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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
FOR BUYING JERSEYS FOR YOUR HOCKEY TEAM
IT’S TIME FOR NEW TEAM JERSEYS! ...NOW WHAT?
Team jerseys are important. They inspire and unite players. High-quality jerseys will intimidate opponents!
Your jerseys will represent your club and your community. Everyone knows jerseys are very important to the success of their team.
Anyone who has ever purchased custom team jerseys can recall when their order didn’t quite work out as expected. Numbers were backward, names spelled wrong, player jersey sizes were mixed up, colours were off, and maybe the jerseys didn’t even arrive until the last game of the season!
There are dozens of things that can go wrong with your custom team
jersey order! – OK, DON’T PANIC.
That’s why we built this guide. The Ultimate Guide for Buying Jerseys is here to help you get it right.
HERE, WE’LL COVER EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING JERSEYS:
- How to choose the right jersey for
your team - How jerseys are constructed
- Adding personality to your jersey
- How long it take to make a team jersey
- Adding artwork – let the magic begin!
- 4 Common mistakes to avoid
- The BEST checklist ever developed for buying custom team jerseys
- Size charts
BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS
Like all general managers, you absolutely must build your championship team jerseys on a budget. Some budgets are high, some are low, and our team of Jersey Experts can help you pick the jerseys or jersey packs that work best for you.
Knowing how much you would like to spend beforehand will help narrow your focus and save time!
PRO TIP:
ALWAYS WASH YOUR JERSEYS IN COLD WATER & HANG TO DRY.
HOW MUCH TO SPEND ON A JERSEY
DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS
Who is paying for them? Is it the team or the individual players/parents?
Do you buy them every year? Choosing a more heavy-duty jersey might make sense if you usually opt to keep your jerseys for a few seasons.
How long do you need them to last? Once again, if you need your jerseys to go that extra mile and survive a few years of tough tournaments and seasons, heavy-duty jerseys might make sense.
Other factors might include: How competitive is the league? League regulations? Personal preference and/or team aspirations?
These are just a few examples, but there are obviously many other things to consider. Either way, make sure you have a number in your head.
CUT TO THE CHASE- HOW MUCH FOR A JERSEY?
‘How much for a jersey’ is a surprisingly complicated question, because the answer really depends on what exactly your needs and wants are!
We have practice jerseys starting as low as $39.99, custom jerseys starting as low as $49.99, and custom jersey packs starting as low as $89.00.
To get a better idea of the numbers, feel free to browse our jersey builder or reach out to one of our Jersey Experts!
JERSEY CONSTRUCTION
Most jerseys are made out of 100% polyester. From there, jerseys come in lightweight (this would be considered a practice jersey), mid-weight, and pro weight.
Higher-quality jerseys will usually have reinforced shoulders and/or elbows. This simply means manufacturers have inserted an additional layer of fabric on these high-impact areas.
STOCK VS. CUSTOM JERSEYS
STOCK JERSEYS
The term “stock jersey” refers to the jerseys that are manufactured in bulk, making them available to order right off-the-shelf.
Blank stock jerseys can be available quickly, making them a great option if you are in a time crunch.
Until recently, stock jersey colour options were limited to basic colours such as red or white. Nowadays, stock jerseys come in a whole rainbow of colours for you to pick from!
Stock jerseys are also more budget-friendly than the custom options.
CUSTOM JERSEYS
Custom jerseys are designed 100% from scratch, and come in two different styles: cut and sew or sublimation.
Custom Sublimation is a popular style that gives you the ability to incorporate virtually any colour or design into a jersey. A great example of a custom sublimation jersey is the Arizona Coyotes Kachina jersey! You can really let your creativity shine through with this option.
Custom cut and sew jerseys are made by taking your preferred colours, striping patterns or designs, and sewing them together. this is the ultimate option for teams who know what they want.
CUSTOM JERSEYS INSIGHT
It’s what we do best, and it’s the most fun.
This is your chance to have a big impact and truly bring out the personality of your team! Before getting started, there are a few things to consider with your team:
1) Do you want your crest to have lots of colours, or keep it simple?
2) What type of font fits your team personality?
3) Do you want sewn-on numbers or names like the pros, or do you want to get creative with Sub PT?
Jersey Customization options, also known as ‘cresting options’, and ‘decoration’, are like options on your car. Do you want the base model, or the deluxe version?
Starting at the top, most professional hockey teams go with Pro-Twill stitched fabric numbers, with all crests embroidered. If you are like the Nashville Predators, you can spice up your numbers with Sub to Pro-Twill. As a subtle tribute to the music city, the Preds have guitar strings sublimated into their jerseys’ numbers!
Logos are typically found on the front chest and shoulders. Think of your favourite NHL team, and most likely, that is the setup they’re going with.
However, logos can be placed on sleeves, bottom hems,
and upper chest areas as well.
Check out the European jerseys if you want to see how many areas on the jersey logos can really be placed!
ARTWORK AND LOGOS
DO YOU HAVE A LOGO?
IS YOUR LOGO AVAILABLE IN A HIGH-RESOLUTION DIGITAL FILE FORMAT?
Most clubs and school-level teams will have a logo.
You will need it in high-resolution format. A high-resolution vector format allows for the logo to be resized without losing it’s quality- this makes it important for printing!
If your logo is not high resolution, that is ok! Our talented team of designers can help get that sorted out when you approve the final design.
FILE TYPES: AI, EPS, PDF.
NO PROBLEM!
If you do not, it is easy to re-create your logo even from a picture of your logo on your jersey. If you need a logo made from scratch- the internet makes it easy!
NEED A LOGO?
WE CAN HELP!
If your team has a vision but isn’t quite sure how to execute it, don’t worry! Our team of designers can help bring that vision to life.
If you’re still looking for some design inspiration, feel free to browse our Pinterest page! We have all kinds of cresting, logos, and designs from many cool projects we have worked on over the years.
You can combine cresting types. For example, you can go with an embroidered front crest and, to keep costs down, go with Sublimation to Pro Twill crests for the shoulders.
EMBROIDERED CREST
Most expensive and most professional looking. The entire crest is stitched or layered with Twill fabric. The cost will depend on
a) Stitch count (how many stitches
are used)
b) Number of crests ordered
SUBLIMATION PRO-TWILL
Our most popular crest application. It is popular for logos with multiple colours and the cost can be 50% of the embroidered crest. Your logo is heat transferred onto a white twill fabric and sewn to the jersey.
SILK SCREENING
Usually the lowest cost option – in particular for logos with one or two colours. Often a preferred option for large volume orders (over 50 jerseys).
Front lettering
When teams opt for their club names or initials on the front of the sweater it can be a pretty vintage look. Front lettering can be applied with a vinyl heat press (screen printing) or Pro Twill.
Every player loves having their own number and, when possible, their name on the jersey. If your team is opting to add numbers and name bars, we’ll help break down some of your options:
FABRIC OPTIONS
Vinyl Heat Press: This is the lowest-cost option we offer. Vinyl numbers are best used if you are looking to save money, or if you want a lightweight jersey.
Sub to Pro-Twill: Sub to Pro-Twill allows you to get super creative with your numbers. This option allows you to pick any colours, patterns, gradients or designs and put them onto your numbers; while still keeping that pro-stitched look.
Pro Twill Stitched: The classic hockey jersey look. High quality twill; either one, two, or three layers. The Edmonton Oilers use this style with their numbers!
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You cannot remove vinyl heat press names/numbers that have been pressed directly to the jersey. Vinyl is a plastic synthetic material.
Your jerseys are polyester (kind of like plastic). When vinyl is applied it is literally melted into the jersey, the jersey material and vinyl melt together. If applied properly, vinyl will not peel off for many years ( it may crack down the road but it will not peel).
The dimensions of NHL numbers are approximately 11.5”-12” on the back and 4” on the sleeve.
At Keener Jerseys, our standard size numbers are 11.5” back numbers and 4” sleeve numbers.
PLAYER NUMBERS
Most retailers default to a standard block font.
If you look at the pros, virtually every NHL team has a signature font that they use for their team. Fonts add personality to your jersey so it can be fun to check out some NHL team fonts! We proudly match fonts right down to the on-ice specifications of the NHL.
The base number will have a single ‘layer’ of fabric. You can enhance the look and feel of your jersey if you opt for two or three-layer numbers. For example, the Los Angeles Kings add character to their fonts by using a glitter twill as a base layer to the black and white layers!
PLAYER NAMES
When adding names to your jerseys, DOUBLE check your spelling!
Many club team jerseys require that names be placed on a name bar so they can be removed at the end of the season. If you need to remove the name bars be sure to tell your supplier.
Sending your information electronically ensures you have a record of the information you gave (in case there are questions later about your order).
When sending always send in MS Excel format (link to sample .xls doc).
Sending as a text or taking a photo of a list on a napkin opens the door for errors. Also, sending in several versions of your order is going to increase the chance for errors. If you’ve made changes, ask for a final list from your supplier as they have prepared it correctly.
NAME BAR STYLE
All name bars are matched to the on-ice specifications fonts from your favourite NHL teams.
Our default font is the Edmonton Oilers font, which is a classic hockey look.
Name bars come in 3” height for adults and 2.5” height for youth. Here at Keener Jerseys, we offer different materials for name bars, so there are options for each and every team and their unique styles.
curious about sub pt?
Keener explains how it works, what you can do with it, and why you should consider it in this video below.
Custom team jerseys take time to create.
Consider the following order timeline:
1-2 weeks to get the team on board with colours, styles and budget.
1-2 weeks to get your order in place with your supplier (exchange ideas, mock-ups, etc).
PRODUCTION TIMELINES
Usually from the date of deposit and/or artwork approval.
- Requirements will vary from provider to provider.
- Be sure you fully understand when the clock starts.
- Timelines will vary depending on the time of year. During busy seasons (fall and spring) it will take longer than orders placed in the off-season (Jan/Feb or July).
- It is very important that you communicate when you need the jerseys in hand. Even if you are ordering well ahead of schedule. If ordering the jerseys for a specific game
or tournament.
Some jersey suppliers will not send you an electronic version of your logo, if they consider the logo their ‘intellectual property’.
Other jersey suppliers may require you to pay additional fees to get it.
The Keener Jerseys policy is to send it to our clients upon request!
Our position on it is ‘it’s not our logo, it’s yours.’
Pretty simple.
- Order such that you will receive your jerseys 1 full week prior to the date your team will wear the jerseys, if possible. The reason is that if something goes wrong you may need a few days to pull together a new set of jerseys (either a basic set of practice jerseys or reuse an old set).
- Have a contingency plan. Let’s face it, even the best-laid plans can go to waste as they say. Make sure you have a fallback option in case there is an event that there is a delay or problem (ie major snowstorm).
Get your delivery date in writing! Email is best, or written on the invoice.
If you are getting your jerseys shipped, make sure the timelines include shipping time, if you need the jerseys in-hand for a specific date.
Hockey jerseys require additional room to fit over protective padding, which is why it is important that when you do sizing for your team or for yourself, you wear your shoulder pads.
For accurate chest measurement, dress as you would for the game: wear your undergarments and shoulder pads/chest protectors.
Then, measure around the fullest part of the chest, just under the armpits. If you have access to the actual jersey you might buy, lay it flat on the floor and measure from side to side across the rib cage. Double the result for the size measurement.
1. Always get a mock-up
A mock-up is a digital representation of what your jersey will look like. This helps the customer and the provider know how the final product should look.
2. Properly providing player information
Spell names correctly, and send them in a digital format preferably in an Excel Spread Sheet. One column with the player names, one column with the player with jersey’s size and one column with the size type (adult or youth).
3. Always Get a Quote
Get a quote so there are no surprises at the moment of paying and you get charged accordingly to what you are getting.
4. Agree to a Delivery Date
Delivery dates help the provider and customer know when the Jerseys are needed so they can plan accordingly to each other’s times and needs.
Remember to keep this checklist in mind when purchasing your next jerseys and you will have a 99.9% chance that everything will go smooth.
