Custom Athleisure Apparel Buyers Guide
Custom Athleisure Apparel Buyers Guide
Have you ever noticed that clothing designed to workout in is also the best clothing to do nothing in at all? That’s what we like to call "inactive-wear" More and more people have started wearing their activewear outside of the gym, which has blurred the definition of activewear and lead to the rise of companies like Under Armour. This trend has also produced a new style of apparel – athleisure.
What is Athleisure Apparel?
It’s not quite gym clothing, but you could wear it in the gym. It’s not quite office clothing, but you could wear it in the office – depending on where you work. Athleisure wear transcends the confines of traditional activewear combining peak style and comfort for garments that can be worn in just about any occasion. From the locker room to the boardroom, from the couch to the course, athleisure apparel is always a good (and comfy) choice.
Custom Athleisure Retail Brands
At Merchology we offer over 200 retail brands for customization, more than anyone in the industry. If you can’t find the right apparel piece or accessory for your corporate logo here, you probably won’t find it anywhere else. With athleisure being such a broad category, there’s A LOT of brands that could fall into this category. Check out what we’ve got for you.
Types of Athleisure Apparel & Accessories
Athleisure can mean a lot of things, but they all center around comfort and functionality. Just about any apparel can be classified as athleisure wear if you can wear it for both athletic and non-athletic applications. We'll get you started with some ideas for the most popular athleisure apparel.
Quarter Zip Sweatshirts
The custom quarter zip sweatshirt has become one of the most commonly worn pieces of apparel in the office over the past decade. Custom quarter zips are just the right amount of formal for the workplace or the golf course. The only thing that could make it better is your corporate logo.
Shop Custom Men's Quarter Zips or Custom Women's Quarter Zips
Full Zip Sweatshirts
Zip it up, zip it down. The choice is yours with these custom full-zip sweatshirts. Full zip sweatshirts are the perfect choice for a morning run or a trip to the movie theater. Full zips are simply the most versatile custom layering piece there is.
Shop Custom Men's Full Zip Sweatshirts or Custom Women's Full Zip Sweatshirts
Custom Hoodies
Hoodies have always been the go-to for lounging around the house. They also make great custom apparel because of the large, uninterrupted space they provide on the chest of the garment. It’s the perfect canvas for your embroidered or printed corporate logo.
Shop Custom Men's Hoodies or Custom Women's Hoodies
Custom Performance Polos
After wearing a custom performance polo shirt, you’ll never want to wear a traditional polo again. Resist the urge to throw out all your old polos though, these performance polos with be a great addition to your collection. What makes custom performance polos special is the combination of moisture wicking performance fabric and UV protection to keep you cool and dry plus polyester performance fabric that provides extra ventilation and stretches with your movement. Check out our Custom Polos Buyers Guide for more tips!
Shop Custom Men's Polos or Custom Women's Polos
Custom Vests
These vests were originally created as a layering piece for anything from walking the dog in the morning to hiking up a mountain. However, custom vests are quickly becoming one of the most popular options for corporate apparel.
Shop Men's Custom Vests or Women's Custom Vests
Performance T-Shirts
Performance shirts typically are made of polyester or other performance fabrics and leverage technology to provide benefits that traditional tees can’t provide. Some of these added features are moisture-wicking fabric, added ventilation, anti-odor tech, and fabric that stretches as you move.
Shop Men's Custom Performance Tees or Women's Custom Performance Tees
Custom Tank Tops
Although you probably won’t want to wear these into the office, custom tanks are an athleisure staple. Nothing is better on a hot day than losing the sleeves.
Shop Men's Custom Tank Tops or Women's Custom Tank Tops
Custom Sweat Pants & Joggers
Unless your boss is REALLY cool, you probably won’t be able to wear custom sweats into the office either… but you’ll put them on the minute you get home. Seriously, there’s nothing better than lounging in the perfect pair of custom sweatpants.
Shop Men's Custom Sweatpants or Women's Custom Sweatpants
Custom Athletic Shorts
It’s the warm weather version of sweatpants! Because of the fabric type its made from, there’s nothing as comfortable as a pair of custom gym shorts or basketball shorts. Whether you’re hitting the court or hitting the couch, it all starts with shorts.
Shop Men's Custom Athletic Shorts or Women's Custom Athletic Shorts
Custom Leggings & Fitness Pants
If it was your choice, you’d probably wear these everywhere. Custom leggings and spandex fitness pants are synonymous with comfort and flexibility. Add your logo to represent your company from the yoga studio to the grocery store and beyond.
Shop Men's Custom Fitness Pants or Women's Custom Fitness Pants
Custom Hats
A customized hat is a perfect accessory to complete a corporate athleisure outfit. We offer a wide variety of custom hats, so you can easily match the brands and colors for the rest of your athleisure apparel. Check out our Custom Hat Buying Guide for a complete breakdown of the hat customization process.
Shop Custom Athleisure Hats
Custom Fitness Trackers
If you can’t prove that you worked out, did you even really work out? Custom fitness trackers and heart rate monitors are a great way to keep track of your progress and stay in shape. Add your company logo for some fantastic corporate gifts!
Shop Custom Printed Fitness Trackers
Applications for Custom Athleisure Clothing
By now you know that athleisure apparel can be worn in just about any occasion. But why should you invest in athleisure clothing for your company? We’ve included some practical applications for custom athleisure apparel below that make sense for your business.
Promotional Apparel & Giveaways
Traditionally promotional apparel is cheap, low quality and is rarely worn by the consumer. Going with custom athleisure apparel as promotional items instead is a great way to separate yourself from the competition at your next trade show or recruiting event.
Company 5K Race Events
It’s no surprise that athleisure wear doubles as excellent running apparel. If your planning a 5K race event for your company or community athleisure apparel is the place to start. Check out our 5K Running Clothes Collection to get started.
Sports Team Uniforms
Athleisure apparel is typically made from high-tech performance fabric, making it a perfect addition to your sports team uniforms. Think team logo warm-ups, hoodies, athletic shorts, baseball caps, and jerseys.
Golf Events
If you're organizing a company golf outing, then athleisure apparel should be at the top of your list. Custom performance polos with your event or corporate logo are the perfect way to promote your event while staying cool and dry on the course. Complete the look with custom golf hats with your logo!
Corporate Gifts
Everyone loves athleisure apparel, which makes it an ideal corporate gift. This could be for holiday gifts, year-end bonuses, corporate uniforms, sales prizes, or just to show your appreciation to your employees. Check out our Corporate Gift Buyers Guide for some great corporate gift ideas.
New Employee Packages
There’s no better way to make a new colleague feel welcome than with a starter pack. Adding your corporate logo to new employee swag will surely make them feel like they’re part of the team already. Check out our New Employee Onboarding Gift Buyers Guide and New Hire Welcome Gifts Collection for ideas.
Athleisure Apparel Customization Options
At Merchology we practice just about every custom decoration method there is. Determining what customization technique is right for your application depends on the product that you are customizing. Check out our complete Custom Decoration Methods Guide to see all the ways you can add your logo to apparel & accessories!
Embroidery
Custom embroidery is the most commonly selected decoration method by our customers. Embroidery especially ideal for custom polos, sweatshirts, and hats. You can learn more about how commercial embroidery is performed here.
Screen Printing
Silkscreen printing is the most versatile decoration method there is and can be used to add your logo to just about any flat surface. Screen printing is the go-to decoration method for custom t-shirts and is also commonly used on sweatshirts and polos. Check out how screen printing works here.
Heat Transfer Printing
Heat transfer printing is another customization method that is commonly used for athleisure apparel, although it is not as much of a fit as screen printing or embroidery because it works best on cotton or acrylic fabrics. However, if you’re looking for individually personalized apparel like team jerseys then heat transfer printing is probably the right choice for you! Learn more about how heat transfer printing is done here.
Other Customization Methods
While embroidery, screen printing, and heat transfer printing are the most commonly used decoration types for athleisure apparel, it doesn’t end there. Vinyl transfer printing and applique embroidery can also be used to add your logo to custom shirts and sweatshirts and 3D puff embroidery is also used to decorate custom hats.
Where Can I Add My Logo?
Logo placement options ultimately depend on the garment or item you are decorating. Popular corporate logo placements based on the item you are customizing are included below, but more logo placement options are available upon request.
- Quarter Zips & Full Zips: left chest, right chest or sleeve logo placement.
- Hoodies: left chest, right chest, center chest, or sleeve.
- Polo Shirts: left chest, right chest or sleeve.
- T-Shirts: left chest, right chest, center chest or back.
- Vests: left chest or right chest.
- Tank Tops: front chest or back.
- Sweatpants & Fitness Pants: left thigh or right thigh.
- Athletic Shorts: left thigh or right thigh.
- Hats: front, left side or right side.
Next Steps
You are now armed with all the knowledge you need to start shopping for the perfect custom athleisure apparel from brands you know and love for your business! Check out our Corporate Athleisure Collections for ideas on where to start or contact us with any questions you may have. Finally, be sure to check out our Buyers Guides Page for more insights on how to pick the right merch for your business.