How to choose between air express, air cargo and sea freight for sportswear orders, and what EXW, FOB, CIF and DDP mean for you.
Once your order is produced, it has to reach you. The right shipping method depends on order size, deadline and budget. For a wider view of importing, read importing custom sportswear from Sialkot.
Air express (courier)
Door-to-door via couriers such as DHL, FedEx or UPS. Fastest and simplest, with tracking throughout. Best for samples, small team orders and urgent deliveries. Priced mainly by weight and volume, so it becomes expensive for large orders.
Air cargo
Goods fly on cargo services and are collected at the destination airport, usually through a freight forwarder. Cheaper per kilo than express for medium-sized orders, but you handle customs clearance and final delivery.
Sea freight
- LCL (less than container load): your cartons share a container. Good for medium to large wholesale orders.
- FCL (full container load): a whole container for you. Best for large, regular shipments.
Sea is the cheapest per piece but the slowest, so plan well ahead of your season.
Incoterms in plain English
- EXW (Ex Works): you collect from the factory and handle everything after
- FOB (Free on Board): the supplier delivers to the port; you pay freight onwards
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): the supplier pays freight and insurance to your port
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): delivered to your door with duties paid
Duties and taxes
Import duty and VAT or sales tax depend on your country and the product. Check with your customs broker before ordering so there are no surprises.
Packing matters
Ask for garments to be packed by size or by player, with a packing list. It makes distribution much easier when the cartons arrive. Plan your production timeline using our soccer uniform ordering guide.
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