Briefing a factory: an OEM checklist for custom sportswear

Why the brief matters

Most delays on a first order come from missing information, not from production. A complete brief gets you an accurate quote in one round instead of five.

The checklist

1. Product and use. What is it, who wears it and for what? ("Match shirts for an amateur Sunday league" quotes differently from "pro-fit shirts for retail".)
2. Quantity and size split. Total units and how many per size. Include youth sizes separately.
3. Fabric or material. A preference, a reference garment, or "advise me".
4. Artwork. Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) where possible. Pantone references if colours must match exactly.
5. Decoration method. Sublimated, embroidered, printed or a mix — and where each logo goes.
6. Names and numbers. A roster spreadsheet: name, number, size — one row per player.
7. Labels and packaging. Neck tape, woven labels, hang tags, polybags, cartons — yours or ours.
8. Sample. Do you need a physical approval sample before bulk? (We recommend it on a first order.)
9. Deadline and destination. The date you need it in hand, and the delivery country and city.
10. Budget. A target unit price helps a factory suggest the right materials up front.

Common mistakes

• Approving a mock-up but not a sample on a first order — colours on screen are not colours on fabric.
• Sending a roster after cutting starts — names and numbers are printed into the panels.
• Forgetting youth sizes — they need their own pattern grading.

Ready to brief us? Our quote form walks you through these points, or paste your requirements into the assistant and it will structure them for you.