The Complete Guide to Custom Activewear: Design, Print & Order Performance Apparel

Our 2026 Swag Trends Survey found that 67% of buyers only consider a gear purchase successful if they see people voluntarily wearing it. For custom activewear, that bar is even higher: a shirt that sits in a drawer after race day isn’t gear, it’s a failed investment. The difference usually comes down to fabric. A 100% polyester moisture-wicking shirt worn at a July 5K is the one people reach for every training run. A cotton tee worn once becomes a car-washing shirt.

This guide covers what separates performance gear from generic alternatives: which fabrics work, which printing methods hold up, and how to order custom activewear that your group will want to wear for every workout.

In This Article

• Choosing the Right Performance Fabric
• Which Print Methods Work on Performance Fabrics
• Popular Custom Activewear Types
• Sport-Tek vs. Under Armour: Which Blank Is Right for You
• Custom Activewear vs. Off-the-Rack: When Each Makes Sense
• How to Design and Order Custom Activewear
• Frequently Asked Questions

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Choosing the Right Performance Fabric

Performance fabrics solve three problems cotton can’t: moisture management, stretch recovery, and colorfastness after repeated washing. Which fabric fits your order depends on the activity intensity and whether you’re prioritizing feel, durability, or logo print quality.

For most groups, including company wellness programs, running clubs, and youth leagues, 100% polyester interlock is the right starting point for your custom activewear. It prints cleanly, holds color through repeated wash cycles, and handles sweat without clinging.

For a compressed look or yoga-oriented programs, a poly-spandex blend adds the four-way stretch and body-conscious fit those activities require.

“Second year ordering shirts from Custom Ink! Great customer service and our athletes love the comfortable feel and sporty look of our new shirts.”

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Featured Products from This Story

Sport-Tek Women’s Competitor Performance Shirt

• 3.8 oz., 100% polyester interlock with PosiCharge technology
• Gently contoured silhouette; removable tag; set-in sleeves
• Sizes XS–4XL; 25+ colors available

Sport-Tek Competitor Performance Shirt

• 3.8 oz., 100% polyester interlock with PosiCharge technology
• Locks in color and prevents logo fade through repeated washing
• Sizes XS–4XL; removable tag for comfort

Sport-Tek Competitor Long Sleeve Performance Shirt

• 3.8 oz., 100% polyester interlock with PosiCharge technology
• Moisture-wicking; ideal for cool-weather races and training
• Sizes XS–4XL; available in 20+ colors

Which Print Methods Work Best on Performance Fabrics

Standard screen printing with plastisol ink wasn’t designed for stretchy polyester. The right decoration method depends on your fabric, design complexity, and quantity.

Sublimation is the gold standard for full-color team jerseys. The dye bonds directly with polyester fibers, which means there’s no cracking, peeling, or fading regardless of how hard the shirt gets washed. Heat transfer (DTF) gives you full-color flexibility across a wider range of polyester products without sublimation’s requirement for white or very light base fabrics.

For embroidery on performance wear, limit placement to left-chest logos or sleeve details. Embroidering across a high-stretch area like the shoulder blades can pull the backing material and reduce the garment’s range of motion.

Popular Custom Activewear Types

Most groups need two or three different product types to cover their full range of activities and participants. Here’s what works for each category and who it’s best suited for.

Performance Shirts and Tanks

Performance T-shirts are the anchor product for most activewear orders. Tank tops work well for indoor fitness programs, warm-weather 5Ks, and yoga groups where a full sleeve interferes with movement. Both print well with heat transfer and sublimation.

Athletic Shorts and Pants

Custom athletic shorts are the second-most requested activewear item after shirts. Look for styles with moisture-wicking liners, side pockets, and four-way stretch if participants will be doing multi-directional movement. Sublimation is the preferred print method for athletic shorts since it produces no raised surface the body can feel during movement.

Women’s Activewear

Fit matters more for women’s styles than for unisex options. Our women’s activewear catalog includes contoured silhouettes, racerback tanks, and performance leggings sized XS through 4XL. When ordering for mixed groups, we always recommend ordering women’s-specific cuts rather than relying on unisex sizing; the fit difference is significant enough that it affects whether the gear gets worn.

Youth Activewear

Youth performance shirts run XS (4–6) through XL (18–20) in most Sport-Tek styles. The YST350 (Youth PosiCharge Competitor Tee) uses the same 3.8 oz. 100% polyester interlock as the adult ST350, which means it prints the same and performs the same. For youth orders, use our group ordering feature so coaches or parents can specify sizes individually rather than guessing.

Track Jackets and Quarter-Zips

Quarter-zip performance pullovers and track jackets are the warmup layer most teams order alongside their shirts. They double as branded outerwear that travels beyond the gym or the race course. The Sport-Tek ST357 (PosiCharge Competitor 1/4-Zip, 3.8 oz. 100% polyester interlock) is the most popular option for teams that want a matching warmup without a significant price jump over the base shirt.

Sport-Tek vs. Under Armour: Which Blank Is Right for You

Both are 100% polyester. Both wick moisture. The difference is in feel, weight, and what the brand recognition does for your team.

The brand recognition question matters more than most buyers expect. According to the 2026 Swag Trends Survey, 91% of recipients report feeling more valued when they receive a recognized retail brand compared to a generic private-label item. If your program is about employee appreciation or making a strong impression on clients, Under Armour blanks earn that perception. For event shirts where volume and cost-per-unit drive the decision, Sport-Tek delivers the same performance fabric at a lower price.

Custom Activewear vs. Off-the-Rack: When Each Makes Sense

Off-the-rack performance gear from a sporting goods store is always an option. Here’s when it makes sense and when custom delivers better value.

According to PPAI’s 2024 Sales Volume Report, apparel is the single largest category in the $26.78 billion U.S. promotional products industry, accounting for 26.6% of all sales. Custom activewear specifically is growing faster than basic apparel as organizations recognize that functional gear gets worn, and wearing equals impressions. Off-the-rack gear disappears into individual wardrobes. Matching custom gear builds visible team identity every time your group shows up together.

How to Design and Order Custom Activewear

1. Choose your fabric and style. Start with the performance criteria: will participants be sweating heavily? Doing yoga? Running? Competing in team sports? Use the fabric table above to match the activity to the material. Then browse our custom activewear catalog and filter by style, brand, or use case.
2. Upload your design or start in our Design Lab. Go to our Design Lab to upload a logo, customize a template from our athletic template library, or build a design from scratch. Performance fabrics show design placement in real time on the product so you can confirm it looks right before ordering.
3. Collect sizes with our Group Order feature. Instead of chasing size emails across your whole team, use our group ordering tool to send a link to participants. Each person selects their own size, pays individually if needed, and submits directly. It eliminates the logistics burden that our 2026 Swag Trends Survey found affects 60% of swag organizers who manage orders outside their primary job responsibilities.
4. Review, approve, and order. Our design experts review every order before production. Orders arrive within 2 weeks with free standard shipping. Rush options are available if your event is closer than that.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the minimum order quantity for custom activewear?

Most of our performance shirts have no minimum order, and we offer a full no-minimum catalog if you need a small quantity. Pricing per unit scales down as quantity increases, so most groups ordering 12 or more see meaningful bulk savings. Check the specific product page for quantity pricing.

Q: Can I order custom women’s activewear and men’s styles in the same order?

Most of our performance shirt styles come in both men’s and women’s cuts, and you can mix styles within the same order. Our group ordering feature lets you collect individual size and style preferences from each person rather than guessing at a unisex size split.

Q: How do I design my own activewear if I’m not a designer?

Our Design Lab has hundreds of athletic templates you can customize with your team name, colors, and logo. Upload a logo file or build something from the clipart library. If you want professional help, our design experts are available at no extra charge to refine your artwork before it goes to print.

Q: What’s the difference between custom performance shirts and standard custom t-shirts?

Performance shirts use 100% polyester or poly-spandex blends that wick moisture, dry quickly, and maintain their shape through repeated washing. Standard t-shirts typically use cotton or cotton-poly blends that absorb sweat rather than moving it away from the skin. For any physical activity where participants will be sweating, performance fabrics hold up significantly better. Our Performance T-Shirts Guide covers the full comparison with fabric weights and specs.

Q: How far in advance should I order custom activewear?

Orders arrive within 2 weeks with our free standard shipping. If your event is within 2 weeks, rush options are available. See our delivery options for current turnaround times. We recommend ordering 3–4 weeks ahead when possible, especially for group orders where collecting sizes takes extra time.

Q: Does sublimation printing work on all custom activewear?

Sublimation works only on 100% polyester fabrics in white or very light base colors. The process bonds dye directly with the polyester fiber, which is why the colors are so vibrant and durable. For dark fabrics, poly-cotton blends, or products with any cotton content, heat transfer (DTF) is the better full-color option. Our design team selects the right print method for your specific product during the order review process.