Custom club kit studio
Design and make printed shirts, shorts and tracksuits for local clubs and teams from a small unit.
- £8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
5,604 UK companies in this field, 37% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 14190 “Manufacture of other wearing apparel and accessories n.e.c.”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small workshop that makes team kit to order. You design the kit with the club, print it with dye sublimation, then cut, sew and finish it. You can add bought-in blanks and name and number printing for extra lines.
Your first three steps
- Contact a few local clubs to find out what they pay for kit now, and what slows them down
- Price up a sublimation printer, heat press or calendar press, and a cutting and sewing setup, or ask a local maker to run your first orders
- Make a sample kit in a club's colours and show it to coaches and committees
Who pays
Football, rugby, netball and running clubs, schools, gyms and local companies with staff teams.
How it makes money
A price per garment on orders of 10 to 100 or more, plus extras such as names, numbers, sponsor logos and replacement kit each season.
Skills that help
- Design software for kit layouts
- Sewing or garment finishing
- Selling to club committees and schools
Watch out for
- Product liability and public liability insurance, check with a broker
- Clothing safety and labelling rules, check what applies to the garments you sell, including fibre content labels and children's clothing
- Copyright and trade marks if clubs ask for badges or logos you don't own, get written permission
- Sublimation inks, heat presses and ventilation in a unit, check your lease, business rates and safe working
- Orders cluster before the season starts, so plan cash flow for quiet months
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: custom club kit studio
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a custom club kit business?
Startup costs are estimates, typically around £8,000 to £30,000, depending on the unit, printing and sewing equipment, and how much stock you carry. Check your lease and business rates before committing to premises.
How much can a club kit studio earn?
Monthly revenue is an estimate, typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on how many clubs and teams you serve. Orders cluster before the season starts, so plan cash flow for quieter months.
What rules and insurance apply to making team kit?
Check product liability and public liability insurance with a broker, and clothing safety and labelling rules, including fibre content labels and children's clothing. Get written permission for any badges or logos you don't own, and check ventilation and safe working with heat presses.
Other ways to run this business
Similar making and manufacturing ideas
Trade embossing and foiling workshop
Run a small unit with a platen press, finishing print, packaging and leather jobs for local printers, brands and makers.
- £8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Local sheeting supplier with a small unit
Stock sheeting rolls in a small unit and supply local builders, farms and contractors by collection or van delivery.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Plastics fabrication workshop for trade clients
Rent a small unit and make custom acrylic and plastic parts, signs and displays for local trade customers.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Cosmetics maker supplying salons and shops
Rent a small unit, make larger batches of your own range and supply salons, spas and independent retailers.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Screen printing workshop unit
Run a small rented unit with an automatic press, taking bulk orders for teams, businesses and events.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small-unit steel fabrication workshop
Cut, bend and weld made-to-order steel parts and structures for local trade and private clients from a rented unit.
- £6k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises