Buying guide

Pakistan or China: Where to Source Wholesale Knives

China wins on scale: Yangjiang alone has over 2,000 knife makers and about 85% of China's knife exports, so it suits very large runs of standard kitchen knives. Pakistan is a much smaller industry known for hunting and Damascus knives, with natural handles and small workshop runs. For the US market in 2026, a folding knife from Pakistan also pays 25 points less duty than the same knife from China.

Updated 5 November 2026. Written by Pakistan Knives Factory, a knife manufacturer in Sialkot since 1982: we are a Pakistani maker, so we say where China is the better choice and list our sources.

The two industries in figures

Yangjiang, Guangdong, China: over 55 billion yuan of output in 2024, about 200,000 people, more than 2,000 manufacturers, 75% of China's output and 85% of its knife exports, according to People's Daily. An Italian Trade Agency report of 2022 lists kitchen, pocket, ceramic and fruit knives among its products.
Pakistan: a 2022 study for the Pakistan Business Council counted 800 units in the cutlery sector, centred on Wazirabad, with exports of US$39.6 million in 2020, of which US$9 to 12 million a year for the knives group. Later official figures give US$55.3 million for the first eleven months of fiscal 2024-25. The study says the country's exports developed around Damascus hunting knives. See where knives are made in Pakistan.

The difference in size matters. A factory in a cluster of 2,000 competitors can offer automation, a large choice of steels and fast repeat orders on high volumes. A Pakistani workshop competes on hand finishing, natural materials and flexibility on small quantities.

US duty in 2026: the gap is large

All knives of heading 8211 pay the 25% Section 232 steel tariff, whatever their origin, when steel is at least 15% of their weight. China then adds an older Section 301 tariff. These totals are our own addition of the published rates, and that China's Section 301 stacks on Section 232 is our reading of the schedule: confirm with a customs broker.

Folding knives: Pakistan 3 cents + 30.4%; China 3 cents + 55.4%.
Other fixed blade knives: Pakistan 0.4 cents + 31.1%; China 0.4 cents + 38.6%.
Fixed blade hunting knives with wood handles: Pakistan 29.4%; China 36.9%.

On a folding knife with a US$5.00 customs value, that is US$1.55 of duty from Pakistan and US$2.80 from China. Tariffs differ for other destinations, and those on China were under review in November 2026.

When China is the better choice

You need very large quantities of one standard model, especially kitchen knives.
You want modern stainless or ceramic blades and machine-made consistency from piece to piece.
Your market does not add a tariff on Chinese goods, so the price difference is not eaten by duty.
You need several product families from one supplier region, with many alternatives if a factory fails.

When Pakistan is the better choice

You sell folding knives in the US, where the duty gap is widest.
You want natural handles such as horn, bone and hardwoods, and pattern-welded Damascus, which is what the Pakistani industry developed around.
You want small lots to test a range. We have no minimum order, for instance, though other makers will have their own terms.
You want a table knife set, a pruning knife or a keychain knife in a traditional style with a hand finish.

Whichever you choose, check the supplier the same way: how to verify a manufacturer.

How to compare two quotes

Compare the same thing: blade steel, blade and handle length, handle material, finish and packaging.
Add shipping, duty, broker's fee and bank charges to get the landed cost per piece.
Add the cost of the money: when do you pay, and how long until the goods arrive?
Order a small quantity from both, and compare the knives in your hand. We do not send samples, so a small first order plays that role with us.

Questions buyers ask

Are knives cheaper from Pakistan or China?

It depends on the knife and the market. China has far greater scale on standard models, but in the US in 2026 a folding knife from China pays 25 points more duty than one from Pakistan, so compare landed cost and not the unit price.

Where are most knives in China made?

In Yangjiang, Guangdong, which People's Daily credits with about 75% of national output and 85% of exports.

What are Pakistani knife makers known for?

A study for the Pakistan Business Council says exports developed around Damascus hunting knives. Workshops also make pocket knives, table knives and garden knives with natural handles.

Buying knives in quantity? Send us your references and quantities: wholesale price from 50 pieces, no minimum order, your logo laser-engraved on the blade, about one month lead time on average.

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Sources

General information from a manufacturer, not customs advice. Rates as published in the US tariff schedule in force on 30 October 2026.