Made in Pakistan: what it means for your garment, and what it doesn't

Pakistan is the fourth-largest cotton producer in the world, and the crop is grown in Punjab and Sindh — the provinces where the spinning mills, the knitting units and the garment factories also are. A 270 gsm jersey knitted in Faisalabad from Punjab cotton has travelled a few hundred kilometres between the field and our cutting table. That is why a heavyweight cotton tee costs $10–13 to make here and $18–25 in Europe or North America at the same specification: the raw material and every process on it are local.

It also means the fabric supply is deep. Weights, constructions and finishes that a small factory elsewhere would have to import are available from mills within a day's drive, in the quantities a 50-piece order needs.

Textiles are Pakistan's largest export and largest manufacturing employer. Faisalabad is the textile city; Sialkot makes most of the world's footballs and a large share of its sportswear; Karachi and Lahore make knitwear, denim and garments for brands across Europe, North America and the Gulf. The machinery, the trims, the dye houses, the embroidery and printing capacity, and three generations of skilled labour are all in place.

For a brand this means the supply chain works. A zip, a drawcord, a woven label, a specific rib — available locally, quickly, at scale. The reason a 50-piece minimum is possible in Lahore is that everything a garment needs is within reach in small quantities.

It does not mean every factory is good. The industry's scale includes units that cut corners on fabric weight, skip relaxing, and subcontract without telling you. The country of origin tells you the supply chain is there; it tells you nothing about the factory you are talking to. Ask for the video call.

It does not mean cheapest. Bangladesh is cheaper at very high volume; China is cheaper on synthetics. Pakistan's advantage is cotton, knitwear, sportswear, and a real factory at 50 pieces — not the lowest number on every quote.

It does not mean the reputation is settled. Buyers in some markets still hesitate over 'made in Pakistan' in a way they no longer do over Turkey or Portugal. The garments made here for those markets' own brands say otherwise, but the brand ordering from Lahore is choosing to lead rather than follow.

We source cotton jersey and fleece from Punjab mills, cut and sew in our own unit in Lahore, run every decoration method under the same roof, and ship worldwide. The label in the garment says what you tell it to say. Some of our customers put 'Made in Pakistan' on the hangtag and build their story on it — the cotton, the factory, the three generations. Some do not. Both are fine. What we ask is that the garment is good enough that either choice is a proud one.