nice and cheap footballs

When you watch a football match, it's quite probable that the ball has been manufactured in Pakistan.

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequipment/football/testcriteria.html
FIFA Quality Concept
The FIFA Quality Concept for Footballs is a test programme for Outdoor, Futsal and Beach Soccer footballs. Manufacturers have the possibility to enter into a licensing agreement for the use of the prestigious 'FIFA APPROVED' and 'FIFA INSPECTED' Quality Marks on footballs which have passed a rigorous testing procedure.

FIFA site includes the list of around 90 manufacturers registered as FIFA licensees, among them many from Pakistan, with their own brands or manufacturing for the most important companies in the market (adidas, Nike, Umbro, Lotto, Kappa,Puma, Wilson, etc.):

http://www.alberta-sports.com/2008/profile.php

http://www.capital-sports.net/profile.html

http://www.craftsmanpk.com/about.php?page=about

http://www.kapur.com.pk/apparels/How.aspx

http://www.madrigalsports.com/

http://www.orbittra.com/about.php

http://www.rectogroup.com/sports/manufacture.htm

http://www.s-stargroup.com/

http://www.temposports.com/about.php?lng=en

http://www.talonsports.com/aboutus.htm

http://www.vision.com.pk/content/view/18/37/

Criticism from those who do not like football can not be avoided though:
　
INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUM
http://www.laborrights.org/

Special Report 07/06/2010
Missed the Goal for Workers:
The Reality of Soccer Ball Stitchers in Pakistan, India, China and Thailand


This report presents the key findings of the International Labor Rights Forum’s research in the four largest soccer balls producing countries: Pakistan, India, China and Thailand. This report also highlights the need to rethink the strategies being utilized by companies to encourage suppliers to adhere to strong labor standards.

ILRF found that child labor continues to exist.
ILRF found that non-permanent workers are the standard for the hand-stitched soccer ball industry.
Workers are often paid below the legal minimum wage and their incomes can barely cover basic needs. While they are vulnerable to occupational health hazards, their part-time status makes them ineligible for many social protections including health care. The rights to organize and bargain collectively are usually legally barred to workers with informal employment status.

At one Pakistani manufacturer, ILRF researchers found that all interviewed stitching center or home-based workerswere employed on a casual basis and almost all of them were paid below the legally required minimum wage.

To conclude, ILRF calls on the soccer ball industry, in coordination with trade unions and civil society, to take immediate action to address the issues of extremely low wages, proliferation of temporary workers, and a lack of civil society engagement in order to improve conditions for the workers that produce the ball at the center of the World Cup 2010 games.