Printing Planet UK
From PE kits and leavers hoodies to sports day t-shirts and school trip shirts, custom printed clothing is a regular requirement for schools, PTAs, and parents across London. At Printing Planet UK in Putney, we work with primary and secondary schools across South West London to produce durable, washable, correctly branded garments on time and within budget.
Types of Custom School Clothing
Schools order a wider range of custom garments than most people expect. Here is a breakdown of the most common categories:
PE Kits Round-neck t-shirts and shorts in school colours, printed with the school name, crest, or year group. We print these using DTF or screen printing depending on quantities, both of which survive repeated machine washing.
Leavers Hoodies The most emotionally significant school garment. Year 6 and Year 11 leavers hoodies are typically ordered in bulk with each pupil’s name or nickname printed on the back. See the dedicated section below.
Sports Day T-Shirts Single-colour prints on white or coloured tees, usually in house colours (red, blue, green, yellow). These are often needed in very short runs with mixed sizes from age 5 through to adult.
School Trip Shirts Bright-coloured t-shirts with the school name and trip year, used so teachers can spot pupils quickly in public spaces. Practical and often popular as a keepsake.
PTFA and Fundraising Tees Custom t-shirts for school fairs, charity runs, and fundraising events. For ideas on running a fundraising clothing campaign, see our fundraising custom t-shirts guide.
What to Include on Each Garment
PE Kits: School name and/or crest on the chest. Year group is optional but helps with lost property. Avoid pupil names on PE kits – they are harder to redistribute across year groups.
Leavers Hoodies: School name on the back upper, large year (e.g. “Class of 2026”) below, then a nickname list printed below that. Front chest typically carries the school logo or a custom leavers design.
Sports Day Tees: House name and colour only. Keep it simple – these are worn once or twice and need to be printed and delivered quickly.
School Trip Shirts: School name, trip destination, and year. Some schools add a fun slogan. Bright colours (yellow, orange, lime) for visibility.
Garment Durability for School Use
School clothing gets hard use: it goes in the wash frequently, often at higher temperatures. When specifying garments for schools, we recommend:
- Fabric rated for 60°C machine washing as a minimum. Most of our school-use garments are 100% cotton or 65/35 poly-cotton, both of which handle 60°C without shrinkage issues if pre-shrunk.
- DTF prints for PE kits and trip shirts – DTF transfers are flexible, wash-resistant, and do not crack after repeated washes the way vinyl heat transfers can.
- Embroidery for blazer badges and polo shirts if the school wants a premium finish. Embroidered crests last the lifetime of the garment.
Tip: For leavers hoodies, choose a 280-300gsm pullover with a brushed inner lining. They feel premium, photograph well for leavers events, and hold printed names crisply. Avoid thin 240gsm hoodies – they pill quickly and the print shows creasing.
Ordering Timeline
Getting the timing right is critical for school orders, particularly leavers hoodies.
| Garment Type | When to Order | Lead Time |
|---|---|---|
| Leavers hoodies | By Easter (early April) | 10-14 working days |
| PE kits | 4 weeks before start of term | 7-10 working days |
| Sports day tees | 2 weeks before sports day | 5-7 working days |
| School trip shirts | 3 weeks before trip | 5-7 working days |
Do not leave leavers hoodies until May. Every year we get last-minute requests from schools that have run out of time. We do offer express production, but it costs more and limits garment options.
Bulk Ordering Discounts for Schools
We offer quantity pricing that makes large school orders cost-effective. For reference:
| Quantity | Typical Price Per Hoodie (printed) |
|---|---|
| 20-29 | £24.00 |
| 30-49 | £21.00 |
| 50-74 | £18.50 |
| 75+ | Contact us for a quote |
T-shirts and PE kit tops start from £8.50 per unit at 30+ pieces. For a full pricing breakdown, see our custom printing cost guide.
We do not charge extra for name personalisation on leavers hoodies when ordered as part of a class order. Each pupil’s name or nickname is printed individually at no additional per-name charge above a certain quantity.
Leavers Hoodie Design Tips
Leavers hoodies are a keepsake, so the design matters more than usual:
- Year group front and centre – “Class of 2026” or “Year 11 Leavers” should be the headline statement
- School name or logo smaller, above or below the year
- Nickname list on the back – collect these early, set a firm deadline for submissions, and proofread carefully before approving. Misspelled nicknames are the most common complaint after delivery
- Choose two or three colours maximum – the most popular leavers hoodies use the school’s primary colour with a contrast text colour
Order Your School Clothing
Printing Planet UK is in Putney, London SW15 3BD, and delivers across South West London and beyond. We offer free artwork setup, digital proofs, and no minimum order on most garment types.
Call us on 020 3669 9854 or visit printingplanetuk.com to start your school order. For team sports garments, also see our custom hoodies for teams and sports clubs guide and our minimum order quantities guide.