In summary
A good custom jersey design starts with a short brief, not a blank canvas. Decide what the jersey has to carry, pick two or three colors with clear roles, design the light and dark sets together and keep the numbers readable.
- Write a one-paragraph brief first: team name, colors, logo, must-haves and the feel you want.
- Design the light and dark jerseys as a pair, not one after the other.
- Use the free design template if you have your own artwork. A new design from our team has a 100 € deposit, deducted from the kit order.
- Send logos as vector files and colors as hex codes, and check the proof as if nothing can change afterwards.
On this page
Where to start a custom jersey design
Custom jersey design principles
Designing your own team jersey is one of the best parts of starting a club, and one of the easiest to get stuck on. Twenty players have twenty opinions, and a blank template can feel like too much freedom. This guide gives you a process that gets from idea to approved proof without months of group-chat debate.
Where to start a custom jersey design
Start with words, not graphics. Before anyone opens a design tool, write a short brief the whole team can agree on. It saves more time than anything else in this guide.
A useful brief answers five questions:
- Who are we? Team name, city, anything the club is known for.
- What must appear? Logo, sponsor, a memorial detail, a league requirement.
- Which colors? Two or three, ideally with hex codes.
- What feel? Three words is enough, for example “clean, bold, beach”.
- What do we like? Three jerseys from other clubs or sports, and one thing about each.
With that paragraph agreed, every design decision after it has something to be checked against. “Does this feel clean, bold and beach?” is a much easier conversation than “do we like it?”.
Custom jersey design principles
Sublimation lets you put anything anywhere on the jersey. That is exactly why a few principles help. They are the difference between a design that looks great on screen and one that works on the field.
Give each color a job
A main color for the identity, a supporting color for contrast and an accent for numbers and details. More colors can come in through patterns, but the three roles should stay clear. Our guide to choosing team colors goes deeper on palettes and color vision.
Design the light and dark sets together
Most teams need two jerseys so they never clash with an opponent. Two designs made as a pair look intentional. A dark set designed months after the light one usually looks like a backup.
Leave room for the number
The back number is the one element that has to work in every photo and from every sideline. Keep a calm area of strong contrast behind it. Our jersey number design guide has the sizes and contrast figures to aim for.
Think about the body, not the flat file
A design is drawn flat but worn on moving bodies in two cuts and seven sizes. Large central graphics stretch across the chest, and details near the armpits disappear. Put the most important elements on the chest, back and sleeves, away from seams.
The photo above shows why the pair matters. The dark green and the bright gradient jerseys look nothing alike, yet the shared club name ties them together.
Using a jersey design template
A jersey design template is a flat layout of the garment’s panels at print size. You place your artwork on it and it shows exactly where each part lands on the finished shirt.
Manta Squadron has a design template for each product: jerseys, tank tops and shorts. We send the template when you get in touch. There is a fixed spot for the Manta Squadron logo, and everything else is yours. If you already have a finished design, we fit it to the print template for free.
A few tips for working on a template:
- Work at the template’s full size, not a scaled-down copy.
- Keep text and logos well inside the panel edges, away from seams and hems.
- Place the number zone first, then build the pattern around it.
- Save a version for the light jersey and one for the dark jersey side by side, so you compare them together.
Want the design template for your team?
Tell us which products you’re ordering and we’ll send the templates and prices.
Jersey design service
Not every team has a designer. If you need a design created from scratch, the Manta Squadron design service works like this.
| Ready design | New design | |
|---|---|---|
| What you send | Finished artwork | Your brief, logo and colors |
| What we do | Fit it to the print template | One original concept with 3 revisions |
| Cost | Free | 100 € deposit, paid before work starts |
| What happens to the fee | Nothing to pay | Deducted from your kit order. Not refunded if you don’t order. |
The brief from the first section is exactly what the design team needs. Three revisions go a long way when everyone already agrees on the direction.
Logo files and colors
Most design delays come from files, not ideas. Get these right at the start.
- Send the logo as a vector.Vector formats such as .ai, .eps or .svg scale to any size without going soft. A layered PDF can also work. A small PNG from social media looks fine on a phone and blurry across a jersey back. If that’s all you have, send it anyway and say so.
- Send colors as hex codes.“Dark blue” means something different to everyone. A hex code such as #0B2350 is one exact color. If your club has an established color, find its code before the design starts.
- List what can’t change.Sponsor logos with fixed colors, a league requirement or a memorial detail. Say so up front so the design is built around them.
Checking the design proof
The proof shows your design on the actual kit shapes. It is the last point where anything can change. Once sublimated kit is in production, the artwork is final.
Check the proof with at least two people who weren’t involved in the design. Go through it in this order: names and numbers, logos and sponsors, colors against your hex codes, the light and dark sets side by side, and any league requirements. Then approve it in writing.
Our first-kit ordering guide shows where the proof sits in the full timeline.
Common jersey design mistakes
- Designing by committee in real time.Agree the brief as a group, then let one or two people design. Bring the whole team back for the proof.
- Busy artwork behind the number.A pattern that looks great alone can swallow a number. Keep a calm, high-contrast zone behind it.
- Only designing one jersey.The second set gets rushed and looks like an afterthought. Design both together.
- Tiny text and fine lines.Small details disappear at a distance and near seams. If it can’t be read from two meters away, it probably doesn’t need to be there.
- Low-resolution logos.Ask for the vector file from whoever made the logo. It is almost always somewhere.
A custom jersey is the first thing people see of your club. With a clear brief, a pair of designs and a careful proof, it will look like you meant every part of it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I design a custom jersey for my team?
Start with a short brief: team name, two or three colors, logo, must-haves and three words for the feel. Then design the light and dark jerseys together on the supplier’s template, keeping a clear area for the number. Check the proof before approving.
Where can I get a jersey design template?
Manta Squadron sends a design template for jerseys, tank tops and shorts when you get in touch. Place your artwork on it and we fit it to print for free.
How much does a custom jersey design cost?
Fitting a ready design to the Manta Squadron template is free. A new design costs a 100 € deposit for one concept with three revisions. The deposit is deducted from the kit order and isn’t refunded if you don’t order.
What file format should my team logo be?
A vector format such as .ai, .eps or .svg is best. A layered PDF can also work. Low-resolution PNG or JPG files can look soft when enlarged.
Can we use any colors in our jersey design?
Yes. Sublimation prints full-color artwork, gradients and patterns at no extra cost. Give each color a clear role and send hex codes so the colors are exact.
Can we put the Manta Squadron logo somewhere else?
The template has a fixed spot for the Manta Squadron logo. Everything else on the jersey is your design.
Can we change the design after approving the proof?
No. Once sublimated kit is in production the artwork is final. That is why the proof should be checked carefully by more than one person.
