FAQ: How to Order School Sports Uniforms

Ordering school sports uniforms can seem like a daunting task with many different details to consider. From selecting the right supplier to ensuring the proper fit, the process requires careful planning and coordination. To help make this task easier, here’s a comprehensive FAQ guide that addresses common questions and provides useful tips on how to order school sports uniforms.

1. How Do I Choose the Right Supplier?

Choosing the right supplier is critical for ensuring consistently quality products and on-time delivery. Use this checklist for choosing your next school sports uniform supplier:

• Reputation: Research the supplier’s reputation by reading reviews, asking for references, and checking their history with other schools.
• Quality: Request fabric samples to check the quality of materials. Ensure they use durable, comfortable, and performance-oriented fabrics.
• Customisation: Confirm that the supplier offers customisation options such as logos, team names, and individual player names and numbers.
• Turnaround Time: Inquire about their turnaround time to ensure they can meet your deadlines.
• Customer Service: Assess their customer service responsiveness and support throughout the ordering process.

For more tips on choosing the right sports uniform supplier, read our article “Questions to Ask Before Working with a New Uniform Supplier”.

2. What Information Do I Need to Provide?

When placing an order for school sports uniforms, there is some essential information your supplier will need to get the uniforms made correctly:

• Team and School Name: Clearly state the exact names to be printed on the uniforms.
• Colours: Specify the exact colours, including any colour codes if available (provide the school branding guidelines, if possible).
• Design: Provide design specifications or work with the supplier’s design team to create some design options for approval. Designs can include logos, mascots, and any other graphics that are important the school.
• Sizes: Gather accurate sizing information for all team members. Ask your supplier for a sizing chart or a sizing kit if you are working with them for the first time.
• Quantity: Determine the number of uniforms needed for each team and any extras for replacements.
• Special Requests: Include any special requests, such as specific fabric types or decoration requirements (e.g. the school logo must be embroidered).

3. How Do I Ensure Proper Fit?

Ensuring the proper fit for students and staff is essential.  To make sure your school gets the sizing you need use these tools:

• Sizing Kits: Request a sizing kit from your supplier to allow students to try on samples before placing the order.
• Sizing Tips: provide parents with a simple guide to help them choose the right size (e.g. allow for growth over the school year, allow for individual preferences regarding tight/loose fitting garments). Your supplier can help you with these sizing tips. 
• Measurements: For students needing extra information about sizing, explain how they should measure key garment measurement points (e.g. waist, length). This will mean they can measure a garment they already have (and like) to choose their size.
• Fit Types: Discuss the types of fits available (e.g., slim fit, regular fit, loose fit) and choose what’s most suitable for your students and school.
• Returns and Exchanges: Inquire about the supplier’s policy on returns and exchanges in case of sizing issues.
• Extras: plan to hold extra sizes in stock to manage incorrect sizing choices, and new students.

4. What Are the Costs Involved?

Because there is a lot of variation in custom uniforms, understanding detailed cost information is important for budgeting.

• Unit Price: Determine the cost per uniform, which may vary based on product, customisation, fabric quality and order quantity.
• Customisation Fees: Check if there are additional fees for logos, names, and special designs.
• Shipping: Ask specifically for all shipping costs to be included in your quotes, especially if pick-up is not possible.
• Bulk Discounts: Ask about bulk order discounts, which can significantly reduce costs for large orders. Most suppliers will offer bulk discounts. 
• Additional Items: Consider the costs of additional items like socks, bags, or warm-up suits.
• Top-Up Orders: Ask if the price will change if you make subsequent orders later in the year (including if the order quantities change).

5. How Do I Place the Order?

Placing an order typically involves the following steps:

• Contact the Supplier: Initiate contact to discuss your needs and get a quote.
• Provide Details: Submit all necessary details, including design specifications and sizes.
• Review Design Proofs: Review and approve the design proofs, and colour selection, if relevant.
• Formal Order: Place the formal order and make the required deposit if applicable. Once your deposit is paid, production will start, and your supplier will confirm the expected delivery date once this occurs.

6. What Is the Turnaround Time?

Turnaround time can vary based on the supplier and the complexity of the order:

• Standard Time: Most suppliers have a standard turnaround time of 4-6 weeks for custom sublimated uniforms (which is the style for most school sports uniforms).
• Rush Orders: Some suppliers offer rush services for an additional fee, reducing the turnaround time to 3-4 weeks.
• Production Updates: Ask for regular updates on the production status to ensure there are no surprises.

7. How Do I Handle Customisation and Branding?

Customisation and strong branding on your uniforms are the best way to create unique identity for your school and team:

• Design Collaboration: Work closely with the supplier’s design team to create custom design including the schools colours, designs, mottos and other important visual identity.
• Approval Process: Make sure the correct internal approvals are obtained for the final design proofs, before production begins to avoid any errors.
• Brand Consistency: Ensure that the designs align with your school’s branding guidelines and other uniforms. Your supplier will be able to help you with this, and may ask for samples of the other garments to help with matching.

8. How Do I Manage Delivery and Distribution?

There are usually a few options, depending on the school’s needs, timing and location.

• Delivery Schedule: Coordinate with the supplier to confirm the delivery schedule and address (remember to tell them if delivery can only be made during school hours, or the school term).
• Check Inventory: Upon delivery, check the inventory to ensure all items are accounted for and meet your specifications. The supplier should provide order paperwork with the delivery to help you with that.
• Distribution Plan: Create a distribution plan to hand out uniforms to students, wherever possible, get sports coaches or team managers to take ownership of distribution, so they can be the contact point for any student queries about sizing.
• Address Issues: If something isn’t right with your order, contact your supplier immediately and agree the plan to rectify. Make sure you get this confirmation in writing from the supplier. 

9. What Are Some Tips for a Smooth Ordering Process?

Here are some additional tips to ensure a smooth and successful ordering process:

• Plan Ahead: Start the process well in advance of when you actually need the uniforms, to allow for any delays or issues.
• Clear Communication: Clear and consistent communication with your supplier will make the whole process more enjoyable, and successful!
• Double-Check Details: Verify all details, from sizes to designs, before finalising the order. Ask someone else in your team to help with this (a fresh set of eyes is best for picking up minor errors).
• Budget Wisely: Keep some budget for potential extra costs, or top-up orders.
• Keep Records: Maintain records of all your communications, invoices, and receipts for future reference. This includes communications with parents or students, for example in the case of incorrect sizes being requested.

--

Ordering school sports uniforms involves several steps but can be a seamless process with careful planning and communication. By choosing a reliable supplier, providing accurate information, and ordering appropriate sizing, you can equip your students with uniforms that boost their confidence and performance. Follow these guidelines and tips to make your next uniform order a success.  If you need help planning your next school sports uniform, one of our team is ready to answer your questions, contact us today!