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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. 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 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 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 for Your Hockey Team is to help you ‘get it right. Regardless of your jersey provider, you can use the guide to ensure you get your jerseys how you want them and when you need them.
On your next custom team jersey order USE THIS GUIDE and be the HERO!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING JERSEYS BUT YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO ASK
- How to Choose the right Jersey for
your Team? - How Jerseys are Constructed?
- Adding Personality to Your Jersey
- How long does 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?
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT JERSEY FOR YOUR TEAM
Like all general managers, you must build your championship team jerseys on a budget. Some budgets are high, some are low. You need to find the right jersey that fits your budget.
BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS
Knowing how much you have to spend will help narrow your focus and save time. If you know how much you can spend, you can ask your provider to provide you with the best options for that price range.
HOW MUCH TO SPEND ON A JERSEY
DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS
Who is paying for them? The team or the individual players/parents?
Do you buy them every year?
How long do you need them to last?
(i.e for tournaments or many seasons)
How competitive is the league?
League regulations
Personal preference and/or team aspirations
These are just a few considerations, there are many more. The point is, start off by setting your budget.
HOW MUCH FOR A JERSEY
We get asked every day, ‘How much for a jersey?’ The answer is….It depends. It depends on what you need and what you want.
For a general range, jerseys, including customization, fall into three broad price categories:
JERSEY CONSTRUCTION
Most jerseys are made out of 100% polyester. From there, jerseys come in lightweight (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.
Industry Terminology: Single Shoulder / Single Elbow (no reinforcement). Double Shoulders, Double Elbows (reinforced).
STOCK VS. CUSTOM JERSEYS
STOCK JERSEYS
Stock jerseys are those jerseys that manufacturers make in bulk and you can order them off-the-shelf. Blank stock jerseys can be available within a few days to a week depending on urgency and stock levels. Until recently, stock jersey colour options were limited to basic colours, black, white, blue, red, etc. Nowadays, clients have dozens of stock styles and colours from which to choose! Rush fees…While blank stock jerseys can be available quickly, most jersey providers will charge a rush fee if you need jerseys before to standard delivery times. On the plus side, it’s nice to know they can be available in a pinch.
CUSTOM JERSEYS
Custom Jerseys are those that are designed and sewn completely from scratch and come in two types:
1. Custom ‘Cut and Sew’ or
2. Custom Sublimation. In short, stock jerseys are great because they are low-cost, come in lots of colour options and can be made quickly.
Custom jerseys are great because you can literally design them from scratch and bring out the personality of your team. Custom jerseys tend to cost more and you will wait longer but as they say:
GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!
CUSTOM JERSEYS INSIGHT
‘CUSTOM CUT AND SEW’ OR ‘CUSTOM SUBLIMATION’
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Sublimation is a popular technique which gives you the ability to incorporate virtually any design or colour combination into a jersey. We’ve all seen these jerseys – Don Cherry jacket-jerseys, Batman jerseys, etc. Designs range from zany to creative to subtle and simple. The process involves transferring colours onto white polyester fabrics. It costs more than sublimated jerseys because you need to add customization – cresting, names, and numbers separately.
CUSTOM AND SEW
Custom and sew are jerseys made from scratch based on your colours and striping pattern. A traditional jersey construction. The process involves sewing various fabrics together to come up with a unique design or pattern.
One awesome advantage with sublimation: All the logos and numbers are included in the cost!
Adding names usually will cost $4-$5 extra per jersey.
CUT AND SEW
Usually cost more than sublimated jerseys because you need to add customization – cresting, names, and numbers separately.
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!
Do you want your crest to have lots of colours or keep
it simple?
What type of font fits your team personality?
Do you want sewn-on numbers or names like the pros?
Jersey Customization options, also known as ‘cresting options’, and ‘decoration’, are like options on your car. Do you want the base package or the deluxe version?
Starting at the top, most professional hockey teams go with Pro Twill stitched fabric numbers sewn on the jerseys and all crests are embroidered. Some pro teams have introduced even more advanced textures but we’ll leave that with the pros for now.
Cresting Options for Your Logo
Logos are typically found on the front chest and shoulders. However, they can be placed on sleeves, bottom hems,
and upper chest areas (check out the European jerseys if
you want to see how many areas on the jersey logos can
be placed!).
ARTWORK AND LOGOS LET THE MAGIC BEGIN!
DO YOU HAVE A LOGO?
Is your logo available in 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 scale (print in large size while keeping the image crisp/sharp).
If your logo is not high resolution, that is ok your provider should be able to ‘vectorize’ it for you.
File Types: ai, eps, PDF.
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.
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!
Here are some great ways to get a logo for your team:
Search the internet (duh!) sounds simple, yes but there is a great way to do it. Take your team’s name and add the word ‘logo’ then click on the images above the search field. For example, an obscure name ‘ice dogs logos’ will turn up thousands of logos. Most teams can take an existing logo and re-purpose it or make minor edits and whola! Quick team logo!
Ask for a logo from scratch. We do this every day at Keener Jerseys. It’s a lot of fun to create your vision.
Looking for a really intricate or specific logo?
There are plenty of designers who consider using an
online logo design service, for example Vistaprint.ca, 99designs, Fiverr
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.
FABRIC OPTIONS
Vinyl Heat Press: Low-cost option. Best used if you are looking to save money or if you want a lightweight jersey. Some providers may ‘screen print’ your numbers on the jersey. Often it depends on which process they are more familiar with.
Pro Twill Stitched: Twill is what the pros wear. You will pay a bit more but the overall effect on the jersey is ‘night and day’ compared to vinyl.
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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).
Ask your provider how big the back and/or sleeve numbers will be. 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. Your jersey provider will have a default option, typically they will offer 10” back and 3” sleeve numbers.
PLAYER NUMBERS
Most retailers default to a standard block font. If you look at the pros virtually every NHL team has a 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 and match those!The base number will have a single ‘layer’ of fabric. Again, you can enhance the look and feel (and cost) of your jersey if you opt for two or three-layer numbers. The Los Angeles Kings add character to their fonts by using a glitter twill.
PLAYER NAMES
When adding names to your jerseys ensure you DOUBLE check spelling. This is key and is part of our Ultimate Guide for Buying Team Hockey Jerseys Checklist.
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 Edmonton Oilers, which is pretty great. Name bars come in 3” Height for Adults and 2.5” Height for Youth. Here at Keener Jerseys, we have different materials and styles of name bars to offer.
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.
If you are having your logo made or ‘vectorized’ by your provider be sure to ask for their policy on your rights to your logo. 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. Ask for it, is important. If you are getting your jerseys shipped make sure the timelines include shipping 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 are going to want to 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. Player Information (Properly providing player’s 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.
