Choosing fabric for sports and polo shirts
The fabrics actually used in made-to-order work, what each suits, and when not to pick one.
Fabric is the variable customers ask about least and regret most. A shirt with beautiful artwork that is too hot to wear stays in the cupboard. This covers the fabrics actually used in made-to-order work, what each suits, and when not to pick one.
Micro polyester — the sports standard
Used for nearly all sports and football shirts. Light, fast-wicking, and the only family that takes full sublimation, because the dye bonds directly to polyester fibre.
Worth knowing up front: it moves sweat to the surface to evaporate rather than absorbing it. Anyone used to cotton tees will find the hand feel smoother than expected.
Pique and polo fabrics — when it has to look tidy
For polo shirts and corporate wear. Heavier, holds its shape, collars that do not go limp. Better suited to an office than to running.
These take embroidery far better than thin fabrics, because there is enough body to carry the stitch without puckering. If your job needs an embroidered logo, start here.
Cotton and TC — event tees
Comfortable and inexpensive, right for event, class and giveaway shirts that are not worn for sport. The trade-off is that sublimation does not work on natural fibre, so artwork has to be screen printed or DTG.
If the brief is a bold full-body print, cotton is the wrong starting point — switch to micro polyester rather than fighting it.
One question that settles it
Ask when the shirt will be worn. Running, competing, outdoors — micro polyester. Working, meeting clients — polo fabric. Walking round an event — cotton or TC. That answers it more reliably than comparing specs.
Common questions
Can we see fabric samples first?
Yes. Tell us which fabrics interest you and we will send samples to handle before you decide.
Which fabric is coolest?
Thin micro polyester with a ventilated knit wicks fastest, which is what suits outdoor use in Thailand.
Does thicker mean better?
Not always. Thicker holds shape and lasts, but runs hotter. For sportswear, a thin breathable fabric is the more correct quality.
Read next
Printing
The three methods we actually use, including where each one loses.
Ordering
What to prepare, when you see the design, and what usually causes delays.
Sports Wear
Bold designs, colour that stays sharp, fabric that breathes — sports wear your team is proud to wear.
Polo Shirts
Understated and professional — made-to-order polos with fine embroidery that lift how your organisation looks.