Sports goods · 04
Combat equipment is protective equipment. It is specified like it.
A glove is a foam density, a leather grade, a stitch count and a weight tolerance. When any of those slip, someone's hand gets hurt — which is why this is the division where we inspect most aggressively and reject most readily.
6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 oz
Glove weights
Cowhide, buffalo hide, microfibre PU
Materials
Boxing · MMA · muay thai · karate · taekwondo · judo
Disciplines
CE / EN, REACH on request
Certification
Overview
Foam density and hide grade are the whole story
Two gloves of the same weight can differ enormously in protection. What separates them is the padding stack — layered IMF or moulded latex foam versus loose shredded filler — and whether the outer is genuine grain leather or a coated split that cracks in a season.
Boxing gloves are built around a padding stack. Injection-moulded foam (IMF) and layered latex foam distribute impact evenly and retain shape through thousands of strikes; shredded or loose filler compacts within weeks, leaving knuckle contact almost unpadded. We specify the foam type, density in kg/m³ and layer count on every glove SKU rather than accepting a generic 'high density' claim.
The outer determines the life. Full-grain cowhide and buffalo hide gloves last years in commercial gym use and are what serious training and competition ranges require. Microfibre and premium PU have improved substantially and are now legitimately good for retail and home-fitness ranges, with the advantage of consistent colour and lower cost. Coated split leather is the tier we generally advise against for anything sold as a training glove.
Construction detail matters after that: double and triple lock-stitched seams, reinforced thumb attachment to prevent thumb injury, a moulded wrist bar or full wrist wrap for support, mesh or perforated palm panels for heat and moisture, and either lace-up closure for competition or hook-and-loop for training convenience. Weight tolerance is held to ±5% of the marked oz.
Weight selection follows use. 8 and 10 oz for competition by weight class, 12 oz for lighter training and pad work, 14 and 16 oz for sparring and heavy-bag work where the additional padding protects both athletes. Junior gloves run 4, 6 and 8 oz. Bag gloves and MMA gloves are separate builds entirely, with open palms and shorter cuffs for grappling.
Bags and pads are the other half of the division. Punch bags are supplied filled or unfilled — unfilled saves enormous freight cost and is filled at destination with textile or sand — in 3, 4, 5 and 6 ft lengths, plus uppercut, angle, wrecking-ball, teardrop and free-standing designs. Focus mitts, thai pads, kick shields, belly pads and strike shields complete the coaching range.
Martial arts uniforms are a textile business with its own specification language: gi weight in grams per square metre, weave type (single, double, pearl, gold), cotton or poly-cotton blend, pre-shrink treatment and belt construction. Karate gi at 8–14 oz, judo gi at 450–950 gsm double weave, taekwondo dobok in poly-cotton with V-neck or diamond-neck collars, plus coloured and black belts, ranked belts and embroidery.
At a glance
- Padding
- Layered IMF or moulded latex foam, 45–90 kg/m³ specified per SKU
- Weight tolerance
- ±5% of marked ounce weight
- Closure
- Lace-up, hook-and-loop, or hybrid lace-and-strap
- Punch bags
- 3–6 ft, filled or unfilled, canvas / leather / PU
- Gi weights
- Karate 8–14 oz, judo 450–950 gsm double weave
- Lead time
- 35–50 days; 55–65 days with custom embroidery tooling
How we work
We source from India's established brands — we do not manufacture
Akarta Exports is a sourcing and export house. We do not own factories and we do not claim to. Our value is that we know which well-known Indian brands and manufacturers make what, to what standard, and at what price — and we buy from them to the exact specification you give us.
01 — Your specification, written down
We start from your specification, not from a catalogue. Grade, dimension, tolerance, finish, test standard, pack, artwork and labelling are put in writing and confirmed with you before a single enquiry goes out.
02 — Matched to the right Indian brand
We place that specification with established, well-known Indian brands and manufacturers in the cluster that genuinely makes the product — Morbi for tiles, Rajkot and Ludhiana for machinery, Meerut and Jalandhar for sports goods, Kerala and Gujarat for spices.
03 — Offers compared on merit
Because we own no plant and owe no factory a minimum offtake, we compare offers openly on quality, consistency, capacity and price — and tell you where a lower price will not hold up in your market.
04 — Inspected, consolidated, shipped
Our own inspectors clear the goods at the brand's plant and again before loading. Multiple brands and multiple divisions consolidate into one container, one invoice and one document set.
Brand names are disclosed to you on the offer and named on the inspection report, so you always know whose production you are buying. Where a buyer already has a preferred Indian brand, we are happy to source that brand and handle only the inspection, consolidation, documentation and shipping.
The range
Every combat sports item we export
Boxing, MMA, muay thai and the traditional martial arts, with the full protective and uniform range for each.
- Boxing gloves
- Training gloves in 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 oz; sparring gloves with extended padding; competition lace-up gloves in 8 and 10 oz; bag gloves and bag mitts; junior gloves in 4, 6 and 8 oz; women's-fit gloves; hook-and-loop and lace-up closures; full-grain cowhide, buffalo hide, microfibre and PU outers; mesh-palm and perforated ventilation options.
- MMA & grappling gloves
- MMA sparring gloves in 4–7 oz, competition MMA gloves, open-palm grappling gloves, hybrid training gloves, shooter and slap gloves, wrist-wrapped and slip-on designs, thumb-loop and thumbless variants, junior MMA gloves.
- Hand protection
- Cotton and semi-elastic hand wraps in 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 m; Mexican-style stretch wraps; quick-wrap inner gloves; gel inner gloves; knuckle guards; wrist supports and wraps; gauze and tape sets; wrap rollers and storage.
- Coaching pads & mitts
- Focus mitts and punch mitts, curved and flat, in leather and PU; thai pads in standard, curved and long; kick shields and strike shields; belly pads and body protectors; punch paddles and swing paddles; double-end mitts; coach's punch shields; air pads and clapper pads.
- Punch bags & stands
- Heavy bags in 3, 4, 5 and 6 ft, filled and unfilled; canvas, leather, buffalo hide and PU covers; uppercut bags; angle and teardrop bags; wrecking-ball bags; free-standing bags with water or sand bases; speed balls and platforms; floor-to-ceiling balls; double-end bags; maize and body-snatcher bags; wall-mount pads; bag chains, swivels, brackets and ceiling mounts.
- Head & face protection
- Open-face and full-face head guards, cheek and chin-protected guards, competition head guards in red and blue, sparring head guards with padded crown, nose-bar guards, face cages for MMA training, single and double-layer mouth guards, boil-and-bite gum shields with cases.
- Body protection
- Chest guards and body protectors, reversible taekwondo hoguPU chest guards, rib and kidney protectors, groin guards in steel-cup and foam designs, abdominal guards, women's chest guards, shin instep guards, shin guards in cloth and leather, ankle supports, elbow and knee pads, forearm guards, foot protectors and kick boots.
- Karate & taekwondo uniforms
- Karate gi in 8, 10, 12 and 14 oz cotton and poly-cotton, kata and kumite cuts, WKF-style patterns; taekwondo dobok in poly-cotton with V-neck, diamond-neck and black-collar variants; kung fu and wushu uniforms; kickboxing shorts and singlets; junior sizes from 000 to adult 7.
- Judo, BJJ & wrestling
- Judo gi in single, double and pearl weave from 450 to 950 gsm; BJJ gi in pearl and gold weave with reinforced collars and knee panels; rashguards and spats; wrestling singlets; wrestling shoes; ear guards; judo and BJJ belts; embroidered and ranked belts; belt bags.
- Boxing apparel & footwear
- Boxing shorts in satin and polyester, muay thai shorts, MMA fight shorts, competition vests and singlets, robes and walk-out gowns, corner and coach jackets, boxing boots, wrestling and MMA shoes, compression base layers, sublimated team kits.
- Rings, mats & gym fit-out
- Competition and training boxing rings, ring ropes, corner pads and turnbuckles, ring canvases, EVA jigsaw and tatami mats in 20, 25, 30 and 40 mm, roll-out judo and wrestling mats, wall padding, gym flooring, ring bells, timers, round-timer clocks, spit buckets and corner stools.
- Training aids & accessories
- Skipping and speed ropes, reflex balls and reaction bars, resistance bands and trainers, medicine and slam balls, agility ladders, weighted vests, sparring bibs, gear bags and backpacks, glove deodorisers and dryers, mouth guard cases, first-aid and corner kits.
Technical data
Combat equipment specifications
Measured parameters we quote and inspect against, per SKU rather than per range.
Swipe table to see all columns →
| Item | Grade | Size / weight | Material | Padding / fill | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing glove | Competition | 8 oz, 10 oz | Full-grain cowhide | Layered IMF, 70–90 kg/m³ | Lace-up, ±5% weight tolerance |
| Boxing glove | Sparring | 14 oz, 16 oz | Buffalo hide | Layered latex foam, 60–80 kg/m³ | Extended knuckle padding |
| Boxing glove | Training | 10–16 oz | Microfibre PU | Moulded IMF, 55–70 kg/m³ | Hook-and-loop, mesh palm |
| Boxing glove | Junior | 4, 6, 8 oz | PU or microfibre | Moulded foam, 45–60 kg/m³ | Reinforced thumb, wide cuff |
| MMA glove | Sparring / comp | 4–7 oz | Cowhide or microfibre | Segmented IMF | Open palm, thumb loop |
| Hand wraps | Cotton / elastic | 2.5–5 m × 50 mm | Cotton or poly-elastane | — | Hook-and-loop closure, thumb loop |
| Focus mitts | Coaching | Standard / curved | Cowhide or PU | Multi-layer foam, 60–80 kg/m³ | Reinforced strap and grip bar |
| Thai pads | Coaching | Standard / long | Buffalo hide or PU | High-density foam core | Double strap with forearm sleeve |
| Punch bag | Heavy | 4 ft / 5 ft / 6 ft | Canvas, leather or PU | Unfilled or textile filled | 25–70 kg filled, chain and swivel |
| Head guard | Sparring / comp | S–XL | Cowhide or PU | Layered foam, 55–75 kg/m³ | Open or full face, red/blue |
| Karate gi | Kata / kumite | 8–14 oz | Cotton or poly-cotton | — | Pre-shrunk, reinforced stress points |
| Judo gi | Competition | 450–950 gsm | Double or pearl weave cotton | — | Reinforced collar and shoulders |
| EVA mat | Tatami / jigsaw | 20–40 mm | EVA foam | Closed-cell | Interlocking, anti-slip base |
Padding density is specified per SKU and verified on sample dissection at first production. Gloves marked to a given ounce weight are weighed at pre-shipment inspection and rejected outside ±5%.
Applications & markets
Ranges by buyer type
Commercial gyms, retail chains, federations and school programmes buy the same categories to entirely different specifications.
Commercial gyms & academies
- Buffalo-hide training gloves in 12–16 oz for shared use
- Unfilled heavy bags filled at site to cut freight
- Coaching pads and thai pads in high strike-count builds
- EVA tatami and roll-out mats for full floor fit-out
- Bulk hand wraps and inner gloves as consumables
- Replacement bag chains, swivels and corner pads
Retail & e-commerce brands
- Microfibre gloves with consistent colour matching
- Retail-boxed glove and wrap starter sets
- Home-fitness free-standing bags and reflex balls
- Embroidered and foil-printed own-brand identity
- FNSKU, EAN and UPC labelling applied at factory
- Parcel-safe cartons for direct marketplace fulfilment
Federations & competition
- Lace-up competition gloves in 8 and 10 oz
- Red and blue corner head guards and body protectors
- Competition-cut uniforms and ranked belt sets
- Rings, ropes, corner pads, canvases and timers
- CE / EN documentation for sanctioned events
- Matched-pair supply for event-scale quantities
Schools & youth programmes
- Junior gloves in 4, 6 and 8 oz with reinforced thumbs
- Non-contact focus mitts and paddle training aids
- Full-face head guards and double-layer mouth guards
- Poly-cotton uniforms in graded junior sizing
- Jigsaw EVA matting for multi-use halls
- Class-set packs supplied as a single SKU
Division in numbers
±5%
Glove weight tolerance
Verified at pre-shipment weighing
45–90
Foam density kg/m³
Specified per SKU, not per range
6
Disciplines covered
Boxing to judo, one purchase order
3×
Freight saving
Unfilled bags versus filled
Quality assurance
Nothing leaves India until our own inspectors clear it
Akarta runs an in-house quality department with inspectors assigned to each division. Goods are checked at the factory during production and again before loading, against the written specification agreed on your purchase order — not against the factory's own grading.
- Pre-production sample approved by the buyer before bulk manufacture begins
- In-line checks during production for shade, calibration, dimension and moisture
- Pre-shipment inspection with photographic report before container sealing
- Third-party inspection (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek) arranged where required
ISO 9001:2015
Certified quality management system
Govt. approved
Registered Indian merchant exporter
In-house docs
Export paperwork prepared by our team
Packing & shipping
Packed the way your market receives it
Leather sweats, foam compresses and unfilled bags fold flat. Combat equipment packing is about moisture control and using the volume you are paying for.
- Gloves poly-bagged in pairs with silica gel and cardboard hand inserts
- Retail-boxed gloves in printed cartons with hang tags and size labels
- Punch bags shipped unfilled, folded and compressed, with fill instructions and hardware bagged
- Filled bags palletised upright and edge-protected where the market requires them ready to hang
- Pads and mitts nested in pairs, poly-bagged and mastercartoned by model
- Uniforms folded, poly-bagged with size stickers and belt-boxed separately
- EVA mats stacked flat, corner-protected and shrink-wrapped by tile count
- Carton-wise packing list keyed to SKU, size, weight and colour
Documentation
Paperwork prepared in-house, not outsourced
Every consignment travels with a complete document set, prepared by our own documentation team and checked against your letter of credit or contract terms before dispatch.
Glove specification sheet
Outer material and grade, foam type and density, layer count, stitch specification, thumb attachment, closure type and marked weight with tolerance.
Protective compliance file
CE / EN reports for head, body and hand protection where required, plus REACH, azo-dye and phthalate testing on leather and PU components.
Textile specification
Gi weight in oz or gsm, weave type, fibre blend, shrinkage after wash test, colour-fastness rating and stress-point reinforcement detail.
Inspection & shipping set
AQL 2.5 report including glove weighing and foam verification, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and bill of lading.
Global reach
Quoted in your currency, shipped from your nearest Indian port
Enquiries reach us from importers, distributors, contractors and retail chains across five continents — Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. We quote FOB, CFR or CIF, load from Mundra, Kandla, Nhava Sheva or Pipavav depending on your routing, and keep one commercial contact accountable for the consignment from purchase order to bill of lading.
Africa
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa
Middle East
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq
Europe
Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, United Kingdom
Americas
United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile
Asia-Pacific
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan
Load ports
Mundra · Kandla · Pipavav · Nhava Sheva
Incoterms
FOB · CFR · CIF · EXW on request
Correspondence
English, with documentation to buyer-country requirements
Buyer questions
What importers usually ask us first
How do we tell a good glove from a bad one before it ships?
Three checks that we build into inspection. Weigh it — outside ±5% of marked weight means the padding stack is wrong. Press the knuckle area hard with a thumb — if you can feel the internal structure move or bottom out, the foam is loose fill rather than layered IMF. Flex the thumb — a thumb that pulls away from the body at the attachment point is an injury waiting to happen. We dissect one glove per first production run and photograph the padding stack.
Leather or microfibre?
For commercial gym use where a glove is worn by different people daily, full-grain cowhide or buffalo hide is genuinely worth the premium and lasts years. For retail and home-fitness ranges, modern microfibre performs well, holds colour more consistently and costs 30–45% less. What we advise against is coated split leather sold as leather: it looks right for one season then cracks.
Should punch bags ship filled or unfilled?
Unfilled, almost always. A filled 5 ft bag weighs 40–60 kg and fills your container with sand; the same bag unfilled folds flat and lets you ship three times the units. Fill locally with textile offcuts, shredded fabric or sand and rag layering — we supply filling instructions and the hardware kit. Filled shipping only makes sense for small retail volumes that must arrive ready to hang.
What glove weights should a retail range carry?
10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz and 16 oz covers almost all retail demand, with 16 oz the biggest seller because it suits both sparring and heavy-bag work. Add 8 oz only if you serve competition, and 4–8 oz junior sizes if you serve youth programmes. Six weights is usually two too many for a retail assortment.
Do uniforms shrink?
Cotton gi shrink 3–7% on first wash unless pre-shrunk, and this is the single largest source of complaints in martial arts textile supply. We specify pre-shrunk fabric and run a wash-shrinkage test at first production, reporting the measured figure. Where a market is sensitive, we quote poly-cotton blends, which move 1–2% at most.
Can you supply CE-certified protective gear?
Yes, for head guards, body protectors, shin and groin protection where the category is covered. Tell us the destination market and the intended competition context at quotation stage, because certification affects both factory selection and lead time. We do not attach a CE claim to a product that has not been tested for it.
Common enquiries
Specifications buyers most often ask us to quote
These are the enquiries that reach this desk most weeks. If yours is on the list, we already have the grades, packing and loadability worked out — send the quantity and destination port and we will price it.
Also in this division
Related ranges
Export desk
Request a quotation
Send your product type, grade, quantity and destination port. Our export desk replies with available grades, packing options, loadability and indicative pricing — usually within one working day.