Team Uniform Sizing and Quality Control: Size Collection, Tolerances and Pre-Shipment Checks

Two things decide whether a team is happy with a custom kit: whether the sizes fit the players and whether what leaves the factory matches what was approved. This page covers both. Every chart we publish states finished garment measurements, not body measurements, held to a tolerance of 1 to 3 cm, and every order is checked against the size breakdown and mockup you signed off before it is packed.

How to collect sizes for an entire team

Do not ask players for a size letter. Sizing letters differ between brands and countries, and our grading follows European sizing, which runs about one size smaller than US domestic brands. There are three reliable methods, in order of accuracy:

• Measure a garment the player already wears and likes. Lay it flat, measure chest width across one inch below the armhole and doubled, and body length from the high shoulder point. Compare that with our size charts and pick the closest row.
• Measure the player. Chest circumference at the fullest point and standing height are enough for jerseys. For youth teams, height is the more reliable of the two.
• Order a size set. Because our minimum is 10 pieces per design, a small first order can be used as a fitting set before a larger run is placed.

Collect the answers in one table and send it as a single file. This is the format that avoids re-work:

Spelling matters more than people expect. We print the name list exactly as it is written, including accents, capitalisation and spacing, so proofread it before approval rather than after printing.

Can you use our own size chart?

Yes. Send finished garment measurements in centimetres with the measurement points named, and we will grade the pattern to your chart instead of ours. Brands and resellers with an established fit usually do this. Allow one extra sample round for a chart we have not made before, which is a few days rather than weeks under the schedule on our sampling and lead time page.

Mixing youth and adult sizes in one order

One order can contain any mix of youth and adult sizes, and any mix of names and numbers, as long as the total reaches 10 pieces per design. A squad of 8 adults and 6 juniors in one strip is a single 14-piece order, not two orders, and it is priced as one. Youth grading is set out on our youth soccer uniform size chart.

How sizing tolerance is controlled

Cut-and-sew garments are measured by hand, so a tolerance is unavoidable and any factory that refuses to state one is hiding it. Ours is published on every chart:

• 1 to 3 cm on any measurement for jerseys, shorts and jackets.
• 1 to 2 cm on the track pants and windbreaker blocks, which are cut with less ease.
• If one measurement is critical for your order, say which one before production and we will hold a tighter tolerance on it.
• All sizes in a run are graded from one approved pattern, so the relationship between S, M and L stays consistent between reorders.

What is checked before your order ships

Quality control is inline rather than a single check at the end, because a print fault found on garment three is cheaper than the same fault found on garment three hundred. Before packing, each order is checked for:

• Measurements against the approved size chart, sampled across the size run.
• Print colour against the approved mockup and Pantone references, under consistent light.
• Print position and alignment, especially numbers on backs and sleeve badges.
• Names and numbers against your list, character by character.
• Stitching, seam finishing, neck tape, elastic and zip function.
• Labels, trims and any retail packaging or hang tags requested.
• Individual polybagging, then carton count and shipping marks.

Two things you can insist on with any Chinese factory, not only with us. First, ask for pre-dispatch photographs of the actual garments, which we take on every order and keep on file, so a later dispute is settled by comparing photographs rather than memories. Second, book a third-party pre-shipment inspection to whatever AQL level you specify and tie the balance payment to the inspection report rather than to a shipping date. We accept both. The wider supplier due diligence checklist is on our how to verify a Chinese sportswear factory guide.

How to evaluate a sample when it arrives

• Measure it flat against the chart, do not judge it by eye.
• Have the closest player wear it and move in it, then compare with the garment they usually wear.
• Wash it once as the team will wash it, then look again at print edges and seams.
• Stretch the print area firmly. Sublimation is dyed into the fabric and should not crack or lift; a surface transfer will show its edge.
• Look inside: seam allowance, overlock consistency and thread ends tell you more about the factory than the outside does.
• Keep the sample. It becomes the reference garment for the bulk order and for any later claim.

If names or numbers are printed incorrectly

Report it with photographs within 7 days of delivery, quoting your order number. We compare your photographs against the name and number list you approved and against our own pre-dispatch inspection photographs. If the error is ours, the affected pieces are remade and replaced at our cost, with the remedy options and timescales set out in full on our wrong or faulty order policy. If the approved list itself contained the spelling, we will still help, but that becomes a reprint at cost rather than a free remake, which is exactly why the proofing step above matters.

Tolerances, inspection practice and the 10-piece minimum on this page are Eliian’s own published terms as a factory-direct manufacturer in Xiamen, China. Written 17 August 2026 and reviewed whenever our terms change.

Frequently asked questions

How do I collect jersey sizes for an entire team?

Do not collect size letters. Ask each player to measure a jersey they already wear, or measure chest circumference and height, then match those figures to a published finished-garment chart. Record player, height, chest, size, name and number in one table and send it as a single file. Because the minimum order is 10 pieces, a small first order can also be used as a fitting set.

What happens if player names or numbers are printed incorrectly?

Send photographs within 7 days of delivery with your order number. We compare them against the name and number list you approved and against our pre-dispatch inspection photographs. If the mistake is ours, the affected pieces are remade and replaced at our cost. If the approved list contained the error, it becomes a reprint at cost.

Can youth and adult sizes be mixed in one order?

Yes. One order can contain any mix of youth and adult sizes with individual names and numbers, provided the total reaches the 10-piece minimum per design. A squad of 8 adults and 6 juniors is a single 14-piece order and is priced as one.

Can the supplier use my own size chart?

Yes. Send finished garment measurements in centimetres with the measurement points named and we will grade the pattern to your chart rather than ours. Allow one extra sample round for a chart we have not produced before.

How do custom sportswear factories control sizing tolerance?

By grading every size from one approved pattern and publishing a tolerance. Ours is 1 to 3 cm on any measurement, and 1 to 2 cm on the track pants and windbreaker blocks. Garments are measured flat by hand across the size run before packing, and a tighter tolerance can be held on a specific measurement if you name it before production.

What quality checks should be done before jersey shipment?

Measurements against the approved chart, print colour against the approved mockup and Pantone references, print position and alignment, names and numbers checked character by character against your list, stitching and trims, then individual polybagging and carton counts. Ask for pre-dispatch photographs and, for larger orders, a third-party pre-shipment inspection with the balance payment tied to the report.

How should I evaluate a sportswear factory sample?

Measure it flat against the chart rather than judging by eye, have a player wear and move in it, wash it once, stretch the print to see whether it is dyed in or sitting on the surface, and inspect the inside seams. Keep the sample as the reference garment for the bulk order and for any later claim.