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Core line, represented 25+ years
How do sporting goods brands source components from prototype to retail volume?
Sporting goods brands source high-stress parts as machined or forged aluminum and steel, cosmetic parts as injection moldings and zinc die castings, and bags and straps from sewing principals. Retail seasons fix launch dates, and children's products need third-party testing. SSG sends one RFQ to domestic and offshore principals across these processes.
- Part families
- 12
- Processes
- 8
- Materials
- 10
Parts we source for this industry
- 01Machined 7075 aluminum archery and bike components
- 02Die cast fishing reel frames
- 03Molded helmet shells and liners
- 04Die cast zinc buckles and ratchet hardware
- 05Fitness machine brackets and weight stack pins
- 06Trampoline and rebounder springs
- 07TPE and rubber grips
- 08Sewn equipment bags, straps, and pads
- 09Forged golf club heads and hardware
- 10Stamped ski and snowboard binding plates
- 11Molded paddle and racquet components
- 12Powder metal ratchet and reel gears
How these parts are made
CNC machiningCNC milling, turning, and production sawing from bar, plate, castings, and forgings, from prototype to production.
Die castingMolten zinc or aluminum injected into steel dies at high pressure. Thin walls and net shape at 2,500+ parts a year.
Injection moldingMolten thermoplastic injected into a steel or aluminum mold. Lowest piece price for plastic parts at 5,000+ a year.
ForgingClosed-die and open-die forgings in carbon, alloy, and stainless steel and aluminum, with grain flow for strength.
Springs & wire formsCompression, extension, and torsion springs, wire forms, and fourslide clips made from round wire and flat strip.
RubberSeals, gaskets, grommets, and profiles extruded or molded in EPDM, silicone, nitrile, neoprene, FKM, and TPE.
Soft goodsCut-and-sewn covers, bags, cases, straps, cushions, and industrial textiles, from pattern development to production.
Offshore sourcingParts made by vetted overseas manufacturers, with landed-cost analysis, quality control, and logistics managed.
Which of these pays off at your quantity?
Parts per order
7 processes are at their best at this quantity, and 1 more can do it.
Drag to your quantity
What suppliers are held to
Children's products
Products designed for children 12 and under need third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate under CPSIA, with lead limits of 100 ppm in substrates and 90 ppm in paint, phthalate limits, and tracking labels.
Helmets and protective gear
Bicycle helmets must meet CPSC 16 CFR Part 1203, and football helmets are certified to NOCSAE standards. Shell and liner materials and wall thickness are locked once certified.
Equipment safety standards
Fitness equipment is designed to ASTM F2276 or ISO 20957, and consumer trampolines to ASTM F381. Load-bearing brackets, pins, and springs are safety-critical features.
Retail compliance
Big-box retailers set packaging, labeling, and routing rules, and packaged products often must pass ISTA 3A drop and vibration testing for parcel shipping.
Questions
Does my sporting goods product need CPSIA testing?
If it is designed or intended primarily for children 12 and under, yes. It needs testing at a CPSC-accepted lab and a Children's Product Certificate. General-use products need a General Certificate of Conformity when a CPSC rule applies.
7075 or 6061 aluminum for high-stress sporting parts?
7075-T6 has about 1.8 times the yield strength of 6061-T6 and is the choice for archery risers, bike components, and climbing hardware. 6061 costs less, machines easily, anodizes more evenly, and is enough for most brackets and frames.
Which parts should be tooled domestically and which offshore?
Stable, high-volume parts with low freight cost per unit often land cheaper offshore. Parts that change every season, carry safety certification, or need fast replenishment usually belong domestic or nearshore.
Send us the part.
Build it or upload a drawing. A rep routes it to principals already making parts for this industry.