How to design a cycling jersey for your club or team

A race team jersey, a social club jersey and a one-off charity ride shirt have different jobs. Race kit needs sponsor space and numbers that read in photos; a social club jersey needs to look good at the café and be easy to reorder; a charity ride jersey needs the cause and the partners to be obvious. Decide which one you are designing before you choose a colour.

Write down every logo that has to appear and how big each sponsor expects to be. That list drives the layout more than anything else.

• ✓One base colour and one accent. Two strong colours read better in a moving bunch than five.
• ✓Use bright panels. Fluoro yellow, orange or white on the shoulders, sides or back make riders easier to see on the road.
• ✓Think about the sun. Dark jerseys absorb heat on long summer rides; a lighter base is cooler.
• ✓Check contrast for logos. A dark logo on a dark panel disappears; give each sponsor a contrasting background.

Because every jersey is sublimated, gradients, fades and patterns cost nothing extra, but use them to support the club colours, not to compete with them.

A cycling jersey is seen from the front, the side and, most of the time, from behind. Plan the design panel by panel.

Keep the zip line in mind: logos placed across the centre front are split by the zip, so most clubs place the main sponsor either side of it or above the chest.

Clubs often have more sponsors than space. Rank them: the main sponsor gets the chest and upper back, the next two get the lower back and sides, the rest go on the sleeves. Use one-colour versions of partner logos in the accent colour so they sit in the design rather than on top of it.

Names and numbers are included in every price, so riders can have their own name on the back or sleeve if the club wants it.

Our Kit Studio has a full-zip cycling jersey you can colour and lay out on a 3D model, so the committee can see the front, sides and back before anyone pays. If you would rather start from something finished, browse 100 ready cycling designs from A$73 and change the colours, crest and sponsors.

Either way, a real designer sends a front and back mockup within 24 hours and adjusts it until the club is happy. You pay only after you approve it.

• ✓Logos: vector files (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG) give the sharpest print; any clear image works for the first mockup.
• ✓Colours: send the codes your club uses so the print matches your other kit.
• ✓Sizes: collect fits and sizes once with the size guide.
• ✓Proof: check every sponsor spelling and the club name on the final mockup before you approve.

Jerseys are made to order in our own factory in India and arrive in around 4 weeks from design approval. Read more on how sublimation works and which fabric to choose.