CUSTOM Letterman and Varsity Jackets Built Panel by Panel in Our Own Factory

Star Faith International manufactures wool-body, leather-sleeve letterman jackets, widely known in the UK as varsity jackets, for university societies, clubs, schools and streetwear labels. Pattern cutting, chenille and patch application, assembly and finishing all happen on our own floor in Sialkot, Punjab, so panel alignment and patch placement hold consistently across the full run. Minimum order: 50 pieces per design, per colourway.

What Goes Into a Letterman Jacket

A letterman jacket is a multi-panel garment, and each panel is a different material with its own behaviour. The body is cut from heavy wool melton, the sleeves from leather or faux leather, and the collar, cuffs and hem from rib-knit. Because these materials stretch, shrink and sew differently, the quality of the finished jacket depends on how well the panels are matched and joined rather than on any single component.

If you are exploring the wider jacket category before committing to a style, it helps to compare constructions. A bomber jacket uses a lighter, usually single-fabric shell, and a puffer jacket is built around insulation. The letterman sits at the heritage, statement end of the range, and the same varsity look can also be carried onto a lighter piece through embroidery patchwork hoodies.

Wool Melton Body

Melton is a dense, tightly woven wool that holds a structured shape and gives the jacket its weight. It is pre-shrunk before cutting so the finished garment does not shrink past the approved sample, and it provides the stable base that chenille lettering and patches need to sit flat.

Leather and Faux Leather Sleeves

Sleeves are available in genuine leather or in faux leather, depending on your price point and brand position. Leather panels are cut with the grain direction matched on both sleeves so they read as a pair, and the seams are reinforced because leather does not recover from a pulled stitch the way fabric does.

Rib-Knit Collar, Cuffs and Hem

The ribbed trims are matched to the jacket colours and knitted to the right density for the garment weight, so they hold their shape rather than stretching out after repeated wear.

Specifications at a Glance

  • Body fabric: Wool melton, pre-shrunk
  • Sleeves: Genuine leather or faux leather
  • Trims: Rib-knit collar, cuffs and hem, colour matched
  • Closure: Snap buttons or zip
  • Lining: Quilted or satin lining, optional
  • Pockets: Welt or slash side pockets, optional inside pocket
  • Fits available: Regular, oversized (custom blocks on request)
  • Size range: XS to 4XL, custom grading available
  • Minimum order: 50 pieces per design, per colourway
  • Lead time: 12 to 18 working days after sample approval

How We Build a Letterman Jacket

1. Spec Sheet and Material Confirmation

Body fabric, sleeve material, trim colours, closure type and lining are confirmed on a spec sheet before anything is cut. Because the jacket combines several materials, this is where most cost and construction decisions are locked in.

2. Sample Approval

One sample is produced against the confirmed spec for your sign-off, so colour matching between wool, leather and rib trims is approved on a physical jacket rather than a swatch.

3. Patch and Lettering Application

Chenille letters, patches and embroidery are applied to the flat body panels before the jacket is assembled. Decorating the panels while they are still flat gives cleaner placement and a tidier backing than stitching onto a finished jacket.

4. Assembly and Finishing

Panels are joined, sleeves are set, trims are attached and the lining is fitted, all on our own floor using the construction confirmed at sampling stage.

5. Three-Stage Quality Check and Dispatch

Fabric is inspected before cutting, panel alignment and patch placement are checked in-line, and every jacket is checked again before packing, including a check that snaps, seams and patch edges are secure. Orders ship to the UK on DDP terms, meaning import duty and VAT are settled before your shipment arrives, or on FOB terms if you would rather clear customs through your own forwarder.

Patches, Lettering and Personalisation

The patches and lettering are what make a letterman jacket recognisable. Custom patches can be produced as chenille, appliqué or woven, and our chenille and appliqué patches are the traditional choice for large chest letters and crests. Embroidery suits smaller logos, sleeve detail and the back lettering.

For clubs and societies that need names, numbers and years on each jacket, tackle twill gives the stitched lettering a durable, classic finish, and team personalization covers individual names and numbers across a full squad order. All of this runs in-house, so decoration does not add a second vendor or an extra shipping leg to your timeline.

Private Label and Retail-Ready Finishing

If you are building your own jacket range, our private label service covers woven neck labels and hang tags and custom packaging, all added before dispatch without changing the standard minimum order, so jackets arrive ready to sell or ready to present to members.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a letterman jacket and a varsity jacket?

They are the same garment. Letterman is the term carried over from American collegiate use, while varsity is more common in the UK. Both refer to a wool-body jacket with contrasting sleeves, rib-knit trims and chenille lettering or patches.

Yes. Sleeves are available in genuine leather or faux leather depending on your budget and brand position. Leather sleeves are cut with the grain matched on both sides and the seams are reinforced.

50 pieces per design, per colourway, roughly a quarter of the 200 or more piece minimum most trading agencies quote UK brands.

Chenille uses a looped yarn that creates a raised, textured finish, the classic lettering seen on letterman jackets. It is slower to produce than a flat patch, so it is usually used for chest letters, crests and accents.

Patches and lettering are applied to the flat body panels first because it gives cleaner placement and a neater backing than stitching onto a finished, curved jacket.

Yes. Names, numbers and years can be added through our team personalization and tackle twill services, applied in-house alongside the jacket.

12 to 18 working days after sample approval. Spec sheet confirmation and sample sign-off happen before that window begins.

Yes. Body, sleeve and rib trim colours are specified on the spec sheet and matched in-house, with the combination confirmed on your approved sample before bulk production.

Yes, the UK is one of our main export markets. We ship on DDP terms on request, meaning import duty and VAT are settled before your shipment arrives. FOB is available if you would rather clear customs through your own freight forwarder.

Yes. Woven neck labels, hang tags and retail-ready packaging can be added through our private label service before dispatch, so jackets arrive ready to sell.

Get a Quote on Letterman Jackets

Share your design, target quantity and delivery country, and our team will reply within one business day with pricing and lead time. You can contact our team directly, or browse the full Star Faith International range if you are planning a wider order across several garment types.

Request a Quote
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