Shorts are specified at the waistband and the hem, and most of what goes wrong on a shorts order is a detail nobody wrote down: the inseam, whether there is an inner short, where the pocket sits, whether the drawcord is inside or outside. Every one of those belongs on paper before the quotation, so the sample is judged against a brief rather than against a memory.
What you can order
Four builds from our own production stand for the range. A women's running short with a curved dolphin hem and side split, contrast edge binding, twin contrast side stripes and an elasticated waistband, in three colourways. A women's 2-in-1 running short with an outer short over a fitted inner short, a zipped waistband pocket and a curved hem. A men's training short with an elasticated waistband, side seam pockets and a straight hem at mid-thigh. And a women's flared tennis skort: an A-line skirt over a built-in inner short on a flat elasticated waistband, with contrast edge binding on one variant.
From those constructions the family covers match shorts sublimated to the jersey for football (soccer), longer and wider basketball shorts, volleyball shorts, court skorts for tennis and padel, split and 2-in-1 shorts for running and training shorts for gym and training programmes. Voyager Sportswear also makes swim shorts.
Fit and inseam
Give the inseam you want on the sample size, or send a reference garment, and say how that length should change through the size range. On a 2-in-1 short, specify both the inner and outer lengths and how they relate. Rise and waist position are separate measurements. All of these are checked on the wearer, and the corrected chart is kept for grading. Fit and measurement guidance explains the approval record.
Options to confirm at quotation
| Decision | Options already in the range | What to state in the brief |
|---|---|---|
| Waistband | Flat elasticated, standard elasticated | Depth, whether the elastic is enclosed in self fabric, and any drawcord: inside or outside, flat or round, tipped ends, colour |
| Pockets | Side seam pockets, zipped waistband pocket | Position, and whether a zip is required |
| Liner | Fitted inner short (2-in-1 and skort) | Inner short or none (a brief-style liner is assessed at quotation) |
| Hem | Dolphin with side split, curved, straight at mid-thigh | Shape, split depth, hemmed or bound |
| Binding and stripes | Contrast edge binding, twin side stripes | Colour references per trim |
A drawcord, a liner and a zip each add trims to the bill of materials, so they belong in the quotation request rather than in a note after the sample.
Construction
A 2-in-1 short and a skort are two patterns joined at one waistband, and the lengths of the two layers are set independently. The bound hem on the running short is a separate binding trim run around the hem and up the split, which is why its colour is a decision of its own. A plain curved hem is turned and stitched instead. Specify the reinforcement required at the top of a side split and confirm it on the sample. Match shorts for a kit are usually made from sublimated panels: the panels are cut, printed with the crest, number and stripe as part of the panel artwork and then sewn, the same cut-panel route as the jersey. A plain short takes a printed or embroidered crest on the finished garment. Seams and garment construction goes through the seam types, and the in-house stages are described under cut and sew.
The inner and outer layers need separate fabric decisions
On a lined short or skort, the outer layer decides much of the look, while the inner short has its own fit and skin-contact requirements. Describe the material, stretch and length of each layer separately, and if those choices are not yet made, ask us to assess them. An inner short is not the same as compression performance.
Try a lunge, a seated position and the movement the garment is made for, and check whether the outer hem catches, the inner layer rides up or a pocket gets in the way. Test a pocket on the sample with the item it is meant to hold, because an empty pocket does not answer that question.
Example: a length change that affects more than the hem
Shortening the outer layer of a 2-in-1 short changes how much of the inner layer shows, and it may also change how the side split, binding and logo sit in relation to each other. Mark the inner and outer lengths you want on the sample size, then check the revised sample rather than assuming both layers should be shortened by the same amount.
Start with the short’s use and a reference
Send the sport, a garment drawing or sample, approximate quantities, the size range, pocket and inner-layer requirements, the logo, destination and date. Voyager Sportswear can help clarify the waistband, fabric direction, branding and sampling.
Questions and answers
How are football match shorts sublimated to coordinate with the jersey?
Football match shorts for a kit usually follow the same cut-panel route as the jersey. The polyester panels are cut, the crest, number and stripe are printed as part of the panel artwork on sublimation transfer paper and heat-transferred into the pieces, and the panels are then sewn. A plain short takes a printed or embroidered crest on the finished garment instead.
How should the waistband be specified on custom sports shorts?
The waistband on custom sports shorts is specified by type (for example flat elasticated or standard elasticated), depth and whether the elastic is enclosed in self fabric. Add any drawcord, with its position inside or outside, flat or round cord, tipped ends and colour, plus any zipped waistband pocket. Each drawcord, liner or zip adds trims to the bill of materials, so include them in the quotation request.
How should 2-in-1 running shorts be specified?
A 2-in-1 running short is specified layer by layer, because the outer and inner shorts are two patterns joined at one waistband and their lengths are set independently. Describe each layer's material, stretch and length, and mark the desired inner and outer lengths on the sample size. Shortening the outer layer changes how much of the inner short is visible and may change the relationship between the side split, binding and logo, so check the revised sample rather than shortening both layers by the same amount.
For an enquiry
Send the garment and design (or a reference), quantities by style and size, your fabric requirements, any numbers required, the destination and the date you need the goods. Voyager Sportswear usually sends a first reply within 24 hours. Request a quote
