Build Your Business:


Print Team Apparel Like a Pro




October 3, 2016

A big part of the ongoing success of any decorated apparel shop in the team uniform market is staying abreast of the latest trends. Being perceived as the shop that always has the hottest new looks can be an advantage in this competitive arena.

The saying “change or die” applies to team uniform decorating as much as anything else. While team uniforms are considered a traditional market, there are exceptions to the rule, and you want to make sure to present new looks to your team customers who may be ready for a change.

Big brands like Nike, Under Armour and adidas drive some evolving industry trends, and they are good examples to look to for clues as to what direction team uniforms are moving toward.   

The following are seven observations of today’s team uniform industry.


1. Decorating Options
There are three primary ways to decorate team uniforms: screen printing, embroidery appliqué and heat-applied graphics.

There are several sub-categories within the heat-applied graphics group, including screen-printed heat transfers, digital transfers (sublimation, inkjet, color laser printer, printer/cutter) and film-based cutter materials.

Each type of heat-applied graphic has its pros and cons, which should be taken into consideration when choosing which method to use for a particular job.

For example, there are three ways to heat apply a number and name to a uniform. The first method is to buy individual precut letters and numbers, and position and heat-seal them on a uniform.

Another option is to purchase cutter material and cut your own numbers and names; however, cutting numbers can result in wasted material, especially in the production of two- digit numbers.

The third way is to purchase precut and prespaced names and numbers, which come on a clear carrier sheet ready to be heat applied. This is the fastest production method, but also the most expensive.

The most cost-effective solution is to combine methods and buy precut numbers and cut your own names.

Although buying precut numbers limits the shop to stock fonts, cutting in-house wastes material and, in turn, costs more. It is cost-effective, however, to cut names in-house, assuming production time isn’t a  factor. Single-digit numbers are easy to position and apply; however, with names, there may be as many as 15 characters, which can be time consuming to position on the garment. A precut player name may cost approximately $1 more, but you save the trouble of having to physically cut and weed the name.

2. Performance Fabrics

Today’s team uniforms are made of soft, light, stretchy fabrics that are moisture-wicking, antimicrobial and offer other features such as compression. The heat-applied materials used to decorate these fabrics must be able to stretch and rebound back to their original shape without distortion.

Another challenge with performance fabrics is that they are, by and large, made of polyester, a material that scorches under the traditional 300°F-plus heat-transfer temperature settings.

It’s also important to avoid putting a heavy, rubbery-feeling decoration on an airy, light, breathable jersey. The decoration needs to be light, breathable and have a soft hand to be compatible with its substrate.

There are a variety of heat-applied graphic materials designed specifically for this type of apparel. So as a decorator, it’s crucial that you offer two main types of  decorating materials: all-purpose products for cotton/polyester T-shirts (garments that are not heat sensitive) and choices  for performancewear.

3. Detailed Logos

For years, sports names and numbers were done in either a plain block or script font. Now, there is a trend toward using more detailed, intricate fonts, which are being integrated with team mascots or graphics to create more eye-catching, sophisticated looks. This trend extends to team uniforms and fanwear.

To offer this look, you have to choose your decorating process carefully. Screen printing offers the degree of fine detail needed, and offers the options of direct screen printing or custom screen-printed heat transfers.

The printer/cutter process, which involves inkjet printing a design on a white material and then contour cutting it, also is great for high detail. One of the newer trends is to use a laser cutter for creating graphics with film-roll goods. While this process is limited to single-color designs, the laser allows for more precise detail cutting than a cutter blade.

Laser cutting also dramatically reduces the amount of weeding necessary, which always has been a barrier to doing intricate designs with a blade, because it can double or triple the weeding time.

4. Stretch Litho
For full-color logos, traditional screen printing can be cost-prohibitive because you must charge for every color. However, a new hybrid transfer, called stretch litho, allows decorators to offer full-color screen printing with no limitations on colors, at the same price.

While printer/cutter transfers are ideal for smaller-quantity full-color jobs, the cost does not go down as the quantity increases. With stretch litho, however, the price drops as the quantity increases, making it ideal for orders of 100 pieces or more.

5. Color Blocking
Color blocking is an old trend that is making a comeback in the decorated apparel marketplace. Color accents are added on elbows, across shoulders, in striping and side panels, or in piping and trims on uniforms.

In terms of adding decoration to a color-blocked garment, if color matching is a concern, a printer/cutter is the ideal process. You can most  closely match a color using a printer/cutter vs. being restricted to the stock colors of film cutter materials.

6. Standout Details
The bling trend lives on with metallic gold and silver continuing to be sought-after effects for uniforms and spiritwear. Teams like to stand out and metallics are a good way to achieve that goal.

Tonal prints are another evolving trend on the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s an understated look that almost blends in with the garment. An easy way to create a tone-on-tone look is to use a clear glossy or clear matte heat-applied material. It allows the shirt color to show through, but provides just enough of a sheen to make the graphic visible.

Of course, a team number needs to be visible from a distance, but tonal effects work well as accents, especially on players’ names.

Another trend is using a team motto instead of players’ names. An organization may prefer to put something like “One team, one dream” using a tonal effect as opposed to the traditional individual name. A motto can build team camaraderie and, if done subtly, won’t compete with the number.

7. Patterned Twills

Twill used for embroidery appliqué has long been a staple in the team market especially for football and hockey jerseys. A new trend is taking it one step beyond by using sublimation to overprint a pattern.

If you don’t own a sublimation printer, many suppliers sell patterned twill numbers. Patterns also can be incorporated with heat transfers. A heat-applied film does not add a lot of weight, but gives an eye-catching two-color effect.

These ideas can help you offer new looks to your team uniform customers. If you have time, doing some research and development to come up with new looks on your own often can pay off in increased sales. Experiment with some of these tips and see if you can get your team customers excited about  having the most unique uniforms in their league.

Josh Ellsworth is general manager for Stahls’ CADCUTdirect.com. For more information or to comment on this article, email Josh at josh@cadcutdirect.com or visit his website at  joshellsworth.com.