The decision in one paragraph
Compare quotations only after every supplier is pricing the same product lines and commercial unit. A jersey, shorts and socks remain separate records unless the quotation explicitly defines a set. Keep minimums, size evidence, customisation, samples, packing and delivery visible rather than reducing the comparison to one unit-price column.
Define the quoted unit first
Write one line for every garment: jersey, shorts, socks and any goalkeeper or staff variation. Record whether the price is per piece, per pair or per set.
Do not divide a set price by the number of garments and compare that result with a jersey-only quote. The included product scope, quantity and approval work are different.
Record how the minimum is applied
Ask whether the minimum applies by style, colour, garment or total programme. Youth and adult sizes can share an artwork direction without automatically sharing a production minimum.
KITOEM guidance remains a starting point: the applicable unit, product, colour and route are confirmed in the written quotation.
Use one comparison grid
| Field | Record for every quote | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Each included garment and quantity | Prevents jersey and set prices being mixed |
| Specification | Fabric, construction, fit and colourway | Identifies substitutions |
| Customisation | Artwork, names, numbers and labels | Separates included and extra work |
| Sampling | Sample type, sizes, revisions and freight | Shows what is approved before bulk |
| Delivery | Incoterm, destination and exclusions | Separates factory price from landed scope |
Choose the size evidence before release
A measurement sheet, fit sample and size set answer different questions. State which evidence is required and which sizes or wearer groups it covers.
If a size set is requested, confirm availability, fee, return conditions and whether it approves fit or only helps the team select sizes.
Freeze the comparison version
When a supplier proposes a different fabric, trim or construction, record it as a named alternative rather than silently replacing the requested specification.
Select a supplier against the final comparison version, then carry that version into the sample and purchase records.
Build a scope ledger before ranking prices
Send a numbered RFQ revision to every shortlisted supplier. Ask for a response against the requested products, rather than a catalogue price that merely resembles them. One useful ledger has the requested specification, the supplier proposal, whether it is included, and the buyer decision still needed. A missing answer stays an open item; it is not evidence that the work is included.
Separate recurring garment cost from development, sample, artwork setup, labels, packing and any inspection request. Record the currency, quotation validity and the destination used for freight estimates. This makes a low price explainable: it may cover fewer operations, a different material or a different commercial scope. It should not win simply because the excluded work is invisible.
| Scope item | Common comparison error | Clarification to request |
|---|---|---|
| Shirt, shorts and socks | One supplier quotes a shirt; another quotes a set | Exact components and unit on every line |
| Names and numbers | Variable player data is absent from the base price | Roster scope, artwork version and any separate charge |
| Samples and revisions | A reference sample is treated as a custom pre-production sample | Purpose, included revisions and sample freight |
| Packing and shipment | Factory packing is compared with delivered player packs | Pack contents, destination and itemised exclusions |
Align the delivery basis without inventing a landed cost
ICC describes Incoterms 2020 as a framework allocating costs, risks and obligations. Put the agreed rule and named place on the comparison sheet. The same unit price under different delivery responsibilities is not a like-for-like offer. Ask the supplier to identify the included transport legs and the buyer to identify the remaining import and distribution work.
Keep estimated freight, customs-related amounts and other external charges separate from confirmed supplier charges. An early budget is useful, but turning a destination-free estimate into a delivered-price promise hides uncertainty. A buyer who has not selected a shipping route can still compare the garment scope first and request transport as a separately dated proposal.
Use a decision example, not a fictional savings claim
Illustrative planning scenario: a club receives a jersey-only offer and another offer for shirts and shorts. Do not divide the set offer in half. Ask both suppliers to quote the same shirt specification and short specification, with independent size splits. Then compare the combined required scope and any optional socks or goalkeeper pieces. No assumed team quantity or advertised saving is needed.
Close the comparison with a short deviation log: accepted alternative, rejected substitution, open decision and approval owner. A nominated supplier still needs sample and written specification approval. Typical mistakes are treating silence as inclusion, mixing quotation revisions, comparing different fabrics using only their weight, and assuming the lowest first-order price also controls a later reorder.
- One RFQ revision for every supplier
- Explicit product and unit per row
- Material and artwork alternatives named, not hidden
- Required sample evidence and approval owner
- Destination and transport responsibilities
- Open points resolved before purchase release
What to confirm for your project
- Commercial unit and included garments
- Minimum basis by product, style and colour
- Quantity and size groups for every line
- Customisation and packaging scope
- Sample route and approval purpose
- Incoterm, destination and exclusions
MOQ, sampling conditions, production timing, exact material options and service scope are confirmed for the specific product and order. This guide does not replace a current quotation, approved sample or production specification.
Questions to carry into supplier review
- Can different garments use different quantities in one programme?
- Which substitutions require a revised quotation?
- Does the sample fee cover every colourway?
Questions buyers ask next
How do we compare a jersey-only quote with a shirt-and-shorts offer?
Ask for the same shirt and short specifications as independent lines, with the quantities and size splits you actually need. Compare the total included scope; dividing a set price by two does not create a comparable jersey price.
Can two quotes be equivalent when they show the same g/m²?
Not on that fact alone. Fabric composition, structure, finish, dimensions, garment construction, artwork and included approval work can differ. Use a named material reference and a controlled garment specification alongside the weight.
Should a sample charge be included in the unit-price ranking?
Show it in a separate cost column and state the sample purpose. A development sample, fit sample and pre-production sample may cover different work. Compare the cost of the required approval route rather than assuming every sample fee buys the same result.
Does a quoted minimum apply to the whole programme?
Request the basis for each item, style, colour and unit in writing. A coordinated programme can contain garments and accessories with different minimums; one total order count does not settle every production line.
What should we do with a cheaper substitute material?
Keep it as a named alternative, document the difference and request the evidence needed to approve it. Do not replace the requested specification silently, or let an unapproved alternative become the production reference.
Technical references and question evidence
- Technical referenceASTM D3776/D3776M — Mass Per Unit Area (Weight) of Fabric
- Technical referenceISO 8559-1:2017 — Body measurement definitions; confirmed 2026
- Technical referenceICC — Incoterms 2020: allocation of costs, risks and obligations
Technical references support the discussion method. Question evidence documents public discussion of an issue; it does not diagnose a KITOEM product or establish a test result.