Abbey Brand
Abbey Brand Children's Front-Wrap Server Alb, Style 225
An American-made children's front-wrap altar server alb in white 100 percent polyester with Velcro closure, style 225.
Vestments & Clergy Apparel
Altar Server & Choir Apparel
Altar servers vest either in a white alb with a cincture or in a black cassock with a white surplice, depending on parish custom. The items here include children's and youth albs in polyester or poly-cotton and a hooded First Communion alb sized in centimeters. There is also a children's Roman cassock with snaps, rope and band cinctures, and a server cross on a cord. Sizes for children are usually by height, and the sacristan should expect to stock several sizes.
Decide first between alb and cassock, since the two require different accessories. For albs, the Abbey Brand and Christian Brands front-wrap styles fit younger servers; the GliCraft rope cincture suits adults. For cassocks, pair the Abbey Brand Roman cassock with a surplice from the surplices page and a band cincture if the parish uses one. The Holyart hooded alb is a First Communion garment rather than a server alb. A server cross is a useful mark of commissioning.
8 altar server & choir apparel
Eight items are listed, covering albs, a cassock, cinctures and a server cross for children and adults.
Abbey Brand
Abbey Brand Children's Roman Server Cassock, Style 215
A black children's Roman-style altar server cassock with snap closure in 65/35 polyester-cotton, made in the United States, style 215.
Christian Brands
Christian Brands Altar Server Front-Wrap Alb
A front-wrap altar server alb in a 65/35 polyester-cotton blend, part number J6470, with few other details given by the maker.
Holyart
Holyart Hooded First Communion Alb, 125 cm
An Italian-made white hooded alb in 100 percent polyester, sized by the child's height from 105 to 150 cm, here in 125 cm.
Religious Supply Center
Religious Supply Center Server's Rope Cincture
A rope cincture cut to altar server length, part 205CA1426, listed in purple; it ties at the waist over a server alb.
IvyRobes
IvyRobes Band Cincture, Black With Gold Cross
A black polyester band cincture with gold piping, embroidered cross, and tassel, in four waist sizes from 34 to 49 inches with Velcro adjustment.
Christian Brands
Christian Brands Altar Server Cross on Nylon Cord
A one-sided three-inch zinc alloy altar server cross with service symbols, hung on a 28-inch nylon cord; one pendant per order.
GliCraft
GliCraft 153-Inch White Rope Cincture With Tassels
A white hand-woven polyester rope cincture about 153 inches long with five-inch tassels and knotted ends, sold singly for adult albs.
Side by side
The specifications the makers publish, in one table.
| Product | Color | |
|---|---|---|
| Abbey Brand Children's Front-Wrap Server Alb, Style 225 Abbey Brand | White | Check availability |
| Abbey Brand Children's Roman Server Cassock, Style 215 Abbey Brand | Black | Check availability |
| Christian Brands Altar Server Front-Wrap Alb Christian Brands | — | Check availability |
| Holyart Hooded First Communion Alb, 125 cm Holyart | White | Check availability |
| Religious Supply Center Server's Rope Cincture Religious Supply Center | Purple | Check availability |
| IvyRobes Band Cincture, Black With Gold Cross IvyRobes | Black | Check availability |
| Christian Brands Altar Server Cross on Nylon Cord Christian Brands | Multi | Check availability |
| GliCraft 153-Inch White Rope Cincture With Tassels GliCraft | White | Check availability |
Questions before you order
How do I size an alb for a child?
Measure the child's height and the distance from the base of the neck to about two inches above the shoe. Compare with the maker's size chart; children's albs are often sold in numbered sizes or by height in centimeters. Order one size up for growing children and hem if needed.
Should servers wear albs or cassock and surplice?
Either is permitted. The alb is the baptismal garment and is the simpler choice for a mixed group of boys and girls. Cassock and surplice is traditional in many parishes and needs two garments per server. The pastor sets the custom; the sacristan keeps a range of sizes.
What length cincture does a server need?
A rope cincture for a child should be about 60 to 100 inches so the knotted ends hang to the knee after wrapping. Adult cinctures run from 120 to 160 inches. Band cinctures for cassocks are sized by waist and usually adjust with Velcro.
How should server albs be washed?
Polyester albs machine wash warm and tumble dry low; take them out promptly and hang them. Poly-cotton albs may need light pressing. Wash whites separately from black cassocks. Remove cinctures and crosses before washing. A rotation of spare albs lets the sacristan wash in batches after busy weekends.