Impressions - March 2021 - 25

clude sports bras and leggings; crop tops and bike shorts; and so on.
This makes it easy for gym goers to grab their coordinated pieces.
3. Performancewear: Pitch gear with moisture-wicking properties
and other comfort features to your buyers. While they may be more
expensive, they'll be more effective for working out for the long haul.
4. All about the details: For those forward-fashion gym rats, stock
styles with contrasting stripes, unique necklines, shoulders and cutouts. Eye-catching prints - tie-dyes, animal prints, stripes, florals,
herringbone and camo - also are trendy.
" You can also think about items that gyms can hand out to members
when they walk in the door, " says Kristine Shreve, a decorated-apparel
industry expert. " Those items can include branded cloth face masks,
hand towels or hand sanitizers. "

Bundles: Your Best Friend
Companies and schools started sending out work-from-home, learnfrom-home and teach-from-home morale packs in 2020. Recipients
love wearable and useful branded gifts, and when you bundle them
in a reusable tote or branded box, opening it is even more exciting.
Try these methods for pitching bundles:
1. New year, new uniforms: Show customers new takes on uniforms
for their front-of-house staff and instructors. If they're on board with
unveiling a fresh staff look, you can package uniform bundles for existing
and new staffers with a note welcoming the latter to the gym family.
2. New year, new you: Lots of gyms are waiving registration fees or
offering three months free for new members. Help sweeten the deal
with a " Welcome New Member " pack; the possibilities are endless.
Play with the product combinations to find the right mix.

Online Stores
For athletic clubs or gyms, an online store is almost a no-brainer. " Sell-

ing branded merch online and at a distance is a great option for gyms,
especially in the current climate, where people still aren't going out as
much and staying at home when you can is still encouraged, " Shreve says.
If you're not already creating custom apparel stores designed
specifically for each of your customers, it's time to start. Take a look
at InkSoft, Printavo, OrderMyGear, DecoNetwork and Spirit Sale,
for starters. Include tools like a 3-D virtual-mockup plugin so your
clients can get a sense of how apparel will look with their logo on it.
Online stores should be zero-risk for your gym clients. " Online
stores, coupled with order-fulfillment programs, are ideal for gyms
and fitness customers, " says JP Hunt, co-founder of InkSoft. " Typically, these customers maintain a small retail presence to sell branded
merchandise. Extend this retail presence online by offering a free, hosted online store to your customers. "
Here's how it works: You upload eight to 10 in-demand apparel
pieces, along with " want-to-wear " designs, into a customer's branded
store. Your client's staffers, members and fans visit the link. When a
buyer places an order, your shop receives it, prints the item and sends
the piece to the recipient. Finally, you send the gym its cut of the profits.
A&P Master Images puts together deals to entice visitors to buy
from these stores. " Sometimes we include special offers, like instructors or coaches can get one free T-shirt, courtesy of the fitness center, "
Potter says. " We also use countdown clocks for specials. "
Gifting a new member with a welcome pack that includes a highquality, printed tee or tank top - along with a coupon for 20% off
their order in the gym's online store - provides incentive for a new
member to at least explore the available styles and designs. To up the
ante, explain how you can keep the online store fresh and interesting
all year by adding new styles and designs when the seasons change
or during holidays. 
James Andres is content manager for S&S Activewear. For more information
or to comment on this article, email James at jandres@ssactivewear.com.

4 Decoration Tips for Fitness-Club Apparel
1. Know the fabrications before printing. Athletic apparel typically is constructed with
technical and specialized fabrics that can create printing challenges. " Consider dye
migration and issues related to heat applications to ensure you don't spoil blanks, " says
JP Hunt, co-founder of InkSoft. " Lean on your ink and supply partners for decoration tips
and best practices. "
2. Meld the message and decoration. The " wear-your-message " trend will continue in 2021,
in more simplistic one- or two-color designs, which Millennials and Gen-Zers love. Start
with interesting typography and pair it with the gym's logo or simple, strong imagery to
tap into people's love for the graphic tee. You also can create a stacked, repeated-text
design in different colors or go super minimalist with a simple, but big-and-bold font.
3. Look at what's trending. When considering artwork and decoration trends for athleisure,
Hunt recommends looking at Peloton apparel for inspiration and examples of what's trending
in branded athleisure. " Keep in mind that athletic apparel is all about comfort and performance, " he says. " The print and decoration shouldn't conflict. "
4. Work out your placement. Since matching tracksuits and coordinated sets are trending,
you've got plenty of real estate to imprint. If you want to make a big statement with tracksuits, try printing the gym's name or message down sleeves or legs. If your clients shy
away from that design approach, mention that there's still plenty of space on the hoodie's
front and back for artwork to be added.

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Impressions - March 2021

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