How to plan sizes for a team or junior uniform order

Send every player or parent our size guide and ask them to measure, not guess. Chest is measured all the way round at the fullest point, and length from the shoulder to the hem. Sizes from other brands vary too much to rely on: a medium in one label can be a large in another.

Your designer confirms every size with you before anything is printed, so if a measurement looks odd, it gets checked.

Every design comes in three real fits, each with its own chart, and they can all be mixed in one order.

Mixed teams often use both men's and women's fits of the same design, so each player gets a shirt that fits while the team still matches.

For coaches, team managers and volunteers, order from the same chart in the same design, or a different colour of it, so the bench matches the players. Track pants and jackets have their own sizes too, so collect those on the same list rather than assuming they match the shirt size.

• ✓Make one list per team: name as it should appear, number, fit and size.
• ✓Check for duplicate numbers before you send it.
• ✓Set a deadline a few days before you want to order, and chase the last few players early.
• ✓Send the list in one go, so the order is made once and arrives together.

Mixed sizes in one order are normal and free. The price per piece is set by the garment, not the size.

Junior players can grow a size within a season, so plan for it. For U8s to U12s, a common approach is to size up by one so the shirt still fits at the end of the season; a slightly long shirt is better than one that is too short by finals.

For U13s to U17s, measure close to the order date and size to fit, because teenagers grow quickly and a shirt that is too big looks sloppy on the field. If a junior is between two sizes, choose the larger one.

Clubs that hand kits down each year should order a spread of sizes rather than an exact match for this season's squad, so next year's team can be kitted from the same set.

Put the name exactly as it should be printed on the size list: spelling, capitals and any nickname. Juniors often share surnames with siblings in other teams, so add an initial if the club wants it. Numbers should be unique within each team; if two teams wear the same design, they can reuse numbers.

Names, numbers and sizes are all sublimated in the same process at no extra print cost, so there is no reason to leave a player's name off to save money.

For clubs and schools, one or two spare shirts in the most common sizes save a reorder when a new player joins mid-season. There is no minimum order, so a later top-up is always possible, but a spare in the cupboard is faster than a second delivery.

Not sure what sizes to order? Send us the measurements and we advise before you pay.