How to Size a Team for Custom Jerseys

Sizing is the single most common reason a custom uniform order goes wrong. The design gets approved, production runs clean, the box arrives — and four players can't wear their jersey. Because custom and personalized items can't be returned once they carry a name and number, a sizing mistake is not a return. It's a reorder. This guide covers the method we recommend for sizing a full roster, the measurements that actually matter, and the specific errors that cause reorders. Start with the garment, not the person Most sizing advice tells you to measure everyone. For a 25-person roster that is slow, and it produces worse results than the alternative, because people measure themselves badly. The faster and more accurate method is to size against a garment the player already owns and likes the fit of. Ask each player for one number: the chest measurement of a shirt they wear and are happy with, measured flat, armpit to armpit, then doubled. That gives you a real-world number tied to a fit they have already approved, rather than a body measurement they have to interpret. It also removes the most common self-measurement error, which is pulling the tape tight. The measurements that matter For a jersey, two measurements decide fit: Chest. Measured around the fullest part, under the arms, tape level and snug but not compressing. If you are measuring a garment instead, measure flat armpit to armpit and double it. Length. Measured from the highest point of the shoulder straight down to the hem. This is the measurement people forget, and it is the one that matters most for taller players. A player with a 40" chest and a long torso needs a different size than a 40" chest with a short one. Waist matters for shorts and pants, not for jerseys. Sleeve length is rarely the deciding factor on a short-sleeve jersey. Jersey and performance wear chart Athletic fit. These run closer to the body than a standard t-shirt. | Size | Chest | Length | Fit | |---|---|---|---| | XS | 32-34" | 24.75" | Athletic | | S | 34-36" | 25.5" | Athletic | | M | 36-38" | 26.25" | Athletic | | L | 38-40" | 27" | Athletic | | XL | 40-42" | 27.75" | Athletic | | 2XL | 42-44" | 28.5" | Athletic | | 3XL | 44-46" | 29.25" | Athletic | T-shirt and standard apparel chart Regular fit through L, relaxed from 2XL up. Note the length column runs about an inch and a half longer than the equivalent jersey size. | Size | Chest | Length | Fit | |---|---|---|---| | XS | 32-34" | 26-27" | Slim | | S | 34-36" | 27-28" | Regular | | M | 36-38" | 28-29" | Regular | | L | 38-40" | 29-30" | Regular | | XL | 40-42" | 30-31" | Regular | | 2XL | 42-44" | 31-32" | Relaxed | | 3XL | 44-46" | 32-33" | Relaxed | | 4XL | 46-48" | 33-34" | Relaxed | | 5XL | 48-50" | 34-35" | Relaxed | Always check the chart on the specific product page before ordering — cuts vary between garments, and the size guide carries the current chart for every category. Women's tops and jerseys Cut for a different shape rather than simply scaled down. Note the length column: a women's jersey runs shorter than the men's equivalent at the same chest measurement. | Size | Chest | Length | Fit | |---|---|---|---| | XS | 32-34" | 24" | Athletic | | S | 34-36" | 25" | Athletic | | M | 36-38" | 26" | Athletic | | L | 38-40" | 27" | Athletic | | XL | 40-42" | 28" | Athletic | | 2XL | 42-44" | 29" | Athletic | | 3XL | 44-46" | 30" | Athletic | For mixed-gender squads you have a real decision to make, and it is worth making deliberately rather than by default. A single unisex run keeps the kit visually uniform and simplifies the order, but fits some of the squad noticeably worse. Splitting the order into men's and women's cuts fits better and looks better on the individual, at the cost of managing two size sets. Most clubs land on unisex for training and supporter wear, and cut-specific for match kit. Whichever you choose, decide before you collect sizes — the question you send out changes. Youth sizing | Size | Chest | Length | Waist | Outseam | Indicative age | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | XS | 24-26" | 22" | 19-20" | 35" | 6-8 yrs | | S | 26-28" | 23" | 20-22" | 36" | 8-10 yrs | | M | 28-30" | 24" | 22-24" | 37" | 10-12 yrs | | L | 30-32" | 25" | 24-26" | 38" | 12-14 yrs | | XL | 32-34" | 26" | 26-28" | 39" | 14-16 yrs | Treat the age column as a label, not an input. It is there to help you recognize roughly where a size sits, not to size a player. A single age group routinely spans three sizes, and sizing a youth roster by age is the fastest way to a reorder. Measure, or use the garment method. Note where the youth chart ends: youth XL tops out at a 32-34" chest, which is adult XS to S. Players at the top of a youth roster frequently belong in adult sizes, and a 15-year-old on a growth spurt may need adult S while a teammate the same age needs youth L. Check the boundary rather than assuming an age group maps to one chart. For growth allowance on youth orders, see custom uniforms for schools and youth leagues. Shorts and pants Bottoms size on waist, with outseam as the length check. Waist is measured at the natural waistline — where the body bends to the side, not at the hip and not where a low-rise waistband sits. Men's: | Size | Waist | Outseam | |---|---|---| | XS | 28-30" | 38-39" | | S | 30-32" | 39-40" | | M | 32-34" | 40-41" | | L | 34-36" | 41-42" | | XL | 36-38" | 42-43" | | 2XL | 38-40" | 43-44" | | 3XL | 40-42" | 44-45" | Women's: | Size | Waist | Outseam | |---|---|---| | XS | 24-26" | 35-36" | | S | 26-28" | 36-37" | | M | 28-30" | 37-38" | | L | 30-32" | 38-39" | | XL | 32-34" | 39-40" | | 2XL | 34-36" | 40-41" | | 3XL | 36-38" | 41-42" | The important thing about bottoms is that top size does not predict bottom size. A player who is L in a jersey is frequently M or XL in shorts. If your order includes both, collect both numbers. Assuming a single size letter covers a player head to toe is a common and entirely avoidable source of misfits. Elasticated and drawstring waistbands absorb some error, which is why bottoms cause fewer reorders than tops — but outseam does not stretch, and a tall player in correctly-sized shorts can still find them short. Athletic fit vs regular fit The same chest number does not mean the same garment. An athletic-fit jersey at 38-40" is cut closer through the body and shorter in the length than a regular-fit t-shirt at the same chest. Two consequences: - A player who wears L in a cotton tee may want XL in an athletic-cut jersey, particularly if they prefer room through the midsection. - Length matters more in athletic cuts, because there is less fabric to absorb the difference. Tall players sit between sizes more often. If a player is between sizes and the garment is athletic cut, size up. If they are between sizes on a relaxed cut, size down. Loose-fitting athletic wear reads as sloppy on the field; tight athletic wear restricts movement. Sizing a roster: the practical sequence 1. Send one message, ask one question. "Measure a shirt you like flat across the chest, armpit to armpit, and send me the number in inches." Not a body measurement. Not a size letter. 2. Convert to sizes yourself against the chart above. Doing this centrally is faster and more consistent than asking 25 people to interpret a chart. 3. Flag the edge cases. Anyone landing exactly on a boundary (say 40" between L and XL) or anyone unusually tall gets a one-line follow-up. That is typically two or three people, not the whole roster. 4. Order a sample first for large runs. Samples are available for bulk orders at additional cost, and the cost is typically deducted from the final order if you proceed. For a first order with a new club, this is worth doing. 5. Add a size buffer. Order one or two extra units in your most common sizes — usually L and XL. Mid-season replacements happen, new players join, and a small buffer costs far less than a second production run. The four mistakes that cause reorders Collecting size letters instead of measurements. "I'm a large" is a statement about the brands someone already owns, not about your garment. It is the leading cause of misfits. Sizing youth players by age. Age is not a measurement. A 14-year-old roster can span three adult sizes. Measure or use the garment method. Ignoring length on tall players. Chest gets all the attention. A 6'4" player at 40" chest will find an XL correct in the chest and short in the body. Ordering before the sizes are confirmed. Once a jersey has a name and number on it, it is personalized. Standard stock items can be returned within 30 days, but custom and personalized items cannot be returned or exchanged unless there is a manufacturing defect. Confirm sizes, then order. Running a sizing session If you can get the squad in one place, a sizing session collects better data in twenty minutes than a week of messages. The reason is simple: people are bad at measuring themselves and good at trying things on. What you need. A sample garment in three or four sizes spanning your expected range — typically S, M, L and XL. A tape measure as backup. A single sheet with every name on it. How to run it. Players try the closest sample, you record the size that fits, and you note anyone who is between sizes or has a length problem. That is the whole process. Do not let people guess from the chart while holding the garment; the point of a session is that they wear it. What to record. Name, size, and a flag for edge cases. Nothing else. Rosters get sized badly when the form asks for too much and people stop filling it in. Samples are available for bulk orders at additional cost, and the cost is typically deducted from the final order if you proceed. For a first order with a new club — where you have no history to work from and no prior kit to compare against — this is close to essential. Sizing a roster you cannot get in one room Most orders are this case: a distributed roster, a deadline, and no realistic way to gather everyone. Send one question, not a form. "Measure a shirt you wear and like, flat across the chest armpit to armpit, and reply with the number in inches." One number, one reply. Every additional field cuts your response rate. Ask for a garment measurement, never a size letter. "I'm a large" describes brands the player already owns. It tells you nothing about your garment, and it is the single leading cause of misfits. Set a hard deadline and order without the stragglers. There will always be a handful who do not reply. Waiting for them delays the entire order, and the order has a production timeline attached to it. Order the confirmed roster, put the non-responders into your buffer sizes, and adjust from stock when they surface. Convert to sizes centrally. Do not send the chart out and ask people to self-assign. One person converting 25 numbers against one chart is faster and far more consistent than 25 people each interpreting it differently. When a player is between sizes This is where judgment enters, and where the fit type decides the answer. | Situation | Decision | |---|---| | Between sizes, athletic-cut jersey | Size up — tight athletic wear restricts movement | | Between sizes, relaxed or standard cut | Size down — loose athletic wear reads as sloppy | | Correct chest, unusually tall | Size up and check the length column, not the chest | | Correct chest, short torso | Stay at the chest size; length runs long, not short | | Between sizes, youth player mid-season | Size up — they are growing into it either way | | Between sizes, will layer underneath | Size up — base layers need room | The general principle: chest determines the size, length breaks the tie. When those two point in different directions, length usually wins for tall players and chest wins for everyone else. Worked examples A 25-player adult men's soccer roster. You collect garment chest measurements and get a spread from 36" to 48". Converting against the jersey chart: a cluster of eight at M, ten at L, five at XL, two at 2XL. Two players report 40" exactly, sitting on the L/XL boundary — those get a one-line follow-up asking whether they prefer a closer or roomier fit. You add one extra L and one extra XL as buffer, ordering 27 units against a 25-player roster. A mixed-gender corporate team of 40. You decide on cut-specific tops because the garments will be worn in photographs. That means two size collections rather than one, and two charts. Shorts are unisex and elasticated, so you collect waist separately — and roughly a third of the group turns out to sit in a different letter for bottoms than for tops. A youth league squad of 18, ages 11-13. Age spans three sizes, so you ignore it entirely and collect garment measurements from parents. Results land across youth M, L and XL, with two of the oldest players measuring into adult XS. You order to current size and add three buffer units in youth L and XL — the sizes most likely to be outgrown mid-season — rather than sizing everyone up. Record the sizes for next season The most underrated step, and it costs nothing at the time. When the order is placed, save the final size list — name, size, and the garment measurement it came from. Next season, most of your adult roster has not changed, and you are sizing only the new players and the ones who tell you something has changed. A sizing exercise that took a week the first time takes an afternoon the second. For youth programs this matters more, not less, even though the players are growing. Knowing that a player was youth L last season and measuring them once tells you what direction they have moved. Starting from nothing every year means repeating the entire collection exercise annually. Store it wherever the roster lives. The specific tool is irrelevant; having it at all is what matters. What to do if you are still unsure Two options that cost nothing: - Open the 3D customizer and build the design first. Sizing decisions are easier when the garment is concrete and the roster can see what they are getting. - Request a quote with your rough roster breakdown. Quotes include a sizing review, and it is faster to have someone check your size split than to discover the problem after production. For minimum order quantities, lead times and shipping, see the individual product page — MOQ varies by product — and the shipping policy for current production and delivery windows. Ready to start? Browse jerseys or design your own in 3D.