A reunion brings together people who may not have been in one room for years: grandparents, cousins who grew up together, partners nobody has met, and children who only know each other from photographs. Matching T-shirts help in a practical way. They make it obvious who belongs to the gathering, they help younger relatives work out who is related to whom, and they produce a group picture that people actually keep. The challenge is organisational. A family is spread across towns, ages and opinions, and a reunion shirt has to suit a toddler and an eighty-year-old. This guide covers the decisions in a sensible order.
Questions or a quote? Message us — we reply personally
Decide what the shirt is meant to do
Some reunions are one afternoon in a hall or garden. Others stretch across a weekend, with a walk, a meal and a trip somewhere. Think about how many times the shirt will be worn. A shirt for a single group photograph can be bold and slightly silly. One that people may wear again over a weekend needs a design they will still like on the second day.
It also helps to settle who counts as family for the purposes of the order. Partners, step-relatives and close family friends are often included, and leaving someone out by accident causes more awkwardness than a slightly longer list. Agree the guest list first, then work out the order.
Colour-coding the branches
The most useful trick for a large reunion is to give each branch of the family its own shirt colour while keeping one shared design. A grandmother's descendants might be split by her children, so that each line of the family wears a different colour.
- Choose colours that sit well together in a photograph; a rainbow of very bright shades can look chaotic, while a palette of three or four related tones looks deliberate.
- Keep the print the same across all colours, or adjust only the ink so it stays readable. A light print on a dark shirt and a dark print on a light shirt may need separate artwork, so mention this when you ask for a quote.
- Put a small label on the sleeve or hem area, or in the back design, naming the branch, such as the name of the parent whose line they descend from.
- Create a simple key for the day, perhaps on a printed sheet at the entrance, so people can find their colour.
Colour-coding also makes group photographs easy to organise. Ask each colour to stand together first, then mix everyone for the full shot.
Family tree and surname designs
Designs based on the family itself tend to be the most loved. A few directions work well.
Surname crest. The family name in a strong typeface, with the reunion year beneath and a simple emblem. This is straightforward and prints cleanly.
Tree design. A stylised tree with leaves or branches representing each household. Keep it graphic rather than detailed; fine lines and tiny names do not read well on fabric from any distance.
Place of origin. Reunions often celebrate where the family came from. A small map outline, a village name or a regional symbol on the chest, with the family name across the back, ties the shirt to the story.
Generations. Use a line of text on the sleeve or back listing each generation in short form, and let the middle of the shirt stay uncluttered.
If you have an old family photograph, an illustration based on it can be striking, but it needs to be high resolution and reasonably contrasty. Send the original file instead of a photograph of a printed copy, and ask whether it will print well before you commit to the idea.
Sizing for every age
Reunion shirts have the widest size range of almost any group order. Collecting sizes properly is the main job.
1. Create a shared list with each person's name, age band and size, with a column for the exact text if you are printing names.
2. Ask adults to measure a shirt they already like, laying it flat and measuring across the chest, rather than guessing from labels.
3. For children, base the size on a shirt that fits now, and think about room to grow rather than going two sizes up. A shirt that is far too large looks scruffy and can be a nuisance during games.
4. Allow people to say whether they prefer a looser or closer fit. Older relatives often prefer more room.
Children's and adult garments are different cuts, and the range of children's sizes varies by garment. Tell us the ages when you ask for a quote and we will confirm what is available. We offer sizes up to 3XL.
Children and adults on the same design
A single design has to look right at both ends. On a child's shirt the chest area is small, so a design built for an adult back may look crowded or sit awkwardly. A good approach is to prepare the artwork once and scale it, then check the proof for the smaller sizes.
Keep the content child-friendly. Jokes that suit the adults at the evening meal may not suit the shirt a seven-year-old wears to a family gathering. If you want a cheeky version for the grown-ups, make it a separate design instead of a compromise.
Names on the back are especially helpful for children, who otherwise get lost in a crowd of similar shirts. A first name or nickname is enough.
Ordering when relatives live all over the country
The practical difficulty of a reunion is that one person often organises and everyone else is elsewhere. A clear process keeps it manageable.
- Use a single contact. One relative collects sizes, names and payments and talks to us. Many people sending separate messages is how mistakes happen.
- Set an early cut-off. Send a message with a firm date for sizes and make it clear that late additions may not be possible.
- Share the proof with the family before approving. A message in the family group chat usually surfaces spelling mistakes within an hour.
- Decide how shirts reach people. They can be collected together by one relative and handed out at the event, or you can ask about collection from our East London point or other arrangements when you request a quote.
Payment works best when collected before the order is placed. We apply a discount on orders of five or more items, which helps when a large family orders together. There is no minimum order, so a single shirt for a relative who joins late is fine.
Keepsake ideas beyond the shirt
Once you have the artwork, you can reuse it. Tote bags make a good thank-you for hosts or older relatives who would rather not wear a shirt. A matching print on a hoodie suits cooler weather if the reunion is outdoors. Some families print a smaller version of the crest on a bag for each household to take home.
Another idea is a guest shirt that is signed by relatives on the day, which turns it into a record of who attended. Fabric pens made for textiles are available in shops, and the signed shirt can be framed or kept. Take care to follow the pen's instructions before washing.
Care and planning notes
DTF prints suit regular wear and washing. Turn shirts inside out, avoid high heat and do not iron directly over the design. If the reunion is a long way off, start the planning early, because gathering sizes from a big family takes longer than expected. Ask for timing when you request a quote and order early for any fixed date.
Questions people ask
Can every branch have a different colour?
Yes. The same design can be printed on several shirt colours. Because light ink on dark fabric and dark ink on light fabric can look different, mention the colours when you request a quote so the artwork can be prepared correctly.
What if a relative is not sure whether they are coming?
Decide as a family whether to include them. It is easier to add a shirt before approval of the proof than afterwards, so set a clear deadline and treat it as final.
Can we put everyone's name on their shirt?
Yes, names can be printed on the back, chest or sleeve area. Gather the exact spelling in writing and check it carefully against the proof.
Do we have to order a minimum number?
No, there is no minimum order. A discount applies when you order five or more items, which is useful for larger families.
How do we start?
Send us your rough idea, the number of people and the colours you are considering by WhatsApp, phone or email. We reply personally and show a proof before printing.
Need a quote? We reply personally