Being tasked with buying jerseys for your hockey team is not something to take lightly. There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure that you purchase the finest quality apparel that the team can wear with comfort and confidence.
One of the first and most important factors to determine is whether you buy directly from the manufacturer, who also distributes their own clothing across the country, or do you use a middleman? Ideally, you want to work directly with the manufacturer, this reduces cost, reduces error risk, and speeds up time to implementation.
The next decision is the size of your needs. These are things you need to know before you begin your search. Be sure to measure each team member around the neck, upper arms, breast, and waist, so that you can match their sizes to the size chart provided by the manufacturer. Remember that each manufacturer will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and will provide you with a size chart that you can use, that way you have an idea of how many sizes you need. This will speed up the ordering process when the time comes.
Now you can start thinking about your design and what you want your hockey jerseys to look like. Remember to take your team’s colors into consideration along with logo placement. Some teams prefer to display the number of their team members on the back. Know what you want and also know which team member belongs to which size, so when placing your order the risk of mixing up sizes and team numbers will be minimized.
Ideally, your chosen manufacturer of hockey jerseys offers an online design tool to save you time and energy. With this tool, you can visit a sportswear manufacturer’s website, find hockey jerseys that look similar to what you’re looking for, and then with a simple online design tool, you can fiddle with the design until you secure exactly what you have in mind. So you are looking at the picture of the hockey jersey you designed with your team for the first time. This image will be saved when you place your order, so the manufacturer will see what you have designed and can make your items to your size specifications.
Pricing is important, but it shouldn’t be the deciding factor when choosing a manufacturer. Sometimes paying a little bit for better quality is a safer option to reduce the risk of your jerseys wearing and getting damaged after a short period of time. The price offered by the manufacturer should be realistic and you will find money savings by eliminating the middle man and going directly to the manufacturer for individual service.
With pricing, the next thing you’ll want to consider is the lead time on your custom hockey jerseys, keeping in mind that the manufacturer must make your jersey from scratch based on your unique design. Two weeks is normal and this should be confirmed in advance, so you know when your order will arrive.
Finally, make sure that the hockey jersey manufacturer you choose will provide you with efficient delivery. If you order online, you can expect to get to the door and not have to drive and collect yourself. Check with the company about who they use for delivery and if you can track your order so you know exactly when it will arrive.