during activity for improved comfort and less unwanted jiggle. A high-impact sports bra will mean less bust movement, while tights may offer support to smooth your tummy area, lift your rear, and shape your thighs.
Technical Knit – is an advanced method for constructing fabrics used in sportswear which allows the components to be knitted in a single piece, with no cutting or sewing required, and no bulky seams.
Tension Fabric – applies to the stretch of the garment, suggesting a snug fit that is also flexible. Different levels of fabric tension may affect the appearance of the garment off-body, looking smaller than the labeled size, however, the garment may be designed to stretch with a specific amount of controlled tension to best support your body during movement.
Fabric Construction-The specific base construction of a fabric: (knit, woven, or non-woven), type of structure, and size/weight.
Performance Fabrics-Fabrics made for a variety of end-use applications, which provide functional qualities, such as moisture management, UV protection, anti-microbial, thermo-regulation, and wind/water resistance.
UPF 50 Clothing – UPF is a rating system used in athletic apparel and is similar to SPF ratings used in sunscreen products. Thanks to advanced fabric technology you can wear a light-feeling, UPF protective layer of sportswear clothing without added bulk.
Weather-Combative – will protect you from the elements outdoors. Details will be specific to the product but often will repel external moisture to keep you dry internally.
Thermoregulation – The ability to maintain a constant temperature independent of dynamic (changing) environmental conditions.
Quick Dry – The ability of a fabric to dry fast. Typically, cotton is generally less suited to fast-drying as are synthetic fabrics like nylon or polyester.
Want to launch your own customized Sportswear brand?
It’s too difficult for you to start your own sportswear business without help from an experienced manufacturer. From a design drawing to finished clothing to bulk order shipping, for helping you to manage the entire process, Berunwear is an easy and reliable solution.
Berunwear.com can help you build your own sportswear brand within a short time, we are a Quality Sportswear Manufacturer located in China and have been in the sportswear business for over 15 years. We are supplying all styles of sportswear and activewear, manufacturing customized sportswear with our self-own factory and other 10 more clothing companies, developing new active sportswear with 30+ material suppliers. And in order to serve worldwide clients, we are working with the International reputable shipping agencies, including DHL, UPS, FedEx to deliver bulk sportswear in around 1 week.
Choose Berunwear as your sportswear manufacturer, take the following steps, you can get your unique stylish personalized sportswear, and establish a brand to the market very soon!!!
- a. Tell us your concept and need, our designer will custom-made the sportswear for you.
- b. Send fitting samples to you after the design of sportswear approved.
- c. Arrange mass production once we get your approval on the samples.
- d. Ship you the stylish sportswear and deliver them in time to your warehouse.
In addition, we will also carry out strict quality inspection and careful private label manufacturing in production. Click here to learn more.