PentathlonOrdering kit for a club is not hard, but it is easy to leave it too late or get the sizes wrong. If you are the person on the committee handling it this season, here is a simple step-by-step guide that keeps the whole process smooth, from first idea to the boxes arriving.
Step 1: Start early and set your deadline
Work back from the date you need kit in players’ hands. Between designing, approving a mock-up, sampling and production, a comfortable window is around six to eight weeks, and more for a large squad or a complex design. Leave extra room before the start of a season, when every club is ordering at once. Starting early is the single biggest thing that keeps costs and stress down.
Step 2: Decide what you need
List the pieces before you ask for a price: match jerseys, shorts, socks, goalkeeper kit, training tops, mid-layers, jackets and any off-field wear. Ordering everything together as one club package is cheaper per item and gives you one matched design and one delivery. Decide too whether you want full-dye sublimation or tackle twill, or a mix.
Step 3: Get a mock-up and a quote
Send your colours, crest, any sponsor logos and rough numbers to your supplier. A good manufacturer will come back with a digital mock-up of your kit and a price before any money changes hands, so there are no surprises. Check the mock-up carefully with your committee: colours, crest placement, sponsor sizes, fonts and spelling.
Step 4: Run a sizing day
Getting sizes right is where most orders go wrong. Do not let players or parents self-report their size. Set up a short sizing session at training, ideally with a set of fit samples, and record every player’s size against their name in a simple spreadsheet. For youth players, size up: children grow fast and a slightly roomy jersey lasts two seasons. Having your size list ready also speeds up your quote and production.
Step 5: Approve a sample
For a first order it is worth approving a stitched sample before the full run is made. It lets you check the fabric, fit and finish in person, so the whole squad’s kit comes out exactly as expected. Once you sign it off, production follows the approved proof.
Step 6: Production, inspection and delivery
After approval, production typically takes a couple of weeks, then the order is inspected and shipped. Most clubs collect payment and sizes internally, then place one bulk order that ships to a single address for the kit organiser to hand out. One contact from start to finish keeps it simple.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving it late. Rushed orders mean fewer options and tighter deadlines. Plan six to eight weeks ahead.
- Guessing sizes. Measure the squad and use fit samples. It removes almost all sizing returns.
- Skipping the mock-up. Always sign off colours, crest, sponsors, names and numbers before production.
- Forgetting reorders. Ask how new players get matching kit mid-season so late joiners are not left out.
How ordering works with us
Pentathlon makes club kit factory-direct from our own workshop, so you deal with the makers, not a middleman. Minimums start at 25 per design, digital mock-ups come back in a day or two, and production runs in about two to three weeks after approval, then ships worldwide. Browse club kits by sport, see how factory-direct works, or request a quote to get started.