What size frame for a jersey? Measure, fold and mount it right

What size frame for a jersey? It comes down to one decision and one measurement: whether the jersey will be folded or shown full-spread, and how big it is once it is arranged that way. The same shirt needs a much wider case with the sleeves out than with them tucked behind, so choose the layout before you compare case sizes.

Below: how the type of jersey changes the numbers, how to measure, how deep the case should be, and how to mount a signed jersey without glue so it still looks right for years.

Folded or full-spread: choose the layout first

A folded display tucks the sleeves behind the body along the shoulder line, so the jersey becomes a neat rectangle with the name and number (or the crest) front and center. It needs a smaller case and less wall, and it suits most rooms.

A full-spread display extends the sleeves straight out, so you see the whole garment the way it looked on the player. It makes a bigger statement, needs a wider case and more wall space, and usually leaves room at the sides for a photo or ticket.

How the type of jersey changes the size you need

Sport matters because each kind of jersey is cut differently. Use this as a starting point, then measure your own.

Cuts vary by maker, era and size, even within one league, so treat the table as a guide and your tape measure as the final word.

How to measure a jersey for a frame

Measuring takes five minutes and saves you from a case that crushes the collar or leaves the sleeves hanging over the edge.

1. Start clean. Wash your hands or wear clean gloves; the Canadian Conservation Institute recommends one or the other before handling textiles.
2. Lay it flat. Put the jersey face up on a clean table and smooth it gently without stretching the fabric.
3. Measure A, the chest width, from armpit seam to armpit seam.
4. Measure B, the length, from the top of the collar to the lowest point of the hem, including any longer back tail.
5. For full-spread only, measure C. Lay the sleeves straight out and measure from one sleeve tip to the other.
6. Note the thickness. Check the bulkiest points: stitched numbers, patches, buttons, the collar and any hanger you plan to use.
7. Fold and re-measure. Arrange the jersey exactly as you plan to show it, then measure that finished shape. That is the number to compare with a case.
8. Add a margin. Leave clear space on every side so the fabric does not touch the frame’s edges or sit right over the lights. A margin also makes the display look deliberate rather than crammed.

Compare your numbers with the case’s display area, the usable space inside, not its outside dimensions. Product pages vary in which of the two figures they quote, and labels such as “standard” or “deluxe” mean different things from one brand to the next. For other print and frame formats, see our picture frame size guide.

What size frame for a jersey: display area and depth

The two Lumi Frames Jersey sizes line up with the two layouts. Our smaller lit case covers the keepsakes that often go with a jersey.

Depth matters as much as width. A jersey is not flat: numbers, collars, buttons, a hanger and soft padding in the folds all take up space. The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) advises that objects should never be in contact with the glazing. The Canadian Conservation Institute’s framing note uses spacers to hold the glazing off a textile, so raised details are not crushed and moisture that condenses on the glazing cannot reach the fabric. A case that is too shallow presses the jersey against the front, which marks the fabric and can rub a signature. The main trade-off of extra depth is that the case stands farther off the wall.

UV-filtering glazing for signed jerseys

A signature is ink. NEDCC’s leaflet on light damage lists inks, dyes and cloth among the materials that are particularly sensitive to light, and it stresses that the damage is cumulative and irreversible: a faded signature does not come back when you move the jersey into the dark.

Ultraviolet is the most damaging part of the spectrum, so a UV-filtering front is the baseline for anything signed. NEDCC’s framing leaflet recommends UV-filtering glazing for sensitive media and suggests choosing a product that filters at least 99 percent of UV. If a case lists a UV-filtering figure, compare it with that benchmark. The Lumi Frames Jersey has a UV-filtering acrylic front. The Canadian Conservation Institute points out the trade-offs: acrylic is lighter than glass and less likely to break, but it scratches more easily and can build up enough static to pull loose fibers toward it when wiped, so clean it gently with a soft cloth.

Glazing cannot filter out visible light, though, and visible light fades dyes too. The Canadian Conservation Institute’s textile guidance shows that cutting light from 5,000 lux to 50 lux makes colors last about 100 times longer, while filtering out UV alone helps far less. Even at 50 lux, the most sensitive dyes can fade within a few years of continuous display, which is why museums also limit how long a textile stays on show. At home that means three habits: keep the case out of direct sun, run the lights at a moderate level, and switch them off when nobody is in the room. Our guide to whether LED lights fade art covers light and fading in depth.

How to mount a jersey without glue

The rule from textile conservation is simple: nothing that touches the jersey should harm it or be hard to undo. The Canadian Conservation Institute says materials used to mount and frame textiles should be acid-free, chemically stable and waterfast, and lists glues, adhesive tapes, staples, tacks and nails among the things that should never be in direct contact with them.

That leaves three good tools:

• Pins placed between the threads. The Canadian Conservation Institute’s mounting note says to slide pins between the threads of a textile rather than through them, or through openings that already exist. Mesh jerseys have plenty of those. The Lumi Frames Jersey comes with a hanger and pins for this.
• Stitching to a fabric-covered board. For a game-worn or high-value jersey, conservators stitch the textile to a fabric-covered, acid-free rigid support using a fine needle and colorfast thread. The support is spread along the whole edge, and the stitches can be removed later without harming the jersey. A conservation framer can do this for you.
• Acid-free tissue. Crumpled acid-free tissue inside each fold keeps the fabric from taking a hard crease.

To fold and pin a jersey for a standard case:

1. Wash your hands or put on clean gloves.
2. Lay the jersey face down and fold each sleeve back along the shoulder seam, slipping acid-free tissue into the folds.
3. If the jersey is longer than the display area, fold the hem up softly, padded the same way.
4. If your case uses a hanger, fit it through the neck and into the shoulders.
5. Turn the jersey over and center it on the backing, with the number or signature clear of folds and edges.
6. Pin at the shoulders, sides and hem, spreading a few pins out rather than bunching many in one spot.
7. Close the front and look from the side to check that nothing touches the acrylic.

If you would rather not do it yourself, the Send Us Your Piece service on our custom frames page can do it for you. Read its liability conditions before you ship anything, and take a one-of-a-kind jersey to a local conservation framer instead.

Caring for an autographed jersey on the wall

A little routine care goes a long way.

• Photograph it on day one. Take a photo of the signature, then photograph it again under the same lighting every few months and compare. Fading is too slow to notice day to day, and a reference photo is the easiest way to catch it.
• Choose the wall carefully. The Canadian Conservation Institute advises keeping framed textiles out of sunlight, away from fireplaces, radiators and heating vents, and off cold, damp exterior walls. Humid rooms such as bathrooms are a poor choice for the same reason.
• Keep the case closed. A shut front keeps dust off the fabric. Dust the outside of the acrylic with a soft, dry microfiber cloth.
• Use the dimmer. The case lights dim from 1 to 100 percent. Low warm white or a subtle team color is plenty for evening viewing.
• Rotate what is on show. If the jersey is irreplaceable, consider showing it for part of the year and a replica for the rest.

For heat and electrical questions, see our LED frame safety guide. To keep the power lead tidy, read how to hide frame cords. Buying for someone else? Our light-up gift ideas include jersey displays.