Ordering Kit and Merchandise

This guide is linked from our core how-to guide on Raising, Spending & Managing Money.

Society Merchandise

When selling merchandise, you can either sell the merchandise to your members first and then order it based on the numbers you have, or place an order for a given quantity first and sell it to your members afterwards. Whichever way round you do this is up to you, but make sure you have enough money in your club/society account to place the order.

As always, the key to getting your merchandise successfully published and sold is submitting everything with plenty of time. Our standard turnaround time for forms is 10 working days, but some processes may take longer, especially in busy periods.

How to order merchandise

Find a suitable supplier and contact them for a price quotation for your design. There is not an official supplier for society merchandise, however you should ensure they are UK-based and have a valid sustainability certificate.

Submit a Ticket Request Form so you can sell the merchandise on your society page. You must not sell merchandise any other way - using personal bank accounts to collect money is in breach of our regulations. On the form, make sure to select "product", not "event". Here you can also request additional options for colour, size, etc. Please review our guide on how to sell tickets and products for further information.

Secure a quote from the supplier and make payment. If the total order value is under £350, you can pay for this yourself and be reimbursed through a Payment Request Form. If it is over £350, you must not pay for it yourself, and should submit a Purchase Request Form so we can make the payment directly from your society account. For more information on club/society expenditure, please review the 'Expenditure' section of our 'Raising, Spending & Managing' core how-to guide.

Design Guidelines

We recommend that you refer to your society by its full name, preceded either by "Students' Union UCL" or "UCL". As you are ordering for a society affiliated to Students' Union UCL, you have the right to use the Students' Union UCL logo and name if you wish. Please review our brand guidelines first.

While you can refer to your society as "UCL Example Society", you should not use the UCL logo or brand. Instead, use the Students' Union UCL brand as described above.

You must not include any text or images that could be considered discriminatory, defamatory, harassment or hate speech.

Sports Club Kit - Akuma

For TeamUCL clubs, Akuma is our official kit provider. We encourage clubs to order kit through Akuma as they offer a bespoke service to UCL clubs and have approved sustainability policies and logos on file.

If you decide to use an alternative supplier, all kit must have the Team UCL logo included so that our sports clubs are easily identifiable. BUCS and LUSL regulations also expect a team to be dressed in the same kit. Section 9 of the Club and Society Regulations outlines the playing colours for UCL and RUMS Clubs. 

If your kit design includes a sponsors’ logo you must first have a Sponsorship Agreement signed by a Sabbatical Officer. Please review the 'Sponsorship' section of our 'Raising, Spending & Managing Money' core how-to guide for further information on this.

Finally, all kit suppliers should be based in the UK and have a sustainability policy which aligns with the Union’s sustainability policy. 

The design, sustainability policy and sponsorship must be checked and approved by the Sports Development Coordinator before kit/merchandise can be ordered.

How to order kit with Akuma

On the Akuma website, you are able to look at current designs or design your own using the 'Kit Builder'. We also have a brochure of kit designs which you can review. After this, liaise with Akuma ([email protected]) about any specifications to finalise the design.

Once a finalised kit has been agreed with Akuma, please send the design and quoted price to TeamUCL ([email protected]).

After a member of TeamUCL staff approves your kit, you may place an order with Akuma. Akuma will send you an invoice which must be paid via a Purchase Request Form - please do not pay it yourself. 

When submitting a Purchase Request Form, please outline the amount of money you would like deducted from your Grant account and your Non-Grant account on separate lines. This should include Friends’ Trust funding which counts as Non-Grant. Our Activities Finance Team will then be able to allocate your club funds accordingly.

For more information on club/society expenditure, please review the 'Expenditure' section of our 'Raising, Spending & Managing' core how-to guide.

How to order kit from alternative suppliers

Akuma is our official kit provider. We encourage clubs to order kit through Akuma as they offer a bespoke service to UCL clubs and have approved sustainability policies and logos on file. 

If you do not wish to use Akuma, you must provide written confirmation of your reasons for using an alternative supplier, and have met with Tom ([email protected]) to clarify whether Akuma can meet your kit requirements, and to secure a quote for comparison.

If you decide to pursue an alternative supplier, reach out to them for a price quotation and kit/merchandise design. Please also double check that they are based in the UK and have a sustainability policy.

Send the design of the kit/merchandise, price quotation and sustainability policy to TeamUCL ([email protected]). It is expected that you also provide alternative quotes from other suppliers so that we can see if your preferred choice is price competitive.

Once a member of TeamUCL staff team has given you their approval, you may go ahead and order the kit/merchandise. If the order is less than £350, you can pay for it yourself and be reimbursed via a payment request form. If the order is over £350, please do not pay it yourself, but submit a purchase request form for the Union to pay it. For more information on club/society expenditure, please review the 'Expenditure' section of our 'Raising, Spending & Managing' core how-to guide.

If you are at all unsure of how to proceed with ordering kit, please contact TeamUCL ([email protected]).

If you have any questions, feedback, or concerns about the contents of this guide, please email us at [email protected].