2025 Pakistan Gloves Export: Volatile Swings

Pakistan Gloves Export Key Takeaways

Gloves, classified under HS Code 6116, displayed erratic performance amid policy shifts from January to November 2025.

• Market Pulse (Trend): Volatile monthly swings (-44% to +80%) reveal supply chain instability, not organic demand growth. Policy tailwinds (US tariff exclusions) clash with domestic input cost pressures.
• Structural Pivot (Geography/Company): Pakistan Gloves Export hinges on a few key accounts (73% of value), while the US (premium) and Germany (bulk) drive divergent geographic demand.
• Grade Analysis (HS Code): HS Code 6116 trade data confirms a commodity trap—70% of exports are low-value plastic/rubber-coated gloves ($2.89/unit), with no high-might specialization.

This overview covers the period from January to November 2025 and is based on verified customs data from the yTrade database.

Expert Note: The Commodity Trap and the Illusion of Stability

Expert Commentary: Pakistan’s glove exports are a textbook case of fragile specialization—locked in bulk, low-margin trade with no pricing power. The US premium market is a lifeline, but over-reliance on a few buyers and a single sub-code turns policy shifts into existential risks.

Strategic Action Plan

• Diversify product mix: Shift into higher-margin glove categories (e.g., medical, technical) to escape the commodity price war dragging down HS Code 6116.
• Lock in contracts with US buyers: Capitalize on tariff exclusions before mid-2025 expiry, securing premium market share while it lasts.
• Audit German bulk buyers: Identify cost-efficient logistics solutions to protect razor-thin margins in this volume-driven segment.
• Hedge raw material costs: Pakistan’s anti-dumping duties on synthetic yarns are squeezing profits—forward contracts for cotton/polyester could mitigate volatility.
• Monitor EU GSP+ status: Any lapse in trade benefits would cripple the Germany/UK pipeline, which thrives on duty-free access.

Pakistan's Glove Exports Show Erratic 2025 Performance Amid Policy Shifts

Volatile Monthly Export Values

• Pakistan’s gloves exports (HS 6116) displayed high volatility throughout 2025, with monthly value swings ranging from -44% to +80% month-on-month. No clear seasonal or trend pattern emerged, though full-year cumulative performance remains unreported in the data. The Pakistan Gloves Export trend reflects underlying supply chain instability rather than steady demand growth.
• This erratic performance signals operational fragilities—likely tied to raw material sourcing, order timing, or logistical bottlenecks—rather than strategic market expansion.

Policy Context and Forward Risks

• The hs code 6116 value volatility aligns with broader textile sector pressures: US tariff exclusion extensions to mid-2025 created short-term opportunities, while Pakistan’s domestic anti-dumping duties on synthetic yarns (e.g., polyester) increased input costs for glove manufacturers [National Tariff Commission Report]. Post-period policy proposals emphasize export incentives but lack immediate fiscal support [PTC Textile Policy Proposal].
• Strategic Advisory:
• Hedge against cotton and synthetic fiber price swings due to trade remedy actions.
• Monitor US trade policy updates post-May 2025 for tariff risks on apparel categories.
• Diversify production beyond gloves to mitigate single-product volatility.

Table: Pakistan Gloves Export Trend (Source: yTrade)

Get Pakistan Gloves Data Latest Updates

Pakistan's Glove Exports Are a Commodity Game Dominated by Plastic/Rubber-Coated Product

Market Heavily Concentrated in One Sub-Code

• Insight-First Summary: A single sub-code, 61161000 for plastic/rubber-coated gloves, dominates the entire category, capturing over 70% of the total export value.
• Citation: According to yTrade data, this one product category accounts for nearly three-quarters of all value and well over half of all volume shipped from January through November 2025.
• Analysis: This extreme concentration reveals a top-heavy, undiversified supply chain. Pakistan's export flow for HS Code 6116 is effectively a one-trick pony, with all other glove types being peripheral to the core business.
• Constraint: The market is not fragmented; it is overwhelmingly reliant on a single product type, creating significant exposure to demand shifts for that specific good.

Low Unit Prices Confirm Bulk Commodity Trading

• Value Chain Verdict: With a unit price of $2.89 for the dominant product, this is unequivocally a commodity market driven by volume, not value.
• Strategic Insight: The entire HS Code 6116 breakdown trades on cost competitiveness, not technical superiority. The other sub-codes, like cotton and synthetic fibre gloves, trade at even lower unit prices, reinforcing the bulk-grade nature of this export flow.
• Information Increment: The data confirms these are disposable, industrial-grade gloves for sectors like janitorial or basic manufacturing, not specialized products for medical or high-tech applications.
• Constraint: Pakistan's role is that of a bulk supplier; margin expansion would require a fundamental shift into higher-value specialized production, which current exports do not reflect.

Table: Pakistan HS Code 6116) Export Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 6116 Breakdown

Pakistan's Gloves Exports: A Strategic Split Between Premium US Demand and European Commodity Bulk

Is Pakistan's Gloves Export Market Geographically Stable?

• Pakistan's primary Gloves export destinations are the United States (22.21% value share), Germany (12.94%), and the United Kingdom (8.49%), indicating a diversified and stable market base without over-reliance on a single monopsony. No evidence of self-export or re-importation exists in the top 10, confirming all flows represent genuine foreign demand. The United States' leadership, with 69.17M USD in value, underscores a critical but non-dominant partnership.

Are Key Markets Buying for Margin or Volume?

• The US is a premium market, with a value share (22.21%) exceeding its quantity share (16.44%), reflecting demand for higher-margin gloves. In contrast, Germany shows commodity traits, with quantity share (19.17%) outpacing value share (12.94%), indicating price-sensitive bulk procurement. The UK and Netherlands exhibit high-frequency, low-volume profiles (9.20% frequency vs. 8.64% quantity; 7.97% frequency vs. 7.17% quantity), characteristic of agile retail or e-commerce replenishment. This mix balances margin potential in the US with volume scale in Germany.

Table: Pakistan Gloves (HS Code 6116) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Pakistan Gloves (HS Code 6116) Complete Destination Countries Profile

Pakistan’s Glove Market Runs on a Handful of Strategic Contract Partners

Buyer Concentration & Market Structure

The Pakistan gloves export market is dominated by Key Accounts—buyers who combine high order frequency with high value. This segment accounts for 73.43% of total export value and 77.05% of volume, indicating deeply embedded, recurring supply relationships. The market structure is supplier-centric and stable, not project-based or fragmented.

Purchasing Behavior & Sales Strategy

Sellers should prioritize retention and relationship depth with existing contract holders, as losing even one could significantly impact revenue. The high concentration poses a risk; diversifying into the project-based whale segment (17.25% value share) can mitigate over-reliance. Policy tailwinds like extended EU GSP+ benefits and US tariff exclusions support contract stability, but sellers must lock in long-term agreements to capitalize. [Timeline of Trade Policy in the Biden Administration]

Table: Pakistan Gloves (HS Code 6116) Top Buyers List (Source: yTrade)

Check Full Pakistan Gloves Buyers list

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Pakistan Gloves Export in 2025?

Pakistan's glove exports in 2025 show high volatility due to supply chain instability, policy shifts like US tariff extensions, and domestic input cost pressures from anti-dumping duties on synthetic yarns.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Pakistan Gloves (HS Code 6116) in 2025?

The top destinations are the United States (22.21% value share), Germany (12.94%), and the United Kingdom (8.49%), reflecting a diversified but stable export base.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Pakistan Gloves Export in 2025?

The US pays premium prices for higher-margin gloves, while Germany focuses on bulk commodity purchases, and the UK/Netherlands prioritize frequent, low-volume retail replenishment.

Q4. What should exporters in Pakistan focus on in the current Gloves export market?

Exporters must retain key contract buyers (73.43% of value) while diversifying into project-based whale segments to mitigate over-reliance on bulk commodity demand.

Q5. What does this Pakistan Gloves export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

US buyers secure higher-value gloves, German buyers benefit from bulk pricing, and UK/Netherlands buyers enjoy agile replenishment—but all face supply volatility risks.

Q6. How is Gloves typically used in this trade flow?

Pakistan’s exports are dominated by disposable, industrial-grade plastic/rubber-coated gloves (HS 61161000), primarily for janitorial or basic manufacturing sectors.