Mittens, your specification
Made to your tech pack, fabric and colours by a factory matched to the order.
Private label
Your main label, care label, hangtag and polybag. Nominated trims accepted.
Mittens keep the fingers together in one pocket, which shares their warmth and cuts the number of seams. They sell to parents of babies and young children, to skiers who want the warmest hand, and as a fashion knit in winter accessory ranges. A mitten manufacturer in Bangladesh often runs them beside winter gloves, so a buyer ordering both can share linings, cuffs and trims across the two lines.
Garments Hub BD does not yet have a vetted glove and mitten unit. On a mitten enquiry the desk finds one, visits it with your sample and size chart, asks for mitten and matching glove prices on the same sheet when you want both, and replies in 5 working days with a real quote or a straight no.
Kinds of mitten
Knitted mittens
Knitted on a flat or glove knitting machine in acrylic, wool or a blend, often with a rib cuff and a fleece lining. The fashion and gift volume item, frequently matched to a hat and scarf set.
Fleece mittens
Cut and sewn from polyester fleece in one or two layers. Cheap, light and quick to dry, so they are common for children and as promotional items printed with a logo.
Insulated ski mittens
A textile shell with wadding, a waterproof insert and a gauntlet cuff. The warmest choice on snow, though harder to grip poles and zips with than a glove.
Flip top convertible mittens
A fingerless glove with a mitten hood that folds back off the fingers and is held by a button. Liked by walkers, anglers and photographers who need bare fingertips now and then.
Baby mittens
Thumbless cotton jersey mitts that stop newborns scratching, or small knitted mittens with a thumb for toddlers. Soft seams, no loose parts and textiles tested for baby use.
How to specify a mitten
- Shell and gauge
- For knits, the yarn and the knitting gauge, usually 5 to 12 GG, lower for a chunky mitten. For fleece, the fabric weight. For ski mittens, the shell and insert.
- Lining
- Say whether the mitten is lined and with what. An unlined knit is thinner and less warm than buyers tend to expect from a mitten.
- Thumb shape
- A thumb set into the palm with a gusset moves more freely than a straight side thumb. Pick one, as it changes the pattern and the fit.
- Strings and clips
- For children, a cord joining the pair through the sleeves, or a clip on each cuff. Give the length, the fixing and the clip material on the drawing.
- Sizes
- Children's mittens are sized by age band and adults by S, M, L, with the hand length per band. Fewer sizes than a glove range eases minimums.
- Decoration
- Pompoms, appliqué faces, embroidery or a jacquard knit. On children's mittens every attached part needs a pull check, as a loose part can be swallowed.
Safety rules and tests for mittens
- EN 14682
- Covers cords and drawstrings on children's clothing in the EU but excludes gloves, so a mitten string sits outside it. Retailers apply their own cord rules instead; agree the length and fixing with your buyer before sampling.
- US CPSIA
- For children's mittens sold in the US: lead limits on clips, prints and coatings, a tracking label, third party testing at a CPSC accepted lab and a Children's Product Certificate.
- OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100
- Product class I is for baby articles and has the strictest limits of the four classes. Ask for the certificate to cover yarn, lining and trims of baby mittens.
- ISO 12945-2
- Pilling measured on a modified Martindale. Knitted acrylic mittens pill at the palm and thumb, where they rub, so test the yarn before committing to it.
What moves the price at a mitten manufacturer in Bangladesh
- Fewer pieces: a sewn mitten usually has four or five parts, where a sewn glove with fourchettes has far more.
- Knitted mittens come off the machine near finished, but each size needs its own programme.
- Ski mittens cost close to ski gloves, as the insert, gauntlet and palm are the same parts.
- Children's compliance: US lab testing and tracking labels add cost to each style.
- Ordering with gloves: shared yarn, lining and cuffs across both lines help reach material minimums.
Lead time for mittens
Mitten samples typically take 10 to 18 days, and bulk usually runs 40 to 65 days after the pre-production sample is approved. Knitted styles move quickly once the programme is set; a new jacquard, a dyed yarn lot or a lab test for children's items adds days. Ordered with winter gloves, both lines can be sampled in the same round. The quote confirms the dates.
What we check on mittens before shipment
- Cords, clips and attached partsStrings, clips, pompoms and appliqué on children's mittens are pulled at the fixing and strings measured against the agreed length.
- Thumb positionPairs are checked for a thumb at the same height and angle on both hands, as a misplaced thumb makes the pair unwearable.
- Lining in the thumbThe lining is checked inside the thumb, where a short lining pulls the tip inwards and makes the mitten feel small.
- Knit size and densityKnitted mittens are measured for hand length and width per size, since a loose knit stretches and loses warmth.
Questions buyers ask about mittens
Are mittens cheaper to make than gloves?
Usually yes. A mitten has far fewer pieces and seams, so cutting and sewing take less time, and knitted mittens come off the machine close to finished. The saving narrows on ski mittens, where the insert, gauntlet and palm cost about the same as on a glove.
Can I quote mittens and gloves together?
Yes, and it is worth doing. A unit making both can share linings, cuffs and trims across the order, which helps reach material minimums. Ask for both prices on the same sheet so the whole range is priced on one basis.
Are mitten strings allowed on children's mittens?
They are sold, but they need care. EN 14682, the EU cord standard, excludes gloves, so a mitten string is judged by the retailer's own cord policy and a risk assessment rather than a published limit. A clip on each cuff avoids a long cord altogether. Decide before sampling so the pattern includes the fixing.
What sizes should a children's mitten range cover?
Usually age bands from baby up to about ten years, often four or five bands. Thumbless mitts for newborns avoid thumb fit problems altogether. Give the age bands and the hand length for each so the unit grades the pattern correctly.
Get a quote for mittens
Tech pack or sketch with quantities per colour. A vetted unit and a real quote, or a straight no, within 5 working days.
