Class Reunion Shirts: Designs, Names and Planning Tips
By The Velocity Wear Team
Class reunion shirts get a few hundred US searches a month, mostly from volunteer committees. A good reunion shirt sparks conversations, helps people find classmates and becomes a keepsake.
Design ideas
- School name, mascot and Class of year.
- Then and now: graduation year and reunion year side by side.
- A throwback design in the style of your senior year.
- Every classmate's name on the back, including a small tribute to classmates who have passed.
- An inside joke everyone in the class will remember.
School logos
Using the school mascot or logo may require permission, especially for colleges. High schools are often relaxed for alumni events, but ask.
Pre-orders
Add shirt orders to reunion registration. Collect sizes and payment together. Our minimum is 20 per design with sizes mixed, which most classes reach.
Sizing
Reunion crowds want comfortable fits. Offer a relaxed unisex fit and extended sizes, and share a size chart in inches.
In memoriam
Many classes include names of classmates who have passed. Do it respectfully, and confirm names carefully with the committee.
Timing
Production takes 10 to 15 working days after artwork approval, plus shipping. Close shirt orders about five weeks before the reunion.
Mistakes to avoid
- 1Misspelled classmate names.
- 2Ordering after the reunion registration closes.
- 3No extended sizes.
- 4Using a college logo without permission.
Quick checklist
- Design approved by committee?
- Logo permission checked?
- Shirts in registration form?
- Names proofread?
- Orders closed five weeks out?
Reunion milestones and design tone
A 10-year reunion crowd often wants something fun and nostalgic. A 25th might lean toward a smarter polo or quality tee. A 50th reunion calls for comfort and a touch of pride, with the class year front and center. Match the garment and design to the milestone and the crowd.
Nostalgia that works
Reference things from your senior year: the class motto, the yearbook theme, a famous school moment, the sports team's big season. Keep it positive and inclusive. Jokes that only a small group understands can make others feel left out.
Collecting orders from scattered classmates
Classmates are spread across the country. Put shirt orders in the reunion registration form with sizes and payment together. Send reminders through the class social media group and email. Classmates who can't attend sometimes want a shirt shipped, so decide whether you'll offer that and how shipping costs will be covered.
Shirts for spouses and guests
Partners and guests often attend. A version with Plus One or Reunion Guest in the same design is a friendly touch, or simply let guests buy the class shirt. Plan quantities accordingly.
Leftovers and funds
Order a small buffer, then sell leftovers at the event. Any profit can go toward the reunion budget, a class gift to the school, or a scholarship in memory of classmates, which many classes find meaningful.
Planning timeline
- Four months out: committee agrees design and budget.
- Three months out: shirt orders open with registration.
- Five weeks out: orders close.
- Four weeks out: artwork approved and production begins.
- One week out: shirts arrive and are sorted by name.
Name badges and shirts together
Twenty years changes faces. Pair reunion shirts with name badges showing each person's name and a senior yearbook photo. The shirt says we're one class; the badge helps everyone remember who's who.
A class gift
Some classes use reunion shirt profits to fund a gift to the school, such as library books or sports equipment. Mention it on the order form. Classmates are often happy to pay a little more knowing it goes back to where it all started.
Get started
See custom t-shirts, the design studio, and our graduation shirts guide.
