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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 certification.
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, with TeamUCL brand logos on file and approved sustainability policies.
Playing & competition kit must be ordered through Akuma, and leisure wear should be ordered through Akuma in the first instance. Based on student feedback, Akuma are introducing cheaper leisure wear ranges, with the same guaranteed quality and delivery times of their playing kit offer.
Clubs wishing to use alternative suppliers must get approval from their staff lead. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis. You might want to use an alternative supplier because:
- Akuma can't fulfil your order (e.g. they don't provide competition kit for your sport).
- Other suppliers offer better services (e.g. price, delivery time), and have comparable sustainability policies.
If use of an alternative supplier is approved, all kit must follow TeamUCL brand guidelines and designs must be approved by staff.
- 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 a club's staff lead 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 leisurewear which you can review.
- After this, liaise with Tom, our Account Manager, ([email protected]) about any specifications to finalise the design.
- The TeamUCL shared inbox will be looped into the email thread, and once a finalised kit has been agreed with Akuma, your club's staff lead will either approve the design, or ask for changes in line with the TeamUCL brand.
- After approval, 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.
Individual members can order kit through the TeamUCL or RUMS online shop.
- 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 your clubs staff lead. It is expected that you also provide alternative quotes from other suppliers so that we can see if your preferred choice is price competitive.
If a member of TeamUCL staff team has given their approval, you can 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]).- Brand guidelines
Please use the example images below as a reference when designing kit. As a minimum, we expect:
TeamUCL logo to be the primary logo displayed on the front of the shirt.
TeamUCL text logo to be displayed on the back of the shirt, typically across the shoulders.
Club-specific names, crests, or logos should be secondary to TeamUCL branding.
All players within a team should wear the same design and colours.
Team colours must comply with the Club and Society Regulations.
Sponsor logos must not dominate the design or conflict with TeamUCL branding.
Any additional logos must be positioned in a way that maintains the visibility of TeamUCL branding.
Merchandise and leisurewear should also include TeamUCL branding where appropriate.
Examples of approved designs:
Rejected Example, TeamUCL Logo not included on back of shirt :
Approved Example: TeamUCL logo was added to back:
Rejected Example, TeamUCL Logo not included on front of shirt:
Approved Example, TeamUCL Logo included on front of shirt:
If you have any questions, feedback, or concerns about the contents of this guide, please email us at [email protected].
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