5 Reasons Coaches Are Choosing Sublimation for Team Uniforms

Are Your Team’s Uniforms Working as Hard as Your Players?

You’ve run the drills, you’ve set the plays, and your team is ready. But what about their uniforms? Are you tired of seeing cracked numbers, peeling logos, and faded colors by mid-season?

Thankfully, there’s a modern solution designed to fix these problems: sublimation. With this process, custom team uniforms stay sharp and vibrant, ready for every game from the beginning to the end of the season.

Sublimated uniforms aren’t just a passing trend; they’re a game-changer for team apparel. Coaches across Chattanooga and beyond are choosing fully sublimated uniforms because they deliver long-lasting performance, professional style, and a sense of team pride.

Here are five reasons why making the switch to sublimation is the smart choice for your team.

Why Sublimation Is a Win for Your Team

Sublimation involves transferring designs onto apparel using heat and pressure. During the process, sublimation inks are turned into gas, embedding an image into the fabric fibers for a high-quality look.

This innovative design method offers durability, creative freedom, high-performance features, long-term value, and a professional team identity, making it a popular choice for custom team uniforms.

1. They’re Built to Last the Whole Season (and Beyond)

Because the ink is infused into the fabric, sublimated designs won’t crack, peel, or fade, no matter how many times they’re washed or how rough the game gets.

Think about a tough football season here in Hamilton County—the mud, the tackles, the weekly washes. Or how about baseball season, where a slide to home base could both win the game and ruin the uniform?

You need gear that’s going to keep up with your players. The answer? Sublimated football uniforms and baseball jerseys.

Other methods, like screen printing and direct-to-film printing, often show wear and tear halfway through the season with designs that peel and crack. These methods require special care to maintain their quality and vibrancy.

With sublimation, there’s no need to worry about exposure to heat, sunlight, or detergents. For busy parents with conflicting game schedules and hectic sports seasons, sublimation is a low-maintenance option for custom sportswear.

2. You Get Total Creative Freedom (Without Extra Fees)

With sublimation, you can use any color, pattern, gradient, or logo across the entire uniform, making it a great choice for photographic images, intricate details, and all-over print jerseys.

Unlike screen printing, where every additional color costs more money, sublimation has no extra fees for complex, multi-color designs. Whether your logo has two colors or twenty, the price is the same. Instead, factors like garment type and quantity determine the cost.

Other customization methods, like embroidery, have limitations on what kind of design you can choose. With embroidery, complex and colorful images are difficult to recreate—restrictions you don’t have to worry about for custom sublimated team gear.

This creative freedom allows for a truly unique and professional brand identity that makes your team stand out.

3. The Uniforms Are Lightweight and Built for Performance

Sublimated performance team uniforms combine style and comfort, helping players look and perform their best.

With sublimation, there are no heavy ink or vinyl layers that restrict airflow, resulting in an ultra-lightweight uniform. The fabric maintains its natural moisture-wicking abilities, keeping athletes cool and dry even during intense competition.

Sublimation is most effective on polyester, a material known for its breathability. Mesh and moisture-wicking polyester fabrics enhance ventilation and promote quick sweat evaporation, ensuring maximum comfort and cooling.

For example, during fast-paced volleyball or basketball games, that breathability makes a real difference in player endurance and focus. That’s why coaches are choosing sublimated volleyball jerseys and basketball jerseys for their teams.

4. It’s a Smarter Investment for Your Program’s Budget

While the initial price of sublimation might be slightly higher than basic screen-printed options, its longevity means you’re not replacing uniforms year after year.

A durable uniform that lasts for multiple seasons is a better investment for any school or travel team’s budget, ensuring you get maximum value from every wear.

Investing in quality gear is one of the smartest decisions a coach can make. From sublimated softball jerseys to sublimated basketball jerseys, we offer a huge range of options to fit your budget. Explore our full selection of custom team uniforms to see how we can outfit your program for success.

5. It Creates a Professional Look That Boosts Team Pride

When a team looks good, they feel good, and that confidence translates directly onto the field or court. Uniforms are more than just fabric; they help create a sense of connection between players, uniting everyone under a shared team identity.

This cohesion not only strengthens teamwork but also makes the team instantly recognizable to fans and supporters.

Sublimated uniforms take this to the next level, offering a sleek, professional look that gives youth or rec league teams the appearance of a high-level program. With vibrant, coordinated designs that won’t fade, peel, or crack, players step onto the field or court ready to make an impression.

For example, Tennessee football revealed its new “dark mode” uniforms, featuring black jerseys and black pants with orange trim. This sleek design with the classic orange “T” logo allows players to make a statement and fans to instantly identify their team.

Make the Switch to Sublimation This Season

For teams in the Chattanooga area, from school sports to travel leagues, choosing the right uniform is a critical part of preparing for a successful season. Custom team gear sets the tone for performance, confidence, and unity.

Sublimated uniforms offer a wide range of benefits, including durability, unlimited design options, high-performance features, long-term value, and a professional team identity. With these uniforms, players not only look sharp but also feel confident, helping them perform at their best from the first practice to the final game.

Investing in quality uniforms is more than a wardrobe choice; it’s a key step in building a team that is ready to compete, stand out, and succeed together.

Ready to give your team a professional edge with gear that’s built to last? Explore The Athletic Shop’s custom sublimated team uniforms and get a free quote for your program!

We proudly serve customers across:

• Chattanooga
• Signal Mountain
• Hixson
• East Ridge
• Red Bank
• Soddy-Daisy
• Ooltewah
• Collegedale
• And the surrounding areas

Have questions or a unique design in mind? Our local experts are here to help you create the perfect look. Contact us today!