Size breakdowns and numbering for bulk jersey orders

A bulk jersey order is placed as a size breakdown: one line for each style, with the quantity in each size and a total for the style. At Voyager Sportswear each style starts at 100 pieces, and numbers are applied on request, so a numbered order also states which numbers go on which sizes, where they sit and how they are printed.

The tech pack describes the garment and its artwork; the size breakdown tells production how many pieces of each size to cut, print, sew and pack. Both should use the same style names and revision, and the breakdown is approved as one dated version before bulk cutting starts.

Lay out the breakdown by style and size

Give each style its own line and use exactly the size labels of the agreed size chart. A unisex cut and a women's cut go on separate lines, because their patterns and measurements differ.

The figures are illustrative. Check that every line adds up to its total and that each total matches the purchase order before anything else is reviewed: a missing size is easy to correct in a spreadsheet and costly to correct after cutting.

Estimate sizes before every wearer is known

Race shirts, company run shirts and supporter shirts are often ordered before every participant has chosen a size. The most reliable source is the sizes already chosen in the registration form or staff survey; next comes the size split of an earlier edition of the same event; a general assumption comes last. If the order has to be placed before registration closes, order the confirmed sizes plus a reserve on the sizes most in demand, and record which part of each line is reserve.

Put the garment's measurements, half chest width and body length for each size, in the registration form, so that people choose against the actual shirt and not the size they usually buy. A unisex shirt is usually cut on a men's block, so many women need a smaller unisex size than their usual size; offering a women's cut removes that guesswork.

Specify numbers when they are wanted

Numbers are an optional layer on a bulk order. When they are wanted, the order states:

• which garments carry a number, and in which positions, for example back, front or sleeve;
• the height of the numerals in each position, and whether it is reduced on the smallest sizes;
• the typeface, fill colour and any outline;
• the numbers themselves, as a range or as a list for each size.

Enter numbers as text so that a leading zero such as 07 survives the spreadsheet, and decide whether 7 and 07 are both in use. On a full-print sublimated design a number needs clear contrast with the pattern behind it; a plain field behind the number or an outline keeps it readable, and legibility is judged on the sample at viewing distance, not on screen. Individual names on jerseys are handled as a special request; mention them in the first enquiry so that they can be assessed with the rest of the order.

Match the numbering to the print method

With sublimation, the number can be part of the panel artwork. Each numbered panel is then its own print file, transferred onto the cut panel before sewing, so the number list has to be final before printing starts. A sublimated number becomes part of the fabric and adds no layer of its own.

Numbers can also be pressed onto finished garments as heat transfer or DTF. The number list can then be settled later, which suits orders in which only part of the garments carry a number. A pressed-on number is a layer on the fabric surface, and on sublimated polyester the heat of pressing can draw dye from the fabric into a light-coloured number, so the transfer and pressing conditions are tested on the same fabric first. The comparison of print methods covers the methods in more detail.

Approve one version and pack by size

One person on the buyer's side issues the size breakdown and any number list as a single file with a date and revision. After bulk cutting, a change to sizes or to sublimated numbers can mean extra panels and a revised schedule, so ask for the effect before treating a change as agreed.

Agree how the finished garments are packed: by style and size, with a packing list that repeats the breakdown. Carton labels and barcodes are covered in packing specifications. For stock that will be resold, a size curve built from sales data is the subject of planning sizes for wholesale and retail. Quantities and sizes for a club, event or company order can be sent with a quote request.

Questions and answers

How is a size breakdown laid out for a bulk jersey order?

A size breakdown has one line for each style, one column for each size and a total for the style. The size labels are exactly those of the agreed size chart, and a unisex cut and a women's cut go on separate lines because their patterns differ. Check that every line adds up to its total and that the totals match the purchase order before the breakdown is approved as one dated version.

Why can a white number turn pink on a red sublimated jersey?

The heat of pressing can turn some of the dye in sublimated polyester back into gas, and that dye moves into a pressed-on number; this is called dye migration, and it shows most on light numbers over strong colours such as red. It is avoided with a heat transfer or DTF material made for sublimated polyester and with pressing conditions tested on the same fabric, or by printing the number in the sublimated artwork itself. Check the tested number again after a wash before bulk approval.

How should a jersey number list be prepared to avoid errors?

Enter the numbers as text so that a leading zero such as 07 survives, with the style and size beside each number. Sort the list by style and number to find duplicates and gaps, and check the count of numbered garments in each size against the size breakdown. Send the number list and the size breakdown together as one dated file, so that numbers and sizes are approved at the same time.