Unisex or gender-neutral? How to choose clothing for your whole group

You're ordering shirts for your team, your choir or your group of friends, and then the question comes up: how many men's and how many women's models? Or do you simply go for unisex? If you want to print team clothing, you'll run into this sooner or later. Clothing brand B&C sets it out neatly, because unisex and gender-neutral may sound the same, but they're not. We explain what that means for your order, with models you can have printed with us in Nijmegen, starting from just one piece.

Unisex T-shirts and hoodies: for everyone, but based on the men's cut

Unisex clothing originated as a statement of equality: one style, for everyone. In practice, most unisex models were made based on a men's pattern. That's why they often have broader shoulders, a longer body and a straight cut. We all know that relaxed fit, and plenty of people love it. But as B&C puts it: unisex is inclusive in concept, not always in fit.

With hoodies, jumpers and fleeces, this usually isn't an issue. A loose-fitting layer suits almost everyone, and one model makes ordering for a group a lot more straightforward.

Gender-neutral clothing: designed from scratch

Gender-neutral design starts somewhere else entirely. Instead of adapting an existing pattern, designers draw a completely new one. They take a fresh look at shoulder width, body length, where the sleeve falls and how much room there is around the hips. The result is a silhouette that suits far more body types naturally. So it's not about a mix of men's and women's, but about designing without gender in mind at all: just comfort, confidence and personal style.

B&C draws inspiration for its gender-neutral models from streetwear: relaxed and often oversized. The brand also keeps duo models, with a separate women's version where a women's cut really makes a difference.

Team shirts in women's and men's cuts side by side

With a T-shirt or polo that fits closer to the body, you notice the difference between women's and men's cuts far more. That's when a duo comes in handy: the same model in two fits. That way your group looks like one team, while everyone wears a shirt that fits comfortably. You print both versions with the same logo in the same spot, and nobody feels like the exception.

See all models under T-shirts and polo shirts.

Printing team clothing: what does this mean for your order?

A few rules of thumb we often share in our workshop:

Not every technique can be applied to every position on softshell and other technical fabrics. The product page shows which positions and techniques are available for this model. You'll find more jackets under softshell.

Looking for jackets in a separate women's and men's version? Then take a look at the jackets from B&C.

Collecting sizes and fit for your team

The trickiest part of team clothing is often not the design, but the sizes. A unisex model fits differently from a women's cut, so don't just ask about size, but also about fit. With loose-fitting layers such as hoodies, jumpers and fleeces, keep it simple with one model and one size chart. With shirts, polos and jackets, let everyone choose. If someone's unsure, they're welcome to come and try things on at our workshop in Nijmegen.

Words matter

The difference between unisex and gender-neutral might sound small, but it changes a lot: from how a pattern is drawn to how someone feels in their shirt. B&C sums it up like this: unisex includes people, gender-neutral belongs to everyone. For your team, it mainly means: choose deliberately, so nobody has to squeeze into a shirt that doesn't fit. Read more about the brand on our page about B&C.

How to approach it

Frequently asked questions about printing team clothing