Jacket lettering, what are the options?

Why should I have my jacket lettered?

With the exception of high-caliber tournaments and some tournaments abroad, it is not mandatory to have your jacket lettered. That said, many fencers choose to have their jacket lettered for different reasons. One of those reasons is that it looks more "professional", another is that it allows you to easily recognize your equipment (your name is literally on it!). For a young fencer who has proven themselves and who wants to keep moving forward in their sport, jacket lettering is also a very nice gift.

To learn more about which tournaments require lettering, refer to our Rules for Equipment page.

Can I write what I want?

Yes and no. Strictly speaking, official regulations state that you cannot put just any random thing on your jacket. However, if you only fence within your club and only participate in small local tournaments, where this kind of regulation is not applied to the letter, you can write what you want on your jacket, as long as it remains in good taste. Some fencers even go so far as to get images or symbols printed on their jacket. This interpretation of the rules is at the discretion of the organizers of each local event, and of the coaches at your club.

When it comes to an official tournament, however, the lettering must meet several specific standards:

• Your last name must be printed (the first initial of the first name is allowed, but not required)
• The three-letter acronym of your country (according to the standards of the International Olympic Committee) must be printed
• Only uppercase letters are allowed
• Letters must be dark blue (other colors are reserved for other uses)
• Letters must measure between 8 and 10 centimeters in height
• The letters must be 1 to 1.5 centimeters thick (width of the lines making the letters)
• The most common font for lettering is Arial. There is no restriction on the font, but the font must remain easily legible.

Lettering technologies

There are many of technologies used for lettering fencing outfits. All are legal and all are used by various fencing equipment suppliers around the world. These processes are not exclusive to the world of fencing: they are also used in other sports and even in the creation of promotional items. Here is a simplified description of each method:

Toner transfer

There are different ways to perform this process. Depending on the method chosen and the materials used, the result is a thin layer of "toner" applied to the surface of the fabric, either by application of heat or by the use of specialized chemicals. This process takes more time due to the amount of steps and the handling required. The result is long lasting but not permanent. After about ten washes of the outfit, the lettering will start to deteriorate with each wash. However, washing the outfit in cold water the first few times a will help increase the lettering's lifespan.

Sublimation

The lettering is first printed onto a special paper, with a special ink and by a special printer. Then, the sheet is placed on the outfit and both are heated together in a heat press machine. The heat activates the chemical properties of the special ink and opens the "pores" of the synthetic fabric, allowing the color pigments to enter directly inside the fabric fiber, much like a dye would. This process is very fast and has the advantage of being completely permanent, but is more expensive due to the specialized equipment and software required. Also, this method only works with certain types of synthetic fabrics such as polyester.

Paint

The lettering is done using a self-adhesive stencil affixed to the outfit, then paint is applied with an airbrush gun. The paint is left to dry, then is baked in place using a heat press machine. It is an inexpensive process, but a little longer because of the drying time and all the handling. Some high-end outfits tend to absorb paint, which sometimes causes small "bleeds" despite the stencil. Since the paint is typically acrylic based, some exotic fabrics used high-end jackets prevent the paint from bonding as well as with other fabrics. In addition, this process is not permanent. The paint will fade with each wash of the outfit and the lettering may need to be redone after some time.

Iron-on

This method consists of cutting the lettering from a sheet of thin vinyl using a plotter. This device looks like a printer, but instead of depositing ink on paper, it's a blade that moves and cuts shapes out of the vinyl. The letters are placed on the outfit, then the jacket is heated in a heat press machine. Following this, the vinyl letters adhere almost permanently to the outfit. It's a quick and long-lasting process, but the letters will start peeling over time, especially if the outfit is made of a fabric that is stretchier than the letters themselves. A letter that starts peeling can be bonded back onto the jacket simply by running it through the heat press again.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the process of creating letters and shapes on fabric using thread and thousands of stitches. Embroidery is very durable, but is a longer process and requires highly specialized equipment. It is a permanent and very durable process, but is in no way elastic. This process is not recommended for fencers who have a very stretchy outfit and who like it that way.

Sewn piece of fabric

This process involves using one of the previous lettering technologies to letter a rectangular piece of fabric, which will then be sewn onto the jacket. This method has the advantage of allowing you to reuse the lettering for a new jacket and to resell the old one without lettering, for example in the case of a young fencer who is still growing. However, this piece of fabric will not necessarily have the same elasticity as the outfit itself, causing the same inconvenience as the embroidery.
All of these technologies have their pros and cons. In the world of fencing, there are also limitations as to when they can be used. The following table shows these properties:

How can I get my jacket lettered?

At Imex Sport, we offer the jacket lettering service. We use two different technologies depending on the fabric of the outfit: paint and sublimation. There are several ways to get your jacket lettered.

We offer lettering by sublimation on site in store and at tournaments. It takes about 30 minutes per jacket for the job itself, plus any waiting time if other clients' jackets are submitted before yours.

You can either bring us your jacket, or mail it in. There are also a number of ways we can return it to you. Some fencers leave their outfit with us when leaving after a tournament, for example, and pick it up the following week or at a future tournament. For lettering by paint, the jacket must be left with us for at least one working day.

It is also possible to purchase, as a special order, a jacket lettered by the manufacturer. Manufacturers use the lettering process that best suits the fabric of their outfits, yielding the most durable result. In the case of outfits made of an exotic fabric, Imex Sport is currently not equipped to letter them and recommends that you obtain a jacket lettered by the manufacturer, or refer to a company specializing in lettering. It is important to note that manufacturers do not accept returns or exchanges, and do not issue refunds on lettered outfits. It is therefore necessary to be absolutely certain of the sizing of your outfit before proceeding with this type of special order.