Whether it's a squad number on a football shirt, a gamertag on a hoodie, or a name across the shoulders of a running vest, name and number printing follows the same handful of decisions every time: placement, size, font, and how it holds up once it's actually being worn and washed. This guide covers all of it.
We reply personally, within 2 minutes
Where names and numbers actually go
For team shirts, the number sits large on the centre back with the name in a bar directly above it, and often a smaller repeat number on the chest. For hoodies and casual wear, names or gamertags more commonly sit across the upper back or as a smaller chest print, since there's no standard 'shirt number' convention to follow. If your garment has an unusual neckline, a zip, or a printed panel already in that area, tell us and we'll adjust the layout in your proof rather than guessing.
Choosing a size that actually reads
- Match the size to viewing distance. A squad number read from across a pitch needs to be substantially larger than a name read up close on a hoodie.
- Don't let text fight the garment. On a child's size, a full adult-scale number can look oversized and cramped — we scale numbering proportionally to garment size on request.
- Leave breathing room. Text pushed right to the seams looks cramped and can distort when the fabric stretches.
Font choice: readability vs. personality
Block numerals and clean sans-serif fonts are the safest choice when something needs to be read at a distance or by someone other than the wearer — squad numbers, event bib numbers, safety-relevant text. For names, gamertags, and anything primarily for the wearer's own use, there's more room for a script or stylised font, though we'll flag if a chosen style is likely to be hard to read once printed small.
If you're trying to match a font you've used before, a photo of the previous printed piece is usually enough for us to match the style closely.
Colour and contrast
The single biggest factor in legibility isn't font choice, it's contrast against the garment. White or pale print on a dark garment, or dark print on a pale garment, reads clearly from a distance. Same-tone combinations (pale grey on white, navy on black) look sharp up close but disappear at range — worth avoiding for anything meant to be read across a room or a pitch.
How it holds up over time
We print names and numbers using DTF (direct-to-film) transfer, which bonds to the fabric rather than sitting as a loose vinyl layer, so it flexes with the garment through normal washing and wear rather than cracking or peeling at the edges of letters and numbers, which is where lower-quality methods tend to fail first.
Getting a squad or group order right first time
For anything beyond a single item, the fastest way to avoid back-and-forth is sending one list: name, number (if relevant), and size, per person. We'll lay it out consistently across every item and send one proof showing the format before anything is printed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you match a font I've used before?
Usually yes — a photo of the previous printed piece is normally enough to match the style closely.
Is there a minimum text size?
It depends on the font and print area, but very small or fine-detail text can lose sharpness at small sizes — we'll flag this in your proof if something's likely to print poorly.
Can names and numbers be different sizes on the same order?
Yes — we scale text proportionally to garment size on request, useful for orders spanning kids' and adult sizes.
Will the print crack or peel over time?
Our DTF print is designed to flex with the fabric through normal washing, resisting the cracking and peeling that lower-quality print methods are prone to.
See this in practice
We reply personally, within 2 minutes