The story
What it is
Walk into a boxing gym in London, New York or Sydney and there is a fair chance some of the gloves were stitched in Sialkot. The city’s sports factories make gloves for global brands and for their own labels, from training gloves to custom fight gloves with your name embroidered on the cuff.
Ordering from a Sialkot maker is a popular way for boxing clubs and fighters to get custom colours and logos at a reasonable price.
Where it comes from
Sialkot’s sports industry dates back to the late nineteenth century, when local craftsmen repaired and then made rackets, balls and protective gear for British soldiers. Combat sports gear became a major line in the late twentieth century as boxing and mixed martial arts grew worldwide.