Name and number application
Whether the name and number are pressed or stitched, and whether each character is bonded along its edge.
The reading sequence
3 steps, starting at surface and finish and running to square the name and number against the seams. Evidence on this point is read at E1, and 2 of the 3 steps carries a condition that ends the assessment outright.
Identify the application method at a character edge
Establish whether the characters are sewn on or fused, because the two fail differently and only one can be repaired at home.
Evidence: E1 — one macro photo of the edge of a number and one of a letter, shot at about 10 cm with the panel behind them in focus
- A continuous stitch line runs just inside the character outline on all four sides.
- Or, the fused edge follows the shape with a 1 to 2 mm film and no halo beyond it.
- A stitch line stops partway along one character and resumes on the next.
- A faint raised line shows beside the fused edge without a visible gap under it.
- A clear plastic border stands 1 mm or more above the cloth around a character.
- A shadow line runs under the character edge where the film has not bonded.
Run a thumbnail along every character edge
Test the bond itself rather than the look of it, since an unbonded edge looks identical to a bonded one in a flat photo.
Evidence: E1 — a video of the seller running a thumbnail along the outline of one number and one letter, pressing at the corners and lifting gently
- No point of any character lifts under the thumbnail.
- The seller works along the whole outline rather than pressing one corner.
- A corner lifts under the nail and settles back when the thumb is released.
- One letter edge lifts slightly while the number stays down.
- An edge lifts 1 mm or more along a third of its length.
- A whole character peels away from the cloth or slides under the thumb.
Square the name and number against the seams
Check that the name sits under the collar and the number between the shoulders, both level with the seams that frame them.
Evidence: E1 — one flat-lay photo of the back with both shoulder seams, the collar seam and the whole name and number in frame, shot square from above
- The number sits within 5 mm of the centre line between the shoulder seams.
- The name is centred under the collar seam with letter spacing even across it.
- The number sits 6 to 12 mm off the centre line with the name true.
- Letter spacing widens by 2 mm across the name while the line stays level.
- The number is more than 12 mm off the centre line.
- The number is rotated by more than 5 mm across its width against the shoulder seams.
- Letters touch each other or overlap at one end of the name.
Why the thresholds sit where they do
Printed names and numbers are applied after the shirt is sewn, which means two separate things can go wrong and they need separate steps. The bond is a physical property, so it is tested with a thumbnail rather than judged from a photo, and the tolerance is set at a third of the character edge because that is where lifting stops being a crease and starts being a loose patch. Placement is a layout property, so it is read against the shoulder seams and the collar rather than against the shirt's outline, since a shirt can be cut slightly askew without the print being off centre. The 5 mm and 12 mm bands come from measuring the same shirt laid flat twice, with the panel smoothed by hand each time.
Common misreads
3 pairs recorded for this point. Each runs in both directions: 2 findings that looks worse than it is, and 1 that looks better.
- looks like Return actually Pass
A faint raised line beside a fused character. Pressing leaves an impression of the film edge in the knit, and it is not the same thing as a gap under the character.
- looks like Pass actually Query
A crisp flat photo of the back with no thumbnail test. Bonded edges look identical to failed edges in a flat frame, which is why step 2 asks for a video.
- looks like Return actually Query
A number sitting 8 mm off centre in a worn photograph. Shoulder seams shift when a shirt is on a body, so placement has to be read from a flat lay.
Check this point against what you were sent
Insufficient evidence
Nothing decided on name and number application yet: 0 of 3 steps have been read.
0 of 3 steps judged
| Step | Reading | Evidence | Stop met |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify the application method at a character edgeneeds E1 | — | ||
| 2. Run a thumbnail along every character edgeneeds E1 | A character lifts along a third of its edge under a thumbnail. A fused character that has failed at the edge keeps lifting with every wash, and pressing it at home flattens the weave around it. | ||
| 3. Square the name and number against the seamsneeds E1 | The number is rotated more than 5 mm across its own width against the shoulder seams. Rotation that large at the press comes from a skewed panel, and the shirt cannot be squared afterwards. |
Sources and checks
- Public community thread — Threads where a printed name set lifted within the first washesn=46
- Editor analysis — One third of an edge set as the point where lifting stops being cosmeticno sample
Last checked · next review due · status current.
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