In This Post:
History of Sports Goods Industry in Pakistan
Facts About Sports Goods in Pakistan
Challenges for Sports Goods Industry
Upcoming Sportswear Industrial Park
Update (Oct.14, 2021): The export of the local sports goods has witnessed an 11% increase in the first two months of the fiscal year 2021-22. So far, Pakistan has exported sports goods worth more than $50 million during the current fiscal year.
The export of locally-manufactured football has increased by 5.25%. It now stands at $22.973 million in comparison with the $21.828 million worth of football exports that were made last year during the same fiscal period.
Pakistan operates one of the largest and most prominent sports goods industries in the world. It exports a large chunk of its sports goods to some of the most famous international brands including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Umbro, Lotto, Wilson, Mitre, Micassa, Diadora, and Decathlon.
Owing to good quality as well as low manufacturing costs, our country has retained its position as one of the leading players in the global trade of sports goods for decades. Sports goods in Pakistan are supplied to both local and international brands. The products that are exported are manufactured according to the requirement of a targeted market, which may vary from region to region.
In this blog, we are going to learn some interesting facts about sports goods manufactured in Pakistan, which are also counted among some of the country’s major exports. We’ll start by taking a quick look at the history of the sports goods industry in Pakistan to find out how it all began.
History of Pakistan’s Sports Goods Industry
The history of sports goods manufacturing in this part of the subcontinent dates back to the late 1800s. The foundation of the sports industry in the region was laid down by a British Army Soldier Sardar Ganda Singh who established the very first factory manufacturing sports equipment in the city of Sialkot. In the beginning, the factory was only producing sports goods like cricket bats, polo, and sticks, but in the later years, it started manufacturing sportswear too.
The sports goods industry in Sialkot has grown by leaps and bounds in all these years. It has now become internationally famous and one of the chief contributors in terms of exports of Pakistan. So, let’s list down and discuss some of the key facts about the sports industry in Pakistan to find out how it gained world-recognition.
Surprising Facts About Sports Goods Industry in Pakistan
Sialkot’s sports industry is over a century old and caters to many world-famous brands. Here are some facts about it that may surprise you.
- The sports goods in the region are made with the finest of raw materials such as leather, wood, glue, nylon guts, rubber, and different types of chemicals. They are not only of good quality but are also extremely durable.
- Throughout history, Pakistan has exported sports goods to around 90 different countries including Germany, the USA, UK, France, and Italy. This is how our country has acquired a prominent position in the international trade of sports goods.
- The product range includes different types of sports equipment used in football, volleyball, rugby, cricket, hockey, baseball, tennis, badminton, and a variety of other sports. It also produces beach balls, nets, gloves, protective guards, pads, and sportswear.
- As discussed, world-renowned brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, Micassa, Mitre, Umbro, Select, Lotto, Diadora, Decathlon, and Wilson among many others have been sourcing a large portion of their sports equipment and other related supplies from the sports goods industry in Pakistan. This has greatly added to the credibility and diversified the portfolio of the local sports manufacturers in the city of Sialkot.
- Footballs, gloves, and sportswear account for more than 80% of the total sports goods exported. Footballs made in Pakistan have been used in international tournaments throughout history. Brazuca and Telstar were the two Pakistani-manufactured footballs that became a part of FIFA World Cups in Brazil and Russia, respectively. Pakistan also has the honour of providing hand-stitched footballs for the world cups organized from 1990 to 2010.
Despite operating at a very large scale, the sports goods industry in Pakistan is facing challenges to sustain itself. So, let’s learn more about them and how they can be overcome.
Major Challenges for Production of Sports Goods in Pakistan
Lack of technology is one of the major concerns for the industry. The use of the latest technological equipment can speed up production, thereby improving the efficiency of the sector. Pakistan has some serious competition in the production of sports goods and with the effective use of technology, it has the potential of beating all of its major competitors.
Technology isn’t the only thing that our sports goods industry is lagging behind in, the sector is also facing energy shortage and scarcity of labour. All these problems are required to be addressed by the government authorities, which is crucial for the sustenance and growth of the sports equipment industry in Pakistan.
Latest Initiatives to Boost Sportswear Industry in Pakistan
The government of Pakistan has allowed a Chinese firm to develop a $150 million industrial park in the peripheries of Lahore. Named “Challenge Fashion Industrial Park”, this grand-scale industrial estate project in Punjab is expected to be functional by 2022.
An industrial park running at this scale has the potential to significantly contribute to the country’s job market. Challenge Fashion Industrial Park is expected to create around 10,000-11,000 job opportunities for the locals.
This large-scale facility has been planned with state-of-the-art dyeing and fabric manufacturing units for the production of sportswear. It will turn Pakistan into a major sportswear export hub. To learn more about the upcoming Challenge Fashion Industrial Park, read our detailed blog on it.
This was everything you needed to know about the sports goods industry in Pakistan. With the better use of technology and resources, the sector has the potential to grow exponentially. We would like to hear your thoughts on the subject, so feel free to write to us at blog@zameen.com.
On a side note, Pakistan is also doing pretty well in the global e-sports and freelancing industries, so don’t forget to check out these blogs. Moreover, we have covered detailed posts on our traditional sports and Field Hockey—the national game of Pakistan—that may interest you.
For more informative pieces on major government initiatives and property developments in the country, keep reading Zameen Blogs—home to the best lifestyle and real estate blogs in Pakistan. If you want to get all our latest updates straight to your inbox, subscribe to our email newsletter.
