Collar & Neckline Options for Custom Jerseys, Polos and Tees
- 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
Choose the neckline from the sport, then check the fabric
The sport and the garment decide the neckline before any styling: match shirts take a crew, round or V-neck, travel shirts take a collar, midlayers take a quarter-zip, and gym wear takes a henley or a hood. ZipaSports in Sialkot, Pakistan sews every one of these constructions, so one club order can carry a V-neck match shirt and a rib-collar polo in the same batch.
| Neckline | Usual garments | Usual fabric | Decoration note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew / round | Match jerseys, training tees, sweatshirts | Interlock or mesh 140-180 GSM, fleece 280-350 GSM | Rib dyed to match or contrast |
| V-neck | Football, cricket, netball, basketball warm-ups | Interlock 140-180 GSM | Keep logos clear of the point |
| Polo, self-fabric collar | Golf, cricket, corporate, work polos | Polyester pique 160-200 GSM | Collar and placket sublimate with the body |
| Polo, knitted rib collar | Classic polos, pit shirts, hospitality | Poly-cotton pique 200-240 GSM | Solid or striped knitted colours only |
| Mandarin / grandad | Cricket, esports, retro football, hospitality | Interlock or pique | Artwork should stop below the band |
| Quarter-zip | Midlayers, training tops, pit crew | Performance fleece 240-300 GSM | Leave a margin either side of the zip |
| Henley | Training tops, gym tees, retro cricket | Interlock or poly-cotton | Placket is sewn after printing |
| Hooded | Hoodies, warm-ups, rash-guard hoodies | Cotton-poly fleece 280-350 GSM | Hood panels print flat, match at the seam |
Crew, round and V-necks: how the neck is actually finished
A crew neck can be finished two ways, and the difference shows after repeated washing rather than on day one. A knitted rib collar, usually 1x1 rib, is a separate piece with its own stretch and recovery; it holds shape on heavier fleece and on cotton-blend tees. Self-fabric binding folds the shirt fabric itself over the neck edge and is the lighter, cooler finish used on most sublimated polyester jerseys.
A round neck differs from a crew only in how wide and how low the opening is cut; state the drop in centimetres on the size specification rather than describing it as high or low.
V-necks are cut as a plain V, a V with a sewn insert, or a Y-neck with a short notch. The insert version gives the sharpest point because the two sides meet at a mitred seam instead of being folded around a corner.
Every version can be finished with a neck tape across the shoulders, and any of them can carry a woven label or a printed tagless mark instead. Ask the studio for both options on the mockup if the squad is undecided.
Polo collars: self-fabric or knitted rib
This is the single decision that most changes a polo, and it is worth making before artwork starts. A self-fabric collar is cut from the same pique as the body, so it passes through sublimation with the shirt and can carry any pattern, gradient or Pantone-matched colour. A knitted rib collar is bought or knitted as a finished trim in solid yarn colours, often with tipping stripes at the edge, and it cannot be sublimated.
| Point of difference | Self-fabric collar | Knitted rib collar |
|---|---|---|
| How it is made | Cut from the body pique and sewn on | Knitted as a finished trim, then attached |
| Colour freedom | Any colour, pattern or gradient | Solid yarn shades, optional tipping stripes |
| Decoration | Sublimation with the body | None; colour comes from the yarn |
| Handle after washing | Soft, lies flatter, less recovery | Firmer, stands up, recovers well |
| Typical use | Sublimated team and cricket polos | Corporate, hospitality, work and pit shirts |
Mixed orders are common: a sublimated pique polo for the pitch and rib-collar polos for staff, both under one design approval.
Mandarin, quarter-zip, henley and hooded necklines
- Mandarin, also called a grandad collar
- A narrow stand-up band with no fold, used on cricket shirts, esports jerseys, retro football tops and hospitality wear. The band is too shallow for a logo, so keep artwork below the neck seam.
- Quarter-zip, sometimes written zip-neck
- A stand collar split by a zip, standard on training midlayers, golf tops and pit crew shirts. Specify the zip length, whether the tape is exposed or covered by a placket, and whether a chin guard is needed.
- Henley
- A crew or round neck opened by a short buttoned placket, usually two or three buttons. It suits training tops and gym tees and gives a plain area that suits a small chest logo.
- Hooded
- A two-panel or three-panel hood with a drawcord or a cordless finish for schools and academies. Hood linings can be printed in a contrast colour on sublimated fleece.
All four are cut and sewn in the ZipaSports factory in Sialkot on the same production lines as crew and polo styles, so an order can mix them across a squad without splitting into separate runs.
How each neckline changes the sublimation layout
Sublimation prints flat panels before the garment is sewn, so anything crossing a neck seam has to be planned in the artwork rather than fixed on the sewing floor. The table below is what the design studio checks on every kit mockup before it goes out for approval.
| Neckline | Effect on the print | What to do in the artwork |
|---|---|---|
| Crew with rib collar | Rib is a solid colour and breaks the pattern | Pick a rib shade that belongs in the design |
| Crew with self-fabric binding | Pattern continues to the folded edge | Extend the background past the cut line |
| V-neck insert | Two panels meet at the point | Keep stripes symmetrical either side of the mitre |
| Polo placket | Placket sits on top of the body print | Avoid text within the placket width |
| Quarter-zip | Zip tape covers a strip of print | Leave a clear margin along the zip line |
| Henley placket | Buttons and buttonholes cut the print | No small type across the opening |
| Hood | Panels are printed separately | Match pattern direction across hood seams |
Women's and youth variants of the same collar
A women's cut is not a smaller men's shirt at the neck. The opening is normally cut a little wider and lower, the shoulder point sits further in, and a V or scoop is dropped rather than simply scaled, so the neckline still sits correctly on a shorter front rise. On women's polos the placket is shorter and the button side can be reversed on request.
Youth sizing has a physical constraint worth planning for: a child's head is large relative to the chest, so the smallest sizes need a wider neck opening or a more elastic rib than a straight grade from adult sizes would give. Henley and quarter-zip styles solve this because the opening widens.
Mixed youth and adult sizes run inside one design at ZipaSports, which is how academies and school programmes usually order. Set out the neckline for each block on the size specification, then link the same artwork to both. See the size chart guide before you collect the squad numbers.
What to specify on the mockup brief
Send this with the logo and the ZipaSports studio returns a digital mockup within 24 hours, with unlimited revisions before approval.
| Specify | A clear instruction reads like this |
|---|---|
| Neckline type | "V-neck with sewn insert, not a plain V" |
| Collar construction | "Self-fabric pique collar, sublimated with the body" |
| Collar and trim colour | "Rib collar in the same navy as the body, single white tipping stripe" |
| Opening depth | "V depth measured from the shoulder seam, given in centimetres per size" |
| Zip or placket detail | "Quarter-zip, matt black puller, chin guard behind the top of the zip" |
| Neck finish | "Neck tape in contrast colour, woven label at centre back" |
| Label choice | "Printed tagless label, no stitched tag" |
| Size blocks | "Men's, women's and youth cuts, same artwork" |
Woven neck labels, printed size tags and hang tags are made in-house, so a brand's own neck branding is set at this stage rather than after production.
Collar checks before the order ships
Necklines fail in predictable ways, so they are checked twice: in line while panels are being joined, and again at final inspection before packing. Inspectors stretch the opening and let it recover, check that the rib is attached without waves or puckering, confirm the neck tape is caught along its full length, measure the opening against the approved size specification, and look down the centre front to see that a V point or a placket is square rather than twisted.
Zips are run open and closed, and buttons on henleys and polos are checked for secure attachment. Sublimated collars are compared against the approved mockup for colour before the pieces go into the polybag.
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. A twisted placket, an open collar seam or a neck opening outside the approved specification is a manufacturing defect. Normal measurement tolerance within the size chart, at plus or minus 1 to 1.5 cm, is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which neckline do football clubs usually order?
Crew neck and V-neck match shirts in polyester interlock or mesh at 140-180 GSM are the usual choice for football clubs. The V-neck with a sewn insert is the more traditional look; the crew with self-fabric binding is lighter and lets the print run right to the neck seam.
Can we mix collar styles in one order?
Yes, a squad can take V-neck match shirts, rib-collar travel polos and quarter-zip midlayers in one order, because the minimum at ZipaSports is 20-25 pieces per design rather than per order, with lower quantities possible on request.
Can a knitted rib collar be colour-matched to our kit?
A knitted rib collar takes its colour from dyed yarn, so it is matched to the nearest available shade rather than sublimated to an exact Pantone reference. If the collar must carry the exact kit colour or a pattern, choose a self-fabric collar instead.
What is a grandad or mandarin collar?
A mandarin or grandad collar is a narrow stand-up band at the neck with no fold-over. It is used on cricket shirts, esports jerseys, retro football tops and hospitality wear, and the band is too shallow to carry a logo, so artwork should stop below the neck seam.
Should winter training tops be quarter-zip or crew?
A quarter-zip suits winter training because the wearer can open the neck without removing the layer, and the stand collar covers the throat when closed. A crew in 240-300 GSM performance fleece is simpler to print and quicker to sew, so clubs often order both.
Do V-necks lose their shape faster than crew necks?
A V-neck with a sewn insert holds shape as well as a crew when the neck is taped across the shoulders and the fabric is stable. Shape loss usually comes from a stretched-out unbound edge, not from the V itself, which is why binding or a rib finish matters.
Are women's necklines cut differently?
Yes, women's necklines are cut slightly wider and lower, with the shoulder point set further in, and a V or scoop is dropped rather than scaled down from the men's block. Women's polos take a shorter placket, and the button side can be reversed on request.
Will a youth crew neck fit over a child's head?
It fits when the smallest sizes are graded with a wider neck opening or a stretchier rib, because a child's head is large relative to the chest. ZipaSports grades youth necklines separately rather than shrinking the adult block, and youth and adult sizes run inside one design.
Can we have a tagless neck instead of a stitched label?
Yes, a printed tagless neck mark replaces the stitched label for teams that find labels irritating, and woven neck labels, printed size tags and hang tags are also made in-house at the ZipaSports factory in Sialkot, Pakistan for private-label orders.
What happens if my garments arrive with a defect?
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. Send photos and your order reference within 7 days of delivery; replacement pieces are shipped to you at no charge, or we issue a credit if you prefer. Full policy: Quality Guarantee.