Cheerleading runs on a calendar all of its own: the regional qualifiers take place in spring and the championship final lands in early summer. In other words, everything is prepared from autumn — and the uniform is one of the very first jobs of a successful season. Here's how to kit out your cheer squad for 2026-2027, from the practice crop top to the competition uniform.
Cheerleading: a sport that puts the kit on show
Few disciplines expose the kit as much. In cheerleading, the uniform is part of the performance: it's seen, filmed, judged. It has to hold up through jumps, stunts, pyramids and tumbling passes without ever getting in the way or losing its shape. Two needs usually stand out:
- Practice wear: a close-fitting top (sports bra, sleeveless top) and fitted shorts, breathable, to rehearse stunts in the hall without constraint.
- The competition uniform: more visually worked, coordinated across the whole squad, often built around a skirt with integrated shorts and a top in the club's colours.
Which pieces to kit out a cheer squad
A good base combines light technical pieces, built for acrobatics and suited to every body shape in a squad.
- The short-sleeve cheerleading top: the versatile piece, ideal as a uniform top.
- The sleeveless top: total shoulder freedom for lifts and raised arms.
- The skirt with integrated shorts: the visual signature of cheer, with built-in support shorts for worry-free movement.
- The shorts for practice and plainer looks.
A top + bottom set in the same sport earns a 5% discount — handy when kitting out a whole squad.
Sublimation, made for cheerleading's colours
Cheer loves bright colours, gradients, striking visual sparkle, patterns that pop under the lights. Full dye-sublimation prints these designs into the fibre, across the whole garment, with no limit on colours or zones. Unlike heat-applied lettering, which layers material onto the fabric, it can't be felt to the touch, doesn't flake and stands up to the repeated washing of an intense season. Colours stay crisp, even under the lights of a competition gym. Club logos and sponsors are unlimited at no extra cost. A pre-production proof is approved before production: you see the exact look of the uniform before the run starts. To lock in your colours, our design tool helps you visualise the kit up front.
From a single piece: kit out a squad, a recruit, a substitute
A cheer squad shifts through the season: new arrivals, level changes, new groups. Being able to produce from a single piece, with no minimum, lets you add a uniform for a new athlete or fill a missing size without reordering the whole run. Pricing is tiered: the larger the squad, the lower the unit price. To build the budget, our page for clubs and associations sets out clear benchmarks.
Plan ahead to be ready for the first competitions
With qualifiers arriving in spring, autumn and winter are the right time to order:
- Sizes: from children (ages 4-14) to adult 3XL, to cover squads that are often very large and all ages. Our size guide and the method for measuring a whole team prevent mistakes on fitted kit.
- Lead times: allow 3 to 4 weeks of production after the proof is approved for short-sleeve tops and shorts, then delivery within 6 working days across Europe. Start the project several weeks before your first deadline.
- European manufacturing: our kit is made in Bulgaria, within the European Union, using full dye-sublimation.
Key takeaways
- The cheerleading season is prepared from autumn: regional qualifiers arrive in spring, so uniform orders go out before winter.
- Two needs: breathable practice wear and a coordinated competition uniform (top + skirt with integrated shorts).
- Full sublimation handles bright colours, gradients and logos across the whole kit, at no surcharge, and won't flake.
- Production from a single piece, tiered pricing, 5% kit discount, European manufacturing (Bulgaria, EU), proof before production.
- Sizes from children 4-14 to adult 3XL; allow 3 to 4 weeks after the proof + 6 working days for delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between practice wear and a competition uniform?
Practice wear prioritises comfort and breathability (sports bra or sleeveless top, fitted shorts) for rehearsing stunts. The competition uniform is coordinated across the whole squad, more visually worked, often with a skirt with integrated shorts and a top in the club's colours.
Can you order a single piece to complete a squad?
Yes. Production starts from a single piece, with no minimum: ideal for adding a uniform for a new athlete or replacing a size mid-season, with a price that drops as the quantity rises.
Do the colours last a whole season?
Yes. With sublimation, the colours are dyed into the fibre: they don't flake or fade through repeated washing, unlike material applied on top of the fabric. An asset for uniforms used hard.