At the heart of every great uniform is a time-tested manufacturing process. Making high-quality sports apparel requires a lot of experience, the right equipment, and extensive knowledge of design. Without prior knowledge of the garment manufacturing industry, the process of uniform manufacturing can be a bit confusing. Fortunately, we have many years of industry experience and can help you understand the process from start to finish.

A Quick Guide to Uniform Manufacturing

As with any other garment production process, the key to manufacturing durable athletic apparel is having a dedicated team of professionals that handle all aspects of fabric selection, construction, printing, quality assurance, and more.

• Fabric Selection: The material a uniform is made of plays an important role in the rest of its design. In turn, not all textiles are created equal. Garment specialists look for only high-performance fabrics that can stand up to the wear and tear of sports at every level. That is precisely why polyester and spandex have become the preferred choice for making athletic apparel. Polyester is known as the workhorse of workout fabrics, because it is breathable, durable, lightweight, non-absorbent, and wrinkle-resistant. This premium synthetic material also repels harmful ultraviolet rays and insulates even when wet. Spandex adds the much-needed stretch to sportswear that athletes need to enjoy full range of motion. When combined, polyester and spandex create a polyblend capable of cooling, compression, and keeping athletes dry.

• Cutting and Stitching: A uniform should never be one size fits all. That is precisely why sports uniforms are available in a wide range of cuts and styles, depending on the chosen sport. Cuts and styles are carefully chosen based on the needs of individual athletes. Football jerseys, for example, typically feature a loose-fitting cap sleeve not only provide enough room for protective shoulder pads but also for passing and catching. Soccer jerseys are typically form-fitting and feature an angled fit with just a bit of extra space throughout the chest. Depending on the sport, you also have the option of choosing tanks instead of tees to avoid being constricted by sleeves. What’s more, many uniforms are also available in performance or relaxed fits and a variety of necklines, including crew necks, V-necks, and more. Most tanks made for basketball, field hockey, and track feature a flatlock seam or serged seam construction for durability.

• Dye-Sublimation: Once the overall design of a uniform is drawn up and turned into a reality, the creative process can begin. Recent advances in digital printing technology allow designers to create complex all-over designs with no limit on color combinations or high-resolution imagery. Compared to screen-printing and other printing methods, sublimation is more affordable and allows for an infinite amount of customization. Teams can give their uniforms a one-of-a-kind look using whatever coloration and logo they desire, both front and back. The image you have chosen for your uniforms is first printed onto specialty transfer paper and then fed into a high-pressure heat press machine. The disperse dyes used to produce high-quality logos and photographic images are converted into a gas as they pass through the heat press and controlled with pressure. On a molecular level, the polyblend starts to soften and open up, allowing the ink to bond with the fabric instead of being printed on top of the garment.

• Quality Assurance: At every step of the process, production samples are inspected and tested to ensure they meet strict standards for quality and performance. Athletes depend on their uniforms for many reasons, which is why we take great care in confirming that every garment we produce is worthy of wearing at every level of play.

How to Create Custom Team Uniforms

Designing your own custom sports uniforms can be daunting at first, but our streamlined approach to uniform manufacturing makes it easy to help your athletes stand apart from the competition. Using our uniform building tool, you can take a crack at designing your own custom uniforms by selecting cut, style, font, colors, number position, and logo design. Our uniform experts are happy to help if you need any assistance along the way. Please feel free to contact Dynamic Team Sports with any questions about our manufacturing process or our selection of custom team uniforms.