The Academy Kit Guide: How Academies & Schools Order Team Kit
- Est. 2005 · Sialkot, Pakistan
- MOQ 20–25 pcs per design · no limit for brands
- Free 24h digital mockup
- Sample 5–7 days, credited on bulk
- Bulk 15–25 business days · express 7–12
- DHL/FedEx/UPS 5–10 days
- 🛡️ Free remake within 3 days
Plan the kit by age group before you count heads
An academy kit order goes wrong at the planning stage far more often than at the factory, and the usual cause is treating the whole academy as one squad. Age groups wear different garments, in different size bands, and join and leave at different rates. Start with a grid of age groups against garments: which items every group receives, which are optional, and which are only for older players who travel to fixtures.
| Age band | What they usually wear | Sizes in play | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation and youngest groups | Training tee, shorts, socks; a hoodie for winter sessions | Youth sizes only | Highest turnover; order a buffer of common sizes |
| Junior groups | Training tee, shorts, match jersey, socks, tracksuit | Youth sizes into adult XS | Growth between sizing day and delivery is the main risk |
| Senior youth | Full match kit, training kit, tracksuit, rain jacket, bag | Youth sizes and adult XS–XL | Names and numbers usually introduced here |
| Coaches and staff | Polo, quarter-zip, jacket, staff tracksuit | Adult XS–5XL, women's XS–4XL | Same crest, different garment set; embroidery is common |
Once the grid exists, count heads against it. That gives the quantity per design, which is the number that matters for minimums: at ZipaSports the minimum is 20–25 pieces per design, and every size of that design, youth or adult, counts towards it. A training tee ordered for six age groups is one design, not six.
Run a sizing day and use one size-collection sheet
A sizing day is the single most effective step an academy can take to avoid exchanges after delivery. Players try on sample garments in the actual cut, a coach records the size, and a parent confirms it on the spot. If the factory has not supplied sample garments, use the factory's size chart and measure chest and height instead; one person measuring on one day is more consistent than parents measuring at home.
ZipaSports can supply sample garments in the sizes you specify before bulk, charged at sample cost and credited against the bulk order, with a turnaround of 5–7 days plus courier. Everything collected must land on one sheet in one format, because that sheet becomes the size specification the factory cuts to.
| Sheet column | What to record | Why the factory needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Age group or squad | U9, U12, seniors, staff | Groups the cutting lay and the packing |
| Player reference | Initials or squad number (no surnames needed on the sheet) | Links each garment to a person for packing and personalisation |
| Garment | One row per garment, not per player | Each garment type is its own design and size run |
| Size chosen | From the sizing day or the size chart | Becomes the approved size specification |
| Measured chest and height | Optional but useful for youth sizes | Lets the factory flag a size that looks wrong before cutting |
| Personalisation | Number, initials, name where allowed | Goes straight into the print or embroidery file |
| Confirmed by | Parent tick or coach initial | Removes disputes after delivery |
Personalisation for parents: initials, numbers and what to leave off
Personalisation is where parents feel the kit is theirs, and where academies create their own problems. The workable approach is a fixed menu: squad number on the match jersey and shorts, initials on training wear, and nothing on the youngest groups' outer garments except the crest. A fixed menu keeps the size sheet simple and the reorder identical next season.
On sublimated kit, names and numbers are part of the print file, so a full squad list needs no separate set-up step and does not slow production. On piqué polos, fleece hoodies and other garments that cannot be sublimated, initials are embroidered, which is durable and looks correct on a collar or chest but should be kept short. The names, numbers and sponsor logos page explains what each method can carry.
Safeguarding deserves a plain rule rather than a vague one. Many academies now avoid full surnames on the outside of junior kit and use initials, first names or numbers instead, with any surname on the inside label only. Decide the rule for each age band, write it on the size sheet, and the factory applies it without judgement calls. The same rule should cover sponsor logos on junior kit, which some governing bodies restrict; check your own body's guidance before sending sponsor artwork.
Ordering windows: count back from the first fixture
The deadline that matters is the date the kit must be in players' hands, not the date the order is placed. Count back from that date through every stage, including the ones the academy itself controls, because size collection and distribution to parents take longer than most directors expect.
| Stage | Who controls it | Allow |
|---|---|---|
| Brief and free digital mockup | Factory | Mockup within 24 hours of the brief |
| Mockup revisions and sign-off | Academy committee | Unlimited free revisions; set an internal cut-off |
| Optional physical sample | Factory, then courier | 5–7 days production plus 5–10 days courier |
| Sizing day and size sheet | Academy | A fortnight is realistic once parents are involved |
| Bulk production | Factory | 15–25 business days after approval; express 7–12 days at additional cost |
| Courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) | Carrier | 5–10 days to the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe |
| Sorting and handing out | Academy | One training week |
From design approval to kit in the building, standard production plus courier comes to roughly four to seven weeks. Anything shorter needs express production, and express only helps if the size sheet and artwork are already final. Academies that order in the off-season, with the sizing day held at the last sessions of the previous season, rarely need it.
Reorders: keeping every intake in the same kit
A kit that matches across seasons depends on what the factory keeps on file, not on the academy remembering details. After the first order, the approved artwork, Pantone references, crest digitising, print files and size specification should all stay on record, so a reorder for a new intake is cut to the same files rather than redrawn from a photograph of last year's shirt.
Two honest limits apply. Fabric arrives in dye lots, and a minor shade difference between lots is normal on plain-dyed piqué and fleece; sublimated polyester is more consistent because the colour comes from the print file rather than the yarn. And a reorder of a few pieces for new signings is a smaller run than the original, so ask how the factory handles top-ups before you commit. ZipaSports keeps academy files on record, matches any Pantone reference in sublimation, and accepts lower quantities on request for top-ups of an existing design.
The practical habit is one main order per season and one planned top-up mid-season, with the buffer stock of common youth sizes held by the academy covering anyone who joins in between. Wash-fastness checks on sublimated fabric and measurement checks against the approved size spec are part of the factory's quality control, so the reorder is checked to the same specification as the original.
Fabrics that survive the washing machine
Academy kit is washed after every session, often on a hot cycle by a parent in a hurry, so fabric choice should follow durability and drying time rather than the feel on the day it is unboxed. Fully sublimated polyester does not fade, crack or peel because the dye is inside the fibre, which is why it suits match and training kit; cotton-rich fleece feels warmer for winter tracksuits but shrinks more if washed hot.
| Garment | Fabric options | GSM range | Why it suits academy use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match jersey | Polyester interlock or mesh, moisture-wicking | 140–180 | Sublimated colours and numbers survive repeated washing |
| Training tee | Polyester interlock, moisture-wicking finish | 140–180 | Dries overnight; holds its size |
| Polo (staff, travel) | Polyester piqué or poly-cotton piqué | 160–200 or 200–240 | Collar keeps its shape; embroiders well |
| Shorts | Polyester interlock or microfibre | 140–180 | Light, quick-drying, sublimation-ready |
| Tracksuit and hoodie | Cotton-polyester fleece or performance polyester fleece | 280–350 or 240–300 | Cotton blend for warmth; poly fleece for lighter, faster-drying layers |
| Base layer | Polyester-spandex 4-way stretch | 240–300 | Keeps shape through the season |
| Socks | Polyester-cotton-spandex knit, sublimated | Knit | Colour matched to the kit |
If in doubt between two weights, ask for a fabric swatch with the mockup and wash it a few times before approving; the GSM chart explains what the numbers mean.
Budgets without a price list: how quantity tiers work
Unit cost for custom kit is driven by fabric and GSM, decoration method, packaging, freight and, above all, quantity per design. Every design carries set-up work that does not change with quantity: pattern grading, print file preparation, crest digitising for embroidery, screens for screen printing, and the cutting lay. Spread across more pieces, that work costs less per garment, which is why factories quote in quantity tiers rather than a flat rate.
For an academy the lever is fewer designs, not fewer garments. A training tee shared by every age group in one colourway is one design with a high count; a different tee per age group is several designs each hovering at the minimum. Ordering the whole academy in one run per season, rather than a run per age group, does the same thing. Match kit is harder to consolidate because home and away colourways are separate designs, so decide early whether the youngest groups need an away kit at all.
ZipaSports does not publish prices because every order is made to its own specification; the quote is issued within 24 hours with the free mockup, so the number reflects the actual garment, quantity tier and destination. The jersey cost guide covers the cost drivers in more depth.
What to send the factory
A complete brief produces a mockup that is right first time, and a mockup that is right first time is what keeps the ordering window intact. Most delays traced through an academy order come from artwork sent as a screenshot, a size sheet that changed after approval, or a deadline never stated.
| Item | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crest and sponsor logos | Vector: AI, EPS or PDF | A JPEG can be redrawn by the design studio, but vector avoids approval rounds |
| Colours | Pantone references, or a physical swatch | Sublimation matches any Pantone reference; keep the same references every season |
| Garment list | Garment by age group, with home and away noted | Each garment and colourway is a separate design |
| Size sheet | One spreadsheet, one row per garment per player | Becomes the approved size specification; freeze it before approval |
| Names and numbers | Column on the size sheet | Include the safeguarding rule for each age band |
| Labels and packing | Woven neck label, printed size tag, polybag per player or per size | Packing by player saves the academy a sorting evening |
| Destination and deadline | Delivery address, country, the date kit must be in hand | Determines standard or express production and the courier route |
Send the brief by email or WhatsApp; how it works shows the sequence from brief to delivery. A reference photo of a kit you like is enough to start, since the design service is free.
The Quality Guarantee and the check on arrival
Quality Guarantee: if any garment arrives with a manufacturing defect, we remake it free of charge — the remake goes into production within 3 days of your report. Manufacturing defects are print faults, stitching faults, a wrong size against the approved size specification, or a wrong garment or quantity against the approved order. Minor shade tolerance between dye lots, measurements within ±1–1.5 cm of the size chart, and sizes chosen wrongly on the sheet are not defects, which is another reason the sizing day matters.
Check the delivery before it goes home with players: count every garment against the size sheet and photograph anything that looks wrong. Claims go by WhatsApp or email with photos and the order reference within 7 days of delivery. ZipaSports confirms within 24 hours in business hours, remakes the affected pieces with the remake in production within 3 days, and ships replacements at no charge, or credits the pieces if you prefer. Made-to-order kit carrying your crest cannot be returned for change of mind. Full terms: Quality Guarantee and return policy.
This guide is published by ZipaSports, a custom sportswear manufacturer in Sialkot, Pakistan, founded in 2005, making academy kit across football, cricket, rugby, netball, hockey, athletics, swimming, combat sports and dance; see kit for academies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can our academy order mixed youth and adult sizes in one order?
One academy order can mix youth sizes with adult XS–5XL and women's XS–4XL within the same design. Every size of that design counts towards its 20–25 piece minimum at ZipaSports. The size sheet you approve becomes the specification the factory cuts and checks against.
Do we need 20 kits per age group, or 20 across the whole academy?
The 20–25 piece minimum at ZipaSports applies per garment design across the whole academy, not per age group. A training tee shared by every age group in one colourway is a single design regardless of how many sizes it spans. Separate colourways, such as home and away, are counted as separate designs.
How far before the season should an academy order its kit?
Approve the mockup and size sheet at least seven weeks before kit is needed. Bulk production takes 15–25 business days after approval and courier adds 5–10 days, so four to seven weeks is the standard window. Add the time your own sizing day and committee sign-off take before that.
Can parents order kit for their child directly from the factory?
Orders are placed and delivered as one consolidated academy order to one address, not as individual parent orders. The academy collects sizes and personalisation on a single sheet, and the factory can pack by player so distribution at training is quick. Some academies collect payment from parents before placing the order.
Will next year's intake get exactly the same kit as this year's?
ZipaSports keeps the approved artwork, Pantone references, crest digitising and size specification on file after the first order and cuts every reorder to them, so a new intake receives the same kit. A minor shade difference between fabric dye lots is normal on plain-dyed garments; sublimated kit is the most consistent across seasons.
Can we put players' names on academy kit, and is that a safeguarding problem?
Players' names can be added to academy kit, and many academies choose numbers or initials only for junior groups. Names and numbers are sublimated into match kit as part of the print file, and initials can be embroidered on training wear. Set a rule per age band, for example numbers only under a certain age, and write it on the size sheet.
What if a player joins mid-season and needs kit after the main order?
Top-ups of an existing design are accepted at lower quantities on request, cut to the same files as the original order. Production and courier times still apply, so most academies hold a small buffer of common youth sizes from the main order and place one planned top-up mid-season.
Which fabric holds up when kit is washed after every session?
Fully sublimated polyester interlock or mesh at 140–180 GSM holds up best for jerseys, tees and shorts washed after every session, because the dye sits inside the fibre and does not fade, crack or peel. For tracksuits, cotton-polyester fleece at 280–350 GSM is warmer while performance polyester fleece at 240–300 GSM dries faster and shrinks less.
Should we get a sample before ordering for the whole academy?
A physical sample is worth taking before a first academy order, at least for the match jersey. A physical sample takes 5–7 days, is charged at sample cost, and that cost is credited against the bulk order. The free digital mockup within 24 hours settles the design; the sample settles fabric weight, fit and print colour.
What happens if some of the kit arrives with a fault?
Report it with photos and the order reference within 7 days of delivery. Under the ZipaSports Quality Guarantee any garment with a manufacturing defect is remade free of charge, with the remake in production within 3 days of your report and replacements shipped at no charge, or credited if the academy prefers.