Sportswear Manufacturing Guide
From fabric roll to finished team kit
Sportswear is a fabric-first product — the right yarn, GSM, stretch and finish decide how a jersey performs on the pitch and how long it survives washing. Here is exactly how Findup Sports builds match kits, training wear, tracksuits and teamwear in Sialkot for OEM and private-label clients.
The 6-step sportswear production process
- 01
Tech pack & fabric selection
Every order starts with your tech pack — silhouette, fabric composition, GSM, colours, artwork and sizing. We recommend fabric grade (100% polyester interlock, poly-spandex, French terry, tri-blend or performance mesh) against the target retail price, sport and climate.
- 02
Pattern making & size grading
Approved patterns are digitized in CAD (Gerber / Optitex) and graded across the size curve — kids 6 → adult 4XL. Fit samples are produced in your requested base size for physical approval before bulk.
- 03
Printing, dyeing & decoration
Sublimation printing on white polyester panels before cut — infinite colours, no hand-feel. Piece-dyed cotton and blend fabrics take screen print, DTF, embroidery, heat transfer, rubber and silicone patches. Neck labels: woven, printed or heat-transfer tagless.
- 04
CAD cutting
Panels are marker-nested to minimise fabric consumption, spread in multi-layer plies and cut on straight-knife or auto-cutter. Every panel is bundled with a size / colour ticket before it moves to the sewing line.
- 05
Cut & sew assembly
Sewing lines combine overlock (4-thread seams on stretch fabrics), flatlock (flat abrasion-free seams), coverstitch (hems and necklines), and lockstitch (labels, trims, plackets). A performance jersey takes 12–18 minutes of skilled labour on the line.
- 06
QC, packing & export
Every unit is measured against the size chart, checked for print colour, seam skips and open needles, then passed through a needle detector. Poly-bag with silica gel, printed hangtag, size sticker, and master carton with barcode and country-of-origin labelling per market.
What we manufacture
We build the full sportswear catalogue — from match-day kits to training and lifestyle ranges. Every silhouette is available as OEM or private label against your artwork.
Football & rugby kits
Match, training and pro-fit jerseys with shorts and socks; sublimated numbers, names and sponsor logos. Youth to adult sizing.
Tracksuits & training wear
Zip-up jackets and joggers in poly-spandex or brushed tricot with embroidered or heat-transfer branding.
Hoodies, tees & polos
French terry, fleece and pique polos in cotton, poly-cotton and tri-blend — screen print, DTF or embroidery.
Compression & baselayer
High-spandex tops and tights with flatlock seams, gusseted crotch and moisture-wicking finish for on-field baselayers.
Cycling & running kits
Sublimated jerseys, bib shorts with silicone leg grippers and chamois pad, gel-back gloves and windproof gilets.
Custom teamwear packages
Full team packages — playing kit, training kit, presentation wear, and matching bag in one sourcing package.
Fabric & GSM — the decision that defines the garment
GSM (grams per square metre) measures fabric weight. Composition (polyester, cotton, spandex, elastane) drives stretch, breathability and print behaviour. Get these two right and everything else falls into place.
100% polyester interlock 140–170 GSM
The volume workhorse for sublimated match jerseys — snag-resistant, holds sublimation ink deep in the fibre. Excellent colour vibrancy and shape retention.
Poly-spandex 88/12 or 92/8 240 GSM
Four-way stretch for compression, cycling and pro-fit jerseys. Higher spandex = tighter recovery; standard for baselayers.
Performance mesh & bird-eye 130–150 GSM
Ventilation panels on the back, underarm and side vents. Bird-eye mesh for basketball and hi-perf sports.
French terry & fleece 260–320 GSM cotton or poly-cotton
Standard for hoodies and joggers. Brushed inside for warmth; poly-cotton blends reduce shrinkage and improve print stability.
Cotton pique 200–220 GSM
Classic polo fabric — breathable, easy embroidery and screen print, softens with wash.
Tri-blend jersey 150–180 GSM
Cotton + polyester + rayon blend — vintage soft hand-feel, drapes well, ideal for premium tees and merch.
Decoration methods
All-over sublimation
Infinite colours, no hand-feel, permanent — the standard for match jerseys on white polyester. Numbers, names, sponsor logos and gradients all print in one pass.
Screen printing
Plastisol or water-based inks on cotton, poly-cotton and blends. Best price at volume — up to 8 colours per placement.
DTF (direct-to-film)
Full-colour transfer with soft hand-feel, no colour limit, no minimum. Great for team names, small batches and mixed artwork.
Embroidery
Flat, 3D puff, or appliqué. Premium finish on polos, tracksuits, hoodies and cap logos.
Heat transfer
Cut vinyl or printed transfer for numbers, names and sponsor logos on performance fabrics.
Silicone / rubber / PVC patches
Moulded patches for premium jerseys and outerwear — sharp edges, deep 3D detail.
Specification matrix
Every parameter below is set by your tech pack. If a field is blank in your brief, we recommend a value against target retail price, sport and market.
| Product | Jersey · Shorts · Socks · Tracksuit · Hoodie · Tee · Polo · Baselayer · Cycling kit |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Polyester interlock · Poly-spandex · Mesh · French terry · Fleece · Pique · Tri-blend · Cotton jersey |
| GSM | 130–170 (performance) · 200–240 (mid) · 260–340 (fleece) — as per tech pack |
| Fit | Regular · Athletic · Pro-fit · Compression — with youth, women and men blocks |
| Decoration | All-over sublimation · Screen print · DTF · Embroidery · Heat transfer · Silicone / rubber / PVC patch |
| Seams | Overlock 4-thread · Flatlock · Coverstitch · Lockstitch · Bar-tack reinforcement |
| Neck & trims | Rib knit · Self-fabric · V-notch · Crew · Zip · Woven / printed / tagless neck label |
| Sizes | Kids 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 · Adult XS–4XL · Custom size runs on request |
| MOQ | 50 pieces per design/colour (sublimation) · 100 pieces (cut & sew with print/embroidery) |
Quality control checklist
Every garment is checked against the approved golden sample. Third-party pre-shipment inspection (SGS, BV, Intertek) is welcome — buyers coordinate directly.
- Measurement audit — every measurement point vs approved size chart, ±1 cm tolerance
- Colour match — Pantone check against approved lab dip under D65 lighting
- Print quality — sublimation register, screen-print rub test, embroidery density
- Seam strength — pull test on shoulder, side seam and crotch
- Wash test — colour fastness, shrinkage and pilling to ISO 105 / 12945
- Needle detection — every finished piece passed through metal detector
- Trims & labels — care label content and placement to buyer market law
Branding, labelling & packaging
- Woven main label at neck · care label at side seam
- Tagless heat-transfer neck print (premium, next-to-skin)
- Custom hangtag with barcode, size sticker and price ticket
- Sponsor artwork, names and numbers to team roster
- Pantone colour match with in-house lab dip
- Individual polybag with size sticker · retail folder or box
- Master carton labelling and export documentation to buyer spec
- Compliance: EU care symbols, US fibre law, UKCA / CPSIA on request
Read next
Manufacture your own sportswear range
OEM and private-label match kits, training wear and lifestyle sportswear with your logo, fabric and fit. Share quantities, target price and artwork — we'll return a construction plan and landed cost within 24 hours.