Sourcing gloves from Turkey: what to know
Reviewed guide · updated 16 Sept 2026Gloves in Turkey come from two distinct crafts: the Istanbul leather sector, which makes dress and driving gloves, and the knitting sector, which makes knitted gloves on the same flat-knit and seamless machinery used for socks and sweaters. SupplySpark lists 18 glove suppliers in Turkey, 16 of them in Istanbul, with 11 manufacturers, five manufacturer-traders and two traders, and 56% carry independent evidence from a registry, customs data or a reviewed profile. Seven publish a minimum order and four of those accept 50 units or fewer, which makes the category accessible to small brands.
Leather gloves versus knitted gloves
The two crafts rarely sit in the same factory. Leather glove makers work with domestic sheepskin and lambskin and belong to the same ecosystem as Desa, which produces leather apparel and accessories and holds Leather Working Group Gold with Higg Index reporting. Knitted gloves come from knitwear and hosiery firms such as Stilist Örme, a flat-knit specialist with a 300-unit minimum and GOTS, GRS and RWS certification, and sock makers such as Norfolk Tekstil, whose seamless machines can be adapted to glove knitting. Several profiles in the listing are general apparel makers, so confirm the factory has glove-specific equipment before requesting samples.
Materials and construction
Leather gloves are typically cut from lambskin or hairsheep with cashmere, wool or silk linings, and the quality signals are table-cut versus die-cut construction, the number of pieces per glove and the stitch used on the fingers. Knitted gloves are made on whole-glove machines in wool, acrylic, cotton and blends, with touchscreen-conductive fingertips and grip dots added at finishing. In our experience fine merino, cashmere and conductive yarns are imported, while domestic acrylic and cotton yarns are competitive. Sizing conventions differ by market, so specify hand circumference tables rather than S, M and L alone.
Minimums, sampling and lead times
Of the seven suppliers publishing a minimum, four accept 50 or fewer, two accept 51 to 200 and one requires 201 to 500. In our experience leather gloves typically start at 50 to 100 pairs per style and color because cutting is manual, while knitted gloves typically start at 300 pairs because machine programming and yarn dyeing are fixed costs. Only six of the 18 list sampling as a formal service, so ask how sampling is charged. Sampling typically takes two to three weeks and bulk production four to eight weeks after approval, with leather sorting and yarn dyeing the usual delays.
Certifications and safety notes
Certification coverage is light. OEKO-TEX Standard 100, GOTS, GRS, OCS and RCS each appear twice, and amfori BSCI and Sedex once each. No supplier in the listing publishes protective-glove standards, so if your gloves are work or safety gloves you must arrange EN 388 or equivalent mechanical-risk testing and CE marking yourself. For fashion gloves the practical checks are OEKO-TEX for dyed yarns, a chromium VI test on leather where EU or UK rules require it, and a wash and pilling test on knitted styles.
Costs and logistics
Leather grade, lining fiber and hand-finishing time drive leather glove cost, while yarn fiber, gauge and finishing drive knitted glove cost. Quotes are typically FOB Istanbul in euros or dollars, gloves enter the EU duty-free with an A.TR certificate under the customs union, and road freight to Western Europe typically takes five to eight days. Because gloves are seasonal, book capacity in spring for autumn delivery and confirm the factory's own season calendar before you plan launches.
Questions to ask before you sample
- Are gloves made on your own equipment, and which machines or cutting method do you use?
- Which tannery or spinner supplies your leather or yarn, and can you show certificates?
- What is your minimum per style and color, and how is sampling charged?
- Can you provide chromium VI test results for leather or OEKO-TEX certificates for yarn?
- What sizing table do you use, and can you grade to my market's hand measurements?
- When does your production calendar fill for the coming winter season?