Bolide Fight Gear
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Fight gear sourcing problems, solved

The same problems come up again and again when brands, gyms and distributors order custom fight gear. Here is why each one happens, how our ordering process is set up to prevent it, and what to check yourself.

Problem 01

The bulk order doesn't match the sample

Why it happens
The sample is made carefully by a senior maker, then bulk is cut from a different material lot or made to a looser reading of the spec. Without a written reference, it becomes your word against the factory's.
How we prevent it
Every new design is sampled first and you approve it before bulk starts. Your approval is tied to a written specification: materials, padding or fabric weight, colours, logo method and size, measurements and packing. Bulk is made against that sample and spec, and goods are checked against it before they ship.
What to check
Keep your approved sample. Ask for photos and video of finished bulk next to the sample before the balance payment.

Problem 02

Glove padding is uneven or breaks down fast

Why it happens
Cheaper gloves use a single layer of low-density foam, or the foam is cut by hand without a template, so the two gloves in a pair feel different and the knuckle area flattens after a few weeks of bag work.
How we prevent it
Foam type, layers and thickness are written into your glove specification and shown on the sample, so you can feel and approve the padding before bulk. The same specification is used for every reorder.
What to check
Ask for photos of both gloves of a pair side by side, and for the glove weight per ounce class on a scale, before shipment.

Problem 03

A 16 oz glove isn't really 16 oz

Why it happens
Glove weight depends on foam, leather and lining. If the spec only says "16 oz" and nothing else, the finished glove can come out light or heavy.
How we prevent it
The ounce class is part of your written specification and the sample is made to it, so you can weigh the sample yourself before you approve it.
What to check
Weigh your sample on a kitchen scale. Ask for scale photos of bulk gloves from each ounce class before shipment.

Problem 04

Synthetic leather peels or cracks

Why it happens
PU and synthetic leathers come in very different grades. Thin, low-grade PU cracks at the knuckle and peels at the cuff, especially in gyms where gloves are used every day.
How we prevent it
You choose the material: cowhide, goatskin, or a stated PU / synthetic grade. You can ask for material swatches before you decide, and the material you approve is written into the spec.
What to check
Ask for swatches of two or three material options and handle them before choosing. Tell us how the gear will be used (daily gym use, retail, fight night) so we can explain the trade-offs.

Problem 05

The logo comes out blurry, the wrong size or the wrong colour

Why it happens
Low-resolution files, unclear placement and "close enough" colours are the most common causes. Embroidery and printing also have minimum detail sizes that small text can fall below.
How we prevent it
The quote form checks your logo file and warns you if it is likely to be too small. Logo method, size, placement and colours are written into the spec and shown on the sample for your approval.
What to check
Send a vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) and the Pantone references for your brand colours. Use the design studio to show placement.

Problem 06

Colours look different from the screen

Why it happens
Screens show colour in light, while leather, satin and polyester take dye differently. The same red can look different on a glove and on shorts.
How we prevent it
The design studio shows a preview, not a colour match. The colours you approve on the physical sample are the ones written into the spec.
What to check
Give Pantone references where you have them, and judge colour on the sample in daylight, not on a phone screen.

Problem 07

Gis and cotton gear shrink after the first wash

Why it happens
Cotton shrinks when it is washed hot. If the fabric is not pre-shrunk, or the size chart does not allow for it, a gi can lose a size after the first wash.
How we prevent it
Gi jacket and trouser fabric is chosen and pre-shrunk to limit shrinkage after washing, and the measurements are written into your spec.
What to check
Wash and dry your sample the way your customers will, then measure it against the size chart before you approve bulk.

Problem 08

Printed shorts and rash guards fade or bleed

Why it happens
Sublimation needs the right polyester fabric and correct heat and time. On the wrong fabric, or when under-cured, colours fade or the design cracks when stretched.
How we prevent it
Fabric and print method are part of your specification, and you approve the printed sample before bulk.
What to check
Stretch the printed sample and wash it several times before approving it.

Problem 09

Sizes are inconsistent across the order

Why it happens
"Medium" means different things to different factories. Without measurements and a tolerance in writing, sizes drift between orders and even within one order.
How we prevent it
Your size chart, with measurements, is part of the written specification and is reused for every reorder.
What to check
Send your own size chart if you have one, or ask for ours and check it against a garment your customers already like.

Problem 10

The minimum order is too high for a new brand or gym

Why it happens
Minimums come from material rolls, dye lots, print screens and setup time. They are different for every product, material and branding method.
How we prevent it
The minimum for your exact specification is confirmed in your quote, so you know it before you pay for a sample.
What to check
Tell us your budget and the quantities per size you actually need. Ask which choices (material, colours, branding method) bring the minimum down.

Problem 11

The order arrives late and misses the season or the event

Why it happens
Lead times slip when the spec changes during production, materials are not booked, or nobody tells the buyer until the ship date has passed.
How we prevent it
The lead time is set out in your quote after sample approval, and you can ask for photos and video of production for your order as it moves.
What to check
Give us your real deadline (fight date, launch date, season) at the start, and keep design changes to the sample stage.

Problem 12

Shipping and import costs weren't in the price

Why it happens
A low unit price can hide sample costs, freight, insurance and import duties. The delivery term decides who pays which part.
How we prevent it
Your quote states unit prices by quantity, sample cost, payment terms and the delivery basis (Incoterm, for example EXW, FOB or DDP) in writing.
What to check
Ask for the quote on the delivery term you want, and check your own country's import duty for the product before you order.

Problem 13

Paying a new supplier feels risky

Why it happens
Buyers worry about paying for an order that never arrives or arrives different from what was agreed.
How we prevent it
Everything is agreed in writing before production: specification, sample, price, lead time, payment terms and delivery basis. You approve a physical sample before bulk.
What to check
Start with a sample, then a first order you are comfortable with. Ask for photos and video of your sample and of production for your order.

Problem 14

Worried the factory will sell your design to others

Why it happens
Private-label buyers often find their design, or something very close to it, for sale elsewhere after they order.
How we prevent it
Your artwork and designs stay yours. We use them only to make your orders, and build them to your approved sample.
What to check
Ask for a confidentiality agreement before you share unreleased designs.

Have a problem we haven't listed?

Tell us what went wrong with your last supplier in the quote form. We will tell you honestly whether we can fix it.

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