Getting a whole cricket club into matching kit is one of those jobs that looks simple until you start. There are playing whites and coloured limited-overs kit to think about, training tops and tracksuits, sponsor logos to place, and a size run that has to stretch from junior colts to adult players. Do it well and your club looks the part every Saturday for years; rush it and you end up with mismatched shirts, peeling logos and a reorder headache halfway through the season.
This guide breaks the process into clear steps, whether you're kitting out a new club from scratch or refreshing an established side. The aim is simple: help you order once, order right, and avoid the mistakes clubs most often make.
Step 1: Decide what your club actually needs
Before you look at fabrics or colours, list the items your club genuinely needs. Most clubs build their kit around a few core layers:
Playing whites
The classic format. Whites (or creams) for traditional league and timed cricket, usually a short-sleeve and sometimes a long-sleeve shirt plus trousers. Look for a cricket-weight fabric that holds its shape and copes with repeated hot washes — grass and ball stains are part of the game.
Coloured limited-overs kit
For T20 and one-day competitions, coloured kit in your club colours is now standard. This is where sponsor logos and player names really stand out, so it's worth getting the design right. Lightweight, quick-drying performance fabric is the norm here.
Training and warm-up wear
Training shirts, quarter-zips, gilets and tracksuits keep players in club branding at nets and on cold early-season mornings. These items often get worn off the pitch too, so they double as a way to promote the club around town.
Accessories
Caps, wide-brim sun hats, kit bags and even branded water bottles round out a full club package. They're inexpensive per unit and pull the whole look together.
Decide which of these you need now and which can wait. You don't have to order everything at once — but planning the full range up front keeps your branding consistent when you do add items later.
Step 2: Nail down your design and branding
Your design is the part you'll live with for several seasons, so give it proper thought:
- Club crest: Have your badge supplied as a high-resolution or vector file if you can. A good supplier will redraw or tidy up artwork if needed.
- Sponsors: Map out where each sponsor logo goes — chest, sleeve, back — and check any size requirements your sponsors have asked for. Coloured kit gives you far more room for sponsor branding than whites.
- Player names and numbers: Decide early whether you want squad numbers and names on coloured kit. It looks professional but adds a per-shirt cost and means each garment is made to a specific player.
- Colours: Stick to your established club colours and ask to see them on screen and, ideally, on a sample before committing. Screen colours can differ from the final fabric.
A reputable supplier will turn this into a digital mock-up so you can see the finished kit before anything is produced. Always get sign-off from your committee on that mock-up — it's far cheaper to change a logo position on a proof than on 30 finished shirts.
Step 3: Choose the right decoration method
How your branding is applied affects both the look and how long it lasts:
- Sublimation dyes the design into the fabric, so it never cracks or peels and is ideal for full-colour coloured kit and intricate sponsor designs.
- Screen printing suits bold, simple logos in volume and is hard-wearing.
- Embroidery gives a premium, textured finish that works beautifully on caps, polos and tracksuits.
You don't have to pick just one. Many clubs use sublimation for coloured kit, embroidery for the crest on caps and tracksuits, and print for training tops. A supplier who offers all three can recommend the best method per garment.
Step 4: Get the sizing right
Sizing is where club orders most often go wrong. A few habits save a lot of grief:
- Run a size session. Order a sizing set or sample garments and let players try them on. Cricket kit fits differently from everyday clothing, and a player's "usual" size isn't always right.
- Cover juniors and adults. Make sure your size run includes youth and junior sizes for colts sections, not just adult fits.
- Order a few spares. A small number of common-size spares means you can welcome a new player or replace a damaged shirt without a full reorder.
Write down each player's size against their name before you submit the order — it avoids the classic mix-up of three larges and no smalls.
Step 5: Plan your timing around the season
Custom kit is made to order, so lead times matter. The single biggest mistake clubs make is leaving it too late. To get kit in players' hands for the first fixture, work backwards from your season start and build in time for the mock-up, committee sign-off, production and delivery. If you're ordering coloured kit with individual names, allow a little extra. Ideally, place your order in the pre-season window rather than the week before opening day.
A quick checklist before you order
- Core items chosen (whites, coloured kit, training wear, accessories)
- Crest and sponsor artwork gathered and approved
- Decoration method confirmed per garment
- Sizing session done and sizes logged per player
- Mock-up signed off by the committee
- Order placed with delivery confirmed before your first fixture
Where CentralCustom comes in
At CentralCustom we make custom cricket teamwear for clubs and schools across the UK — whites, coloured limited-overs kit, training wear, caps and tracksuits, all branded with your crest, sponsors and player names. We'll handle the artwork, send you a mock-up to approve and keep your design on file so reorders are quick. If you're also kitting out other sections, take a look at our custom training wear for sports clubs and custom football team kits, or add custom embroidered caps and hats to your package.
Frequently asked questions
How early should we order cricket kit?
As far ahead of the season as you can. Place your order in pre-season so there's time for the mock-up, sign-off, production and delivery before your first fixture — especially if you want player names on coloured kit.
Can we order whites and coloured kit together?
Yes. Most clubs order both as one package so the branding is consistent and the whole order arrives together.
Do we have to kit out the whole club at once?
No. You can start with the essentials and add training wear, tracksuits or accessories later. Keeping your design on file means later items match what you already have.
What artwork do you need from us?
A high-resolution or vector version of your club crest and any sponsor logos is ideal. If your artwork isn't print-ready, we can tidy it up for you.
