Answers to the questions buyers ask most often.
Twenty answers from procurement, logistics, OEM, and compliance conversations — compiled from the questions distributors, private-label programme owners, and EHS managers put to us most often. Answers are deliberately specific: numbers, timelines, and named processes rather than marketing language.
The factory & how we build.
How the pairs are actually made, who works on them, and what we own versus outsource.
Where are your gloves manufactured?
Every pair is cut, stitched, and finished at our own facility in Sialkot, Pakistan. We don't contract out to smaller sub-units — the operators on the line are ours, on payroll, and work under the same roof as our pattern team and QC. Sialkot is the historical centre of the world's leather glove trade; roughly half of the global leather-glove output ships from within a 30 km radius of our plant.
What's your monthly production capacity?
40,000 pairs per month as a sustained baseline across our current SKU mix. We can scale to 100,000+ pairs per month on contract with 90 days notice — usually by adding a shift rather than a new floor. Capacity planning is reviewed with buyers who commit to a rolling 12-month forecast.
Do you tan your own leather?
Yes. We operate our own tannery lines, which is unusual for glove manufacturers at our scale — most source finished leather from third-party tanneries. Owning the tannage lets us control chrome levels, fat liquoring, and colour consistency batch-to-batch. For OEM programmes we can run both chrome and chrome-free tannages depending on buyer preference.
How many SKUs do you run concurrently?
Our active catalogue is 75 SKUs across driver, construction, welding, winter, rigger, and specialist segments. At any given time, 15 to 25 are in active production depending on buyer POs. OEM SKUs run in parallel with catalogue SKUs on the same lines.
How to place an order.
Minimums, sampling, pricing structure, and the information we need from you to quote.
What's your minimum order quantity?
500 pairs per SKU for standard catalogue production. We also operate a dedicated sampling tier of 50 to 100 pairs per SKU for buyers evaluating before committing to a production run. Sampling uses the same materials, tannage, and stitching as the volume run — it is not a cheaper variant.
Can I mix multiple SKUs in one container?
Yes. A 20 ft container typically holds 30,000 – 45,000 pairs depending on SKU bulk (welders pack tighter than padded riggers). We commonly ship 4 – 8 SKUs per container. Each SKU still needs to meet its own 500-pair MOQ.
How are prices quoted?
Per-pair FOB Karachi by default, with CIF / DDP / EXW available on request. Quotes are quantity-banded (500 – 4,999 / 5,000 – 19,999 / 20,000+ pairs). Annual contract pricing locks unit cost against a committed volume forecast. Payment terms default to 30% advance / 70% before shipment, flexible for established buyers.
What do you need from me to send a quote?
The minimum is: target standard (EN388, ANSI, EN407, or none), annual volume range, target incoterm, and target certification region (EU, US, MENA, APAC). A reference SKU — ours or a competitor's — accelerates the quote. Full RFQ at www.ableather.com.pk/rfq, or email sales@ableather.com.
Getting pairs to your warehouse.
Lead times, incoterms, documentation, and the markets we currently ship into.
What's your lead time?
35 to 45 days from confirmed PO for standard catalogue SKUs — shorter if we have materials already cut for an active run, longer for custom leather tannages. OEM production (new patterns) adds 14 to 21 days at the front for pattern and sample approval. Sampling orders ship in 10 to 14 days.
Which incoterms do you work with?
FOB Karachi is our default. We also quote CIF (port of destination), DDP (door, for EU and US), and EXW for buyers with their own freight desks. For DDP quotes we handle import clearance and duties at destination through established partner brokers.
Which markets do you currently export to?
Eighteen export markets across EU (Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden), North America (US, Canada), Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar), and APAC (Australia, Japan). EU and US together are ~65% of volume. We are CE-ready for EU and ANSI-ready for US via accredited third-party labs.
What shipping documentation do you provide?
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin (Pakistan Form A), bill of lading, and phytosanitary/fumigation certificate where required. For CE-marked SKUs we include the Declaration of Conformity and the EN 388 test report per SKU. Form E / Form A for preferential tariff treatment into specific markets on request.
Building under your brand.
Private-label programmes, pattern development, branding, and the approval flow.
Can you manufacture under our brand?
Yes. Roughly 60% of our output ships under buyer brands rather than ours. We support custom label, colour, packaging, and hang-tag treatments. Full workflow at www.ableather.com.pk/oem — six stages from Brief through Shipment, with named artefacts at each gate.
Do you develop custom patterns, or only run existing ones?
Both. An existing catalogue pattern modified for your target standard and branding saves 5 – 7 days of pattern work. Fully new patterns (a clean-sheet design) add 2 – 3 weeks for die tooling and a stitch-line diagram. Pattern rights for buyer-commissioned work stay with the buyer.
What's the OEM minimum?
500 pairs per SKU, same as catalogue production. OEM programmes typically commit to a rolling forecast across 2 – 4 SKUs, which gives us production-planning visibility. The first sample set (3 pairs) costs USD 120 – 180 per pattern and is credited against your first PO.
Do you sign NDAs and design exclusivity agreements?
Yes. Mutual NDAs are standard and we sign before any brief is shared. Design exclusivity — where a specific pattern or construction cannot be produced for another buyer — is available against a minimum annual commitment, negotiated per programme.
Standards, tests, and certifications.
What we test to, which certifications are live versus in issuance, and how documentation flows.
What standards do you test to?
Primary: EN 388:2016+A1:2018 (mechanical risk), ANSI/ISEA 105-2016 (US cut/puncture/abrasion), EN 407:2020 (heat & flame), EN ISO 21420:2020 (general ergonomics). We also test to EN 10819 for anti-vibration gloves and NFPA 70E (Cat 1) for arc-flash SKUs. Test reports are issued by accredited third-party laboratories and are available on request.
Are you CE-certified?
Our mechanical-risk SKUs are tested to EN 388:2016+A1:2018 and EN ISO 21420:2020 by accredited labs, and formal CE type-examination certificates are in the final issuance stage with a notified body. Redacted sample test report: www.ableather.com.pk/sample-en388-report.pdf. Live reports per SKU are issued with buyer-nominated batch IDs on confirmed POs.
What about ISO 9001, BSCI, and Oeko-Tex?
ISO 9001:2015: in issuance with AJA Registrars, audit scheduled Q2 2026. BSCI: our supply chain has been audited and we maintain amfori BSCI documentation. Oeko-Tex Standard 100: active on our chrome-free tannage lines. All three are documented on the /compliance page with expected issuance dates.
Can I audit your facility?
Yes. We host buyer audits on 14 days notice — both in-person and remote (facility walk-through via video call). Third-party audit reports from prior buyers are available to share under NDA. Environmental, labour, and chemical-management protocols are documented and available for supplier-vetting packs.
Ask it directly.
If you're qualifying us as a supplier and your question isn't answered above, send it to us directly. Procurement and OEM enquiries are usually answered within one business day.