Frequently Asked Questions about Custom Hockey Jerseys

 

  • How are the jerseys you offer made?
  • What are the re-inforcements on the jerseys?
  • Does mesh differ from one manufacturer to the next?
  • What are Air Knit jerseys?
  • What are the other types of material are used in hockey uniforms?
  • What is sublimation?
  • How big are your goalie sizes?
  • What brands do you offer?
  • Can you get NHL replica sweaters for my team?
  • Do your blank NHL sweaters have stripes that are identical to the NHL teams?

 

There are different ways of putting together jerseys.

Cut and Sew:     Many of the jerseys listed in this site are "cut and sew". That means that each peice of the sweater is cut to the appropriate pattern and sewn together. This includes the stripes, which are sewn together like the links of a chain. In the case of thinner "pin stripes", often they are sewn over top of the jersey ("laid on"). This differs with some sweaters, namely NHL replica sweaters who's stripes are knitted in and are mostly seamless. Manufacturers also add different features such as reinforced shoulders and elbows as explained further below.

cut-and-sew.jpg (12570 bytes) laid-on.jpg (10497 bytes)
Cut and Sew Stripes Laid On Stripe

 

Knitted In:  This refers to material that is knitted by a machine. The stripes are knitted together creating a seamless, smooth feel.

knitted-stripe.jpg (11151 bytes)

Often, jerseys are a combination of the above methods.

You'll have to go to the Sizes and Specifics page to find out the specific re-inforcements on your preferred jersey. The re-inforcements are usually a combination of the following: "Double shoulders" means there is an extra layer of material sewn in the yoke of the shirt. "Double Elbows" means there is an extra layer of material sewn into the elbow. "Cover stitching" means the seams have been reinforced with another run of the sewing machine. Do you need all of these extras? Unless you play contact hockey then you likely will not need all the re-inforcements but it doesn't hurt to have them.

Yes, somewhat. In the case of regular mesh (a.k.a. pro mesh, heavyweight mesh, superstar mesh) some manufacturers use a softer mesh and others have a more coarse feel. They both breathe equally well which is what's great about mesh. However, when you print your crests directly on a mesh shirts, you lose the details and end up with mesh holes all over the logo. We print your crests on twill and sew it on to the jersey. It's a few bucks more but it gives the shirts a very sharp and professional look.

 

Air Knit is a catch-all term for knitted material with mesh holes that are quite small. You'll recognize it as the material used in alot of NHL replica sweaters and some NHL Pro jerseys. It has a plethora of names according to each manufacturer. Here are a few: Air Knit, Aero Knit, AK Knit, Flo Knit, ProVent, etc. The texture varies with each manufacturer but it is usually softer and, if you are printing your crest directly on the shirt, leaves a better print than regular "pro mesh".

aeroknit.jpg (8604 bytes)

this is not at the same scale as the above photos.

Dazzle -- Some of the more recent NHL jerseys have been using "Dazzle" in some of their stripes (namely Vancouver and Nashville). Dazzle is that soft, shiny material used for basketball uniforms. You can custom order your jerseys to be entirely or partially made with dazzle, however, only a few of our in-stock air knit sweaters have dazzle.

Light Mesh -- Similar to the above noted heavy mesh, light mesh is (of course) a lighter weight material. It allows great breathability and "feels like wearing nothing at all"! Do not mistake the lighter material for substandard quality. It is 100% polyester and durable enough for most recreational team's needs. Great for those who play ball hockey or inline hockey in warm arenas.

Pro-Weight -- Heavy weight material that is used by professional leagues. Comes in air knit and doubleknit.

Doubleknit -- Back a few years ago "doubleknit" was the choice of material and still is with some NHL replicas and Pro jerseys. It's the polyester material with no mesh holes whatsoever. It usually features knitted in, seamless stripes.

dazzle.jpg (9407 bytes) lightmesh.jpg (10746 bytes)
Dazzle Light Mesh
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double-knit.jpg (6694 bytes) pro-flo-knit.jpg (6706 bytes)
Doubleknit Pro-Weight Air Knit

 

Sublimation is the newest and fanciest way of doing hockey jerseys. It involves taking a white jersey and dying the stripes (and in some cases - the logos and numbers) into the material. An example of a sublimated jersey would be the Dallas Stars. Since it is all dyed, you will not feel the stripes at all. It allows teams to create murals on their jerseys rather than just stripes. This method is popular with minor-pro and roller hockey teams who adorn their uniforms with colourful zig-zags, lightning bolts, shooting stars, fiery flames, much to the chagrin of hockey purists. If these shirts turn your crank then give us a shout because if you can draw it we can make it. Sure it's more expensive but it's a one of a kind jersey. For an accurate quote you'd need to submit your design . We also have a few stock designs. Minimum 12 shirts for custom orders.

sublimation-jerseys.jpg (9887 bytes) 

They vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but they are all quite big. We get this question alot so we've created a special page to give more info. Visit the goalie page.

We offer Athletics International, Athletic Knit, CCM, RBK,   Pro Joy, SP, Kobe and a few more. If you have a specific brand that you prefer then let us know and we'll try to get it for you. As time goes on we will be giving you more choices. For close-up photos of the jerseys as well as features, visit the Sizes and Specifics page.

As close as possible. If the sweater does not have the proper NHL striping then we try to make a note of this on the web site next to the jersey. However, always ask if this is important to you. Also, keep in mind that the collars may not have the exact stripes as many of the jerseys come with single coloured collars. If this is a concern, let us know and we will let you know the collar colours of each jersey.

Sometimes we can do this during non-peak times if it is an in-stock item. During peak times in fall and spring we are up to our necks in team orders and new small orders may have to wait. Since our prices are for orders of 10 or more, there will be an extra fee for orders of less than 10.

We often get asked to do just one jersey with numbers, name and no crest. Depending on the jersey you want, we can sometimes do this during non-peak times (that's usually June and July). Doing less than 10 crests, however, is a bit more tricky. We would deal with small runs on an individual basis.

In most cases , yes, if it is a stock jersey. You would need to buy the shirt and pay for the shipping to you and back. If you then order a tem set you can send the shirt back to be crested /numbered. If it is not what you wanted it can be returned if not worn.

 


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