Custom Athletic Shirts for Training, Racing and Game Day

Moisture-Wicking and Dry Fit Fabrics Explained

"Dry fit" is the everyday name for performance knit, usually 100% polyester or a polyester-spandex blend. Polyester fibers absorb very little water, so sweat travels along the fabric to the outside surface and evaporates instead of soaking in. Cotton does the opposite: it holds sweat, gets heavy and clings, which is why a cotton race shirt feels like a wet towel by mile three in Orlando humidity.

What to look for on the label:

• 100% polyester (about 3.5 to 4.5 oz): light, fast-drying and colorfast. The standard for race shirts, team training and outdoor events.
• Polyester-spandex blends: a few percent to 15% or more spandex adds four-way stretch for compression and fitted training tops.
• Poly-cotton blends: softer and more casual, with some wicking. Good for gym merch people wear to lunch afterward.
• Recycled polyester: spun from recycled plastic, with the same performance as virgin polyester.
• Mesh panels and textured knits: extra airflow at the back and underarms.

For long days in direct sun, many performance styles carry a UPF rating; anglers and boat crews should look at our UPF fishing shirts, built for hours on the water.

Running Shirts for Races and Clubs

Custom running shirts are the most-worn souvenir of any 5K or half marathon, so it pays to get them right. Pick a light color in lightweight polyester for Florida races, put the event name and date big on the front, and move sponsor logos to the back, where there's room for a grid of them without crowding the design. Organizing the race itself? See our 5K race shirts for race packets, sponsor backs and volunteer crews.

Keep ink coverage reasonable. A huge solid print sits on the fabric like a patch and blocks airflow, so outline-style graphics or distressed textures breathe better on a running shirt. Run clubs usually want two versions: a branded singlet or tech tee for race day and a softer blend for the post-run coffee. Pacers and volunteers can get the same design in a contrasting color so runners spot them in a crowd.

Compression and Base-Layer Tops

Compression tops fit like a second skin, supporting muscles and wicking sweat during lifting, training and contact sports. They're cut from high-spandex knits, which changes how they can be decorated. A small chest or sleeve logo goes on with a thin, flexible transfer that stretches with the fabric. Full-coverage designs are usually sublimated (not a method we offer), though on very stretchy fabric the color can lighten slightly where it stretches the most (printers call it "grin-through"), so critical details are best kept away from high-stretch zones.

For cool mornings or sun protection without a skin-tight fit, our long sleeve tees come in performance blends too. We carry compression tops in short and long sleeves, so the whole team can train in matching base layers.

Workout and Sleeveless Gym Shirts

Gym shirts split into two camps: performance tees for training hard and soft blends for everything else. Sleeveless styles cover both, from dropped-armhole muscle tanks and sleeveless tees to racerback tanks in women's cuts.

Tanks need their own artwork plan. The front panel is narrower and the neckline sits lower, so a graphic sized for a tee may need to shrink or move up an inch. Back prints work well on racerbacks, where the shoulder blades leave a clean field for a logo or slogan. Personalized touches, such as a trainer's name on the back or a member's challenge result, make a shirt people keep.

Gyms and Trainers: Branded Performance Tees Members Buy

A gym shirt is advertising that walks out the door, but only if members want to wear it. Gym merch works best when you treat it like a small clothing line:

• Staff and coaches wear branded performance tees with "COACH" or a personalized first name on the back, so new members know who to ask.
• Members buy soft blend tees and tanks with a clean logo; giant fonts and busy graphics sell less than a well-placed chest logo and a good back slogan.
• Challenge and finisher shirts reward a six-week program or a box competition, and personalized names on the back make them feel earned.
• Small drops test designs: with no minimum, you can order a handful in two colors before stocking up.

Rec leagues, corporate wellness teams and sports clubs work the same way. Our team and league shirts cover names and numbers for full rosters.

Decorating Polyester Without Cracking or Dye Migration

Performance fabric is harder to decorate than cotton, and the common problems are all avoidable:

• Dye migration: at high curing temperatures, dye in red, dark or heathered polyester can bleed into white or light ink and turn it pink. The fix is lower-temperature inks and, on problem colors, a dye-blocking layer under the print. We use low-bleed ink on polyester at no extra charge.
• Cracking: stiff ink on stretchy fabric splits. DTF film and stretch-friendly inks flex with the knit, and sublimation has no layer to crack at all.
• Shine and scorch marks: polyester is heat-sensitive, so press time and temperature are kept low.
• Puckering: dense embroidery can pull a thin knit. Keep stitched logos small and save heavy embroidery for polos and heavier tees.

For performance shirts, DTF, sublimation and embroidery usually beat DTG, which bonds best with cotton. Our guide to heat transfer printing explains how DTF and sublimation work. Preview your design in our 3D Custom Designer before anything is produced; orders of 100+ pieces get a free mockup.

Pricing, Fees and Small Orders

There's no minimum, so you can order one shirt for a trainer or a few hundred for a race. One-time fees are simple: embroidery has a $35 digitizing fee per design (afterward you can download the file from your account), screen printing (for orders of 100+ pieces, through our team) has a setup fee quoted with the order, and DTF has no setup fee. Both setup fees are one-time per design, so reorders skip them. Per-shirt price depends on the blank, the method, the number of colors or stitches and how many places you decorate; live prices are on each product page.

Race date coming up fast? Rush orders are available, with the rush fee quoted with your order. Orlando-metro customers can pick up at our Orlando-area warehouse, and every order can ship anywhere in the US.

Matching Performance Polos and Hats

Front-desk staff, coaches at meets and tournament directors usually need something with a collar. Our performance golf polos use the same wicking fabrics with an embroidered chest logo. Finish the look with branded hats and caps, including Richardson styles, in matching colors for race crews, coaches and sideline staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to decorate custom athletic shirts?

It depends on the fabric and design. DTF works on almost any performance shirt and handles full color and personalized names with no setup fee. Sublimation is best for all-over designs on white or light polyester, though we don't offer it. Screen printing suits simpler designs on runs of 100+ pieces, and embroidery fits small logos on polos and heavier tees.

Do you offer dry fit shirts with a logo?

Yes. Our moisture-wicking polyester tees, long sleeves and tanks can carry your logo on the chest, back or sleeve. For a small team or a single shirt, DTF has no setup fee. For runs of 100+ with a one- or two-color logo, screen printing can cost less per shirt. Our decoration pricing guide breaks down how each method is priced.

Can you make compression shirts with a logo?

Yes. We carry compression tops, and a small logo is applied with a thin transfer that stretches with the fabric, while larger full-color designs are printed with DTF too (we don't offer all-over sublimation). Tell us the fit, color and quantity you need, and you'll preview your design in our 3D Custom Designer, or on a free mockup for 100+ pieces, before anything is produced.

Will the print crack on stretchy fabric?

Not if the method matches the fabric. Thick, stiff ink cracks when stretched, so we use flexible DTF transfers or stretch-friendly inks on athletic knits; sublimation, which dyes the fibers, leaves no layer to crack at all. Wash inside out in cold water and skip fabric softener, which can break down both wicking and prints.

Can I get sleeveless performance shirts?

Yes. Sleeveless tees, muscle tanks and racerback tanks are available in performance and blended fabrics. Because the front panel is narrower, we'll size and position your design for the tank rather than reuse a tee layout, and you'll approve your mockup before production starts.