Want a Professional-Looking Kit? Start With This Detail

What do championship-winning sides from the early 2000s have in common?

A solid defence? Attacking midfielders with an eye for a pass? Generational strikers with sacks full of goals?

Well ... yeah ... but not just that.

All these champion teams wore home or away shirts with piping as part of the design.

As a custom sportswear company that has created thousands of custom kits for football teams, we’ve noticed a bit of a resurgence in the trend recently, so here’s what piping is and why you might want to incorporate it into your next kit.

What is piping on football shirts?

Piping is a thin strip of contrasting fabric or trim that runs along the seams of a football shirt. You’ll usually see it tracing the shoulders, on set-in or raglan sleeves, or down the sides of the torso.

It’s a small detail, but it makes a big difference. Instead of a flat block of colour, piping adds definition, breaks up panels, and gives the shirt a more structured, professional look. Think of it as the outline that sharpens the shirt and gives the wearer a more athletic appearance.

Why you might want piping on your shirts

Piping isn’t making a comeback because teams think it will help them win the league (but surely it can’t hurt?), It’s a really simple way to add a little something extra to your shirts without creating over-the-top designs.

It can help add some identity to your club’s brand. A well-placed contrast colour can tie your badge, sponsor, and overall palette together, making the kit feel cohesive rather than launching colour at the shirt like a Rory Delap long throw.

Piping creates contrast and a more premium finish that can give even a clean, minimal design a “fit for the Premier League” aesthetic.

Ready to create your next kit?

If you’re looking to design a kit that feels sharp, considered, and built to last beyond a single season, piping is a detail worth including.

At OLIK, you can customise every part of your kit, from colours, fabrics and badges to finer details like piping, to create something that’s completely unique to your club.

Submit your ideas, and our team will work with you to bring your design to life or try our FREE kit configurator to have a go on your own. Whether you want something classic, modern, a bit out there, or somewhere in between we can the perfect kit for you.