Which Jersey Fabric for Which Sport? The One-Page Matching Chart

By Nishanth, founder of Jaypee Sportswear. Making custom team jerseys since 2012 at our own sublimation unit in Thanjavur. Updated 31 October 2026.

Key takeaways

• Every Jaypee fabric is 100% polyester, which is the only fabric that takes full sublimation.
• Mesh (HEXA-B, DOTTA-F, PINDOT-N) suits running sports in heat; RIBRA-G suits kabaddi; closed knits suit indoor courts.
• Each of 16 sports has a best, value and budget pick in the chart, with a fit score out of 3.
• Elite and Pro fabrics carry UV, wicking and anti-microbial finishes. GRID-E, LINEA-S and PINDOT-N do not.

Which fabric is best for jersey making depends on the sport, the weather and the budget, and no single fabric wins everywhere. Over the years I have matched hundreds of teams to cloth at our Thanjavur factory, and the matching follows a pattern. This page puts that pattern on one page for 16 sports.

• Best overall for football, hockey, handball, futsal and running: HEXA-B (₹699).
• Best for cricket finals, esports and rugby: QUARTZ-A (₹699).
• Best for kabaddi and for hot summer training: RIBRA-G (₹599).
• Best for badminton and table tennis: GRID-E (₹499).
• Best for tennis: RHOMB-H (₹599).
• Best for volleyball, throwball and kho-kho: DOTTA-F (₹599).
• Best budget pick for gully cricket: LINEA-S (₹399). Best budget mesh for football: PINDOT-N (₹399).

Which fabric is best for a sports jersey?

For nearly every team sport, 100% polyester knit is the best jersey fabric, and the knit style should match the sport. Mesh suits running games in heat, rib knit suits stretch sports, and closed knits suit indoor courts and sharp prints.

Polyester is the usual recommendation in sports kit guides, for example this overview of sports jersey fabrics. It is light, strong, takes very little water into the fibre and, importantly for us, it is the only common fabric that takes full sublimation. All eight Jaypee fabrics are polyester.

Which jersey fabric for which sport? The one-page chart

Use the best pick if the sport is serious or the weather is hard, the value pick if you want the best score for less money, and the budget pick if the kit is for one season or a school day. Each pick shows its fit score out of 3 and the price per jersey.

Prices include names, numbers and logo. The minimum order is 5 pieces, bigger orders get a lower rate per piece, and every size costs the same. Where the best pick already costs ₹599 or ₹499, as with kabaddi, badminton and table tennis, the value pick is the same fabric.

How were these fabric scores decided?

The scores are my own rating as a jersey maker, from 1 to 3, based on how well each fabric’s weight, knit and finishes suit the demands of the sport. They are not lab test results. A 3 means I would put my own team in it, a 2 means it works well, and a 1 means you can use it but another fabric does the job better.

Two things drive the numbers. Airflow and stretch favour the mesh and rib knits, while print sharpness and durability favour the closed 170 to 180 GSM knits. If you want the numbers behind GSM, read our guide to jersey GSM.

Why does each sport get these picks?

Each sport gets its picks for one main reason: how hard the body works and how hot the setting is. Here is the short explanation for all 16.

Cricket

QUARTZ-A scores 3 for cricket. At 180 GSM it holds sponsor logos sharply through a long innings and carries UV protection. DOTTA-F is the value pick for hot grounds. LINEA-S is the budget pick for gully and box cricket. Our best fabric for cricket jersey page goes deeper.

Football

HEXA-B scores 3 and is our preferred football fabric, with open hexagon cells for airflow. DOTTA-F also scores 3 at ₹599, so it is the easy value pick. PINDOT-N scores 3 at ₹399 for school and practice kits. See the best fabric for football jersey guide.

Kabaddi

RIBRA-G is the only fabric that scores 3 here, because the rib channels stretch for raids and tackles. At ₹599 it is the best and the value pick. LINEA-S and PINDOT-N score 2 at ₹399 if the budget is tight. Read the kabaddi jersey fabric guide.

Basketball

HEXA-B scores 3 for the airflow a fast game needs and a large back-number print. DOTTA-F and RIBRA-G both score 2, so DOTTA-F is the value pick. PINDOT-N is the budget pick, though it scores only 1 because basketball likes a bit more stretch. See basketball jerseys.

Badminton

GRID-E scores 3. It is a smooth, easy-wash 170 GSM knit at ₹499, right for indoor courts where heat is less of a problem than sweat in the shoulders. It is both best and value. LINEA-S is the budget pick at ₹399 and scores 1, so use it for school days only.

Volleyball

DOTTA-F scores 3. The smooth face prints cleanly and the pinholes keep air moving during long sets. GRID-E scores 2 and saves you ₹100. PINDOT-N scores 2 at ₹399. More in our best fabric for volleyball jersey page.

Tennis

RHOMB-H scores 3 because the micro rhombus knit has a tight, matte polo feel and a collar that sits flat. GRID-E scores 2 at ₹499 and works as a value polo. LINEA-S is the budget pick, with a lower score of 1.

Hockey

HEXA-B scores 3, with open cells for turf heat and enough body for scrums. DOTTA-F scores 2 and costs ₹100 less. PINDOT-N scores 2 at ₹399, a fair practice kit.

Throwball

DOTTA-F scores 3. Throwball is quick reaching and catching, so a light mesh with a smooth face works well. GRID-E and PINDOT-N both score 2. GRID-E is the value pick and PINDOT-N is the budget pick.

Handball

HEXA-B scores 3 for continuous movement, contact and sweat. DOTTA-F is the value pick at 2, and PINDOT-N, also 2, is the budget pick at ₹399.

Running

HEXA-B and DOTTA-F both score 3. DOTTA-F singlets at ₹599 are the easy value choice, and PINDOT-N scores 2 for event tees at ₹399. For hot-weather training, RIBRA-G at 140 GSM scores 2 and is the lightest premium fabric.

Esports

QUARTZ-A scores 3 because a closed knit gives the sharpest print for stream and photos, and indoor rooms are cool. GRID-E and RHOMB-H both score 2, with GRID-E cheaper at ₹499. LINEA-S is the budget pick but scores 1.

Table tennis

GRID-E scores 3 and is the best and the value pick at ₹499. It is smooth and easy to wash, and indoor halls do not need mesh. LINEA-S is the budget pick at ₹399 with a score of 1.

Futsal

HEXA-B and DOTTA-F both score 3 for fast play on turf or a hard court. DOTTA-F is the value pick. PINDOT-N scores 2 for a practice or school kit.

Rugby

QUARTZ-A scores 2, the same as HEXA-B, and I prefer it for the 180 GSM structure under tackles. Nothing under ₹699 scores above 1 for rugby, so GRID-E is the value pick and LINEA-S is the budget pick, both with that low score.

Kho-kho

DOTTA-F scores 3 and sits at ₹599, so it is also the value pick. Kho-kho means sprints, sitting and dives, and the light mesh with a smooth face fits. PINDOT-N scores 2 at ₹399 for school teams.

Are the cheaper fabrics really worth it?

Yes, for the right use. LINEA-S, PINDOT-N and GRID-E are good fabrics for gully matches, school days and club wear. They do not carry the UV, moisture-wicking or anti-microbial finishes that the Elite and Pro fabrics do, so for long outdoor matches the extra ₹100 to ₹300 per jersey is worth paying.

See the budget jersey fabrics guide, or compare the Elite and budget tiers side by side.

How do I order the right fabric?

Pick the sport row above, choose best, value or budget, and send us the design. We send a free mockup in 24 hours and delivery takes 7 to 10 working days after you approve it. Swatches of any fabric are available on WhatsApp. The jersey fabrics hub lists all eight, and the comparison chart shows specs side by side. Chennai teams can use the K.K. Nagar point through our Chennai page.