Back in June, just as the World Cup was getting underway, part of the England squad’s training equipment was stolen from a team vehicle before their arrival in Kansas City - they presumably had replacement equipment available almost immediately....most sports clubs are not so fortunate.
One of the complaints we hear most often from clubs considering CLIFTON as their new custom teamwear supplier is that their previous kit took months to arrive - sometimes it arrived after the season had started (occasionally, it arrived as the season was ending!).
In other cases, most of the order arrived, but important pieces were missing. A team might receive its shirts without its shorts, or every player’s kit except the goalkeeper’s. Technically, most of the order has been delivered. Practically, none of it can be used.
Why clubs have so little loyalty to kit suppliers
Given these experiences, it is hardly surprising that sports clubs regularly change suppliers - what is more interesting is that this often happens even when the previous supplier delivered successfully.
Someone new takes responsibility for the club’s kit and wants to reduce the price. A committee member knows somebody who has just become a sales representative so an unfamiliar supplier appears with an offer that sounds almost too good to be true so the club takes a chance...the deadline slips...part of the order is missing or the finished kit does not match what was expected...and the search for yet another supplier then begins.
Price matters, particularly for amateur clubs managing limited budgets. But the cheapest quotation does not always produce the lowest overall cost. Late or incomplete kit creates additional administration, emergency replacement orders, extra delivery charges and difficult conversations with players, parents, members and sponsors. Any saving made at the beginning can disappear remarkably quickly.
Custom teamwear is more complicated than it looks
A finished sports shirt can look relatively simple but behind it sits a chain of artwork, measurements, fabrics, trims, production methods, quality control, international freight, customs clearance and final delivery - all of those elements need to work together.
A change of fabric can alter the appearance of a printed colour. A different collar construction can affect the production method. Adding another product after approval can change the delivery schedule. An incorrect customs document can leave perfectly manufactured kit sitting in a warehouse thousands of miles from the club waiting for it.
Custom clothing manufacture is a highly complex business. Fabrics, sizing, production, global supply chains, customs and duties all have to perform together in something approaching a symphony. One missed note can throw the entire performance out of tune.
That complexity is why we have built a structured custom clothing ordering process, including a final Order Pack that allows customers to review their products, designs, sizes and customisations before production begins.
The scorecard that matters
At CLIFTON, we judge the success of an order against three straightforward measures = In full. On time. In spec.
In full
Every approved product, size and customisation should be included. Delivering 95% of an order is not necessarily a 95% success when the missing 5% prevents the team from using everything else.
On time
The production and delivery schedule should be realistic from the beginning. A particularly attractive deadline means very little if the supplier never had a credible plan for meeting it.
In spec
The garments should match the approved products, fabrics, colours, designs, sizes and customisation. An order can arrive quickly and in full but still be unsuccessful when it is not what the club approved.
These standards sound simple - delivering all three consistently is the complicated part.
What clubs should ask before choosing a supplier
Clubs should compare prices, but they should also understand what happens after the order has been placed:
- Who checks the artwork and specifications before production begins?
- Will the club receive a final review showing exactly what will be manufactured?
- How will sizes, quantities, names and numbers be confirmed?
- Who will manage the order once it enters production?
- Is the delivery date based on an actual production schedule?
- What happens if a problem emerges?
The answers to those questions often tell you more than the initial sales presentation.
Clubs collecting individual sizes and payments should also consider using a free online team store, rather than relying on spreadsheets and chasing members manually.
Reliability has a value
No supplier can remove every possible disruption from an international supply chain - materials can become unavailable, carriers can experience delays, customs authorities can inspect shipments without warning - the difference lies in the systems used to prevent avoidable mistakes, identify risks early and communicate clearly when circumstances change.
After years of producing custom clothing for amateur teams, professional organisations, businesses, agencies and events around the world, we have become experts in managing the complicated machinery behind a successful order.
The final result should feel simple:
The right kit,
Delivered when promised
Ready to use
= In full. On time. In spec.
Planning your club’s next kit order?
Explore our custom club clothing or talk to the CLIFTON team about your products, designs, quantities and required delivery date.
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