A good jersey number font is bold, wide enough to read at 20 to 30 metres, with clearly different 1, 7, 6, 8 and 0. For jerseys you sell, use fonts whose licence allows commercial use, such as fonts under the SIL Open Font License, and avoid copying club or league fonts.
What makes a number font work
- Heavy strokes: thin numbers vanish on striped or busy designs.
- Open shapes: 6, 8, 9 and 0 must not fill in at a distance.
- Distinct digits: 1 and 7 need clear shapes; avoid fonts where they look alike.
- Room for an outline: an outline or shadow in a contrasting colour helps on patterned backs.
Licensing in plain terms
| Licence | Use on jerseys you sell? |
|---|---|
| SIL Open Font License (most Google Fonts) | Yes |
| Apache or similar open licences | Yes |
| Commercial desktop licence you bought | Usually yes; read the terms |
| "Free for personal use" | No |
| Club or league fonts | No, unless licensed to you |
Setting fonts up in CorelDRAW
- Install the font for all users (right-click the file, Install for all users) so every designer's PC matches.
- Restart CorelDRAW so it lists the font.
- Set the name and number in the template with that font, then test 0, 1, 7 and 88 at the real size.
- Keep the font files with the template, so a new PC can be set up the same way.
AJILE fills names and numbers in whatever font the template uses, and it installs its own symbol font for codes like {dollar}, so special characters print on every PC.
Names in Indian scripts
Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and other scripts need a Unicode font that includes those characters. Test the longest name in the roster, because letter widths differ from Latin fonts.
Questions
Can I use any free font on jerseys I sell?
Only if its licence allows commercial use. Fonts under the SIL Open Font License, which covers most Google Fonts, allow it. 'Free for personal use' fonts do not.
Can I use a club's official font?
Club and league fonts are usually owned by the kit maker or league and are not licensed for others. Use a similar open font instead.
How do I add an outline to numbers in CorelDRAW?
Use a contour (the Contour tool) outside the number, or duplicate the number and give the copy a thick outline behind the original.
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