How Much Do Basketball Team Uniforms Cost?
If you are looking for basketball uniforms for your team, you came to the right place!
Organized league basketball teams need uniforms. Whether you are playing in the NBA, college, high school, AAU league, or in a recreational league your team will need uniforms for every player. The styles, colors, cuts, materials, and other options are nearly endless. This can make the decisions that impact the cost of basketball team uniforms difficult to say the least.
One way to make your choices simpler is to determine your budget for team basketball uniforms, and then decide which basketball team uniforms are the best that you can afford within your chosen budget. Researching prices for team basketball uniforms is not always an easy task. There are many factors that go into the cost of basketball uniforms, and many of the web sites that sell uniforms are not always clear on the final costs. We will provide price ranges for basketball uniforms based on the factors that drive costs and ultimately drive the bottom-line price.
How Much do the Cheapest Basketball Team Uniforms Cost?
The cheapest way to outfit a basketball team with uniforms is to start with regular t-shirts and have numbers put on them, usually through a heat-transfer process. You can then either buy inexpensive matching shorts, or have your players wear shorts that they already have. Most basketball leagues will require that your uniforms have a number on the front and the back of the shirts. The cost of using t-shirts as the basic basketball team uniform will range from $15 to $25 per player. However, unless your players already have matching shorts, new uniform shorts will add another $5 to $20 per player to the overall cost of providing uniforms for your basketball team.
How Much do More Expensive Basketball Team Uniforms Cost?
Buying full matching team basketball uniforms is a more expensive option. This would include a home court uniform, and an away court uniform that would need to be a different color. Traditionally, the home basketball team will wear their lightest colors which in many cases will be a white uniform. These lighter colored or white uniforms are often called “home white” uniforms. The visiting team will usually wear their darker colored uniform. Unless your team will always be the home or away team, it’s best to have two complete uniforms, one dark and the other white or light. With basketball rosters averaging about 15 players, and the price of a stock basketball team uniform costing between $35 and $70 per player, the cost to outfit an entire basketball team with stock home and away team uniforms would be between $1050 and $2100 per team.
One potential way to save money on basketball team uniforms would be to purchase reversible jerseys. Reversible jerseys would take the place of separate home and away uniforms. Most team sports unform companies offer reversible jerseys, which can cost between $60 and $90 per player, which would cost between $900 and $1350 per team.
Reversible uniforms are a viable way to save some money on team basketball uniforms. However, some players complain that traditional reversible basketball uniforms hold sweat and moisture and become heavy, weighing them down on the court as they play.
How Much do the Most Expensive Basketball Team Uniforms Cost?
Buying custom-made uniforms with your own design and logo can cost between $60-$100 per uniform. Ordering home and away custom uniforms for a team of 15 players will cost between $1800-$3000.
Many teams also like to have matching warm-up pants, shooting shirts, hoodies and bags; these will cost between $50-$100 extra per player. Some teams even like their players to have matching shoes!
For a 100% custom design, many uniform providers can execute a uniform design for you for a reasonable charge.
What About
Sublimated Uniforms?
Sublimation is a manufacturing process whereby the entire design of the basketball uniform and the related artwork for personalization are infused directly into the fabric.
The uniform designs themselves start out as digital images, which are then printed on wide format printers and use heat and pressure to infuse the color into the fabric. The process is called Sublimation because of the chemical and physical change from the solid colorant state directly into a gas without going through the liquid state.
Sublimated basketball uniforms have the following characteristics:
- There are practically no limits on the designs and colors that can be incorporated into your team’s basketball uniforms
- Sublimated uniform fabrics are comfortable against the skin and have wicking and moisture management properties
- Sublimated uniforms are color-fast and long-lasting compared to thermal transfer and screen-printed uniform
- Sublimated uniform team emblems, graphics, numbers, etc. don’t crack, peel, or fall off, making them the ideal option for schools looking to keep the same uniforms for multiple years
- Sublimated uniforms are never backordered or discontinued
The price for sublimation basketball uniforms can vary. Sublimated team basketball jerseys range from $40 to $70. Sublimated uniform sets can cost from $60 to $100 for a basic set of jersey and shorts. Custom full sublimation team packs can range from $120 to $250 which includes home and away jerseys, warm up shirt and pants, and backpack or gym bag.
If you prefer a unique uniform design with full-color logos, numbers, and/or player names, sublimation basketball uniforms offer the best value.
Exactly how does Sublimation Work?
The sublimation process uses heat-sensitive colorants to print text and graphics onto a special transfer paper. The printed paper is then placed onto a fabric pattern, and both are placed into a heat press.
Using heat and pressure, the image on the paper transfers to the fabric in a gaseous state. The gaseous colorant penetrates the structure of the fabric and permanently affixes the colors. Sublimation is always done with a 100% polyester fabric or mostly polyester fabric. Heat causes the pores of the polyester fabric to open and accept the vaporized dye. When the fabric cools, the pores close and the gas reverts back to a solid and is permanently locked into the structure of the fabric.
Sublimation doesn’t work with most natural materials, such as cotton. Natural fabrics have no pores to open and accept the gas vapor. The colorants are engineered to fuse permanently with polyester. Additionally, dark fabrics cannot be used in the sublimation process so most sublimated uniforms start out as a blank white polyester material.
Sublimated team basketball uniforms have the following advantages over other types of uniforms:
Durability
Because the vaporized colorant penetrates the matrix of the polyester fabric, the dye actually becomes a permanent part of the fabric. Sublimated basketball uniforms won’t fade, crack, peel, or deteriorate under normal conditions. Sublimated uniforms can last for many years with proper care.
Breathability
Sublimated basketball uniforms are breathable. There are no embroidered logos or screen-printed numbers or graphic elements to block air exchange with the skin. The polyester fabrics used for sublimation are engineered to breathe and wick moisture away from the skin for excellent moisture management properties.
Economy
Sublimated basketball team uniforms are an excellent value compared to screen printed or sewn twill uniforms. Adding more colors, a more intricate design, or personalization doesn’t impact the price.
No Minimums
When you need to reorder in smaller quantities, that’s not a problem. The sublimation process is a direct digital process that does not require additional set-up charges that drive up the cost of re-ordering traditional team basketball uniforms.
No Limitations
With sublimated team basketball uniforms there are practically no limits on the designs and colors that can be incorporated into your team’s basketball uniforms
Team Sports Planet can help you design and manufacture custom sublimated basketball team uniforms that will help your team stand out from the competition. We are here to help you turn your ideas into reality!
What Factors Drive the Cost of Basketball Team Uniforms Up?
Quantity
The number of uniforms that you will need is a major factor that drives the cost of basketball team uniforms up. Having both home and away uniforms will be more expensive than having just one uniform, or even having reversible uniforms. Roster size also has an impact, the more players on the basketball team, the more uniforms will be needed. This also drives overall costs up.
Accessories
Adding items like warm-ups, gym bags, backpacks, socks and even shoes will drive the per player cost up.
Rush Charges
Turnaround times for basketball team uniforms are typically 10-15 business days, or about two to three weeks and can cost anywhere between a 20% and 25% rush surcharge. If you don’t plan ahead and allow for manufacturing time and shipping time, you may end up paying for a rush charge and for expedited shipping. Remember that sublimated team uniforms are made to order, including the actual assembly and stitching of the uniform garment, and that process takes time.
Manufacturing Location
Sublimated basketball team uniforms may be manufactured in Asia or some other offshore location. Labor costs may be lower, but ultimately costs like shipping, customs-related charges, and the time required to ship items across an ocean may add up quickly. Domestically produced basketball team uniforms may have higher labor and material costs, but those costs are frequently offset by lower costs for shipping and importation.
What Factors Drive the Cost of Basketball Team Uniforms Down?
Offshore Manufacturing
Having your uniforms made overseas may seem like a bargain, but by the time you pay for shipping, and the time it takes for your items to arrive from Asia or another country outside of North America, it’s not much of a bargain. When your team basketball uniforms are manufactured in North America, they don’t have as far to travel, and North American workers are paid a fair wage and often have better working conditions than overseas suppliers.
Efficiency
Basketball Team Uniform suppliers that have been producing uniforms for many years will have a smooth and efficient manufacturing process that can save time and expense when compared to less experienced companies.
Quantity
Some basketball teams will want to have separate home and away uniforms. If your team can use reversible basketball uniforms, you can save on the cost of separate uniforms, which will drive the overall cost down. Smaller roster size will also allow you to save money on your basketball team uniforms.
Advance Planning
Planning your design and purchase of your team’s basketball uniforms in advance and not waiting until the last minute will save you time and money. You won’t need to pay manufacturing rush charges or expedited shipping costs if you plan ahead and leave plenty of lead time for delivery of your uniforms.
Uniform Care
Although sublimated uniforms can last many years in normal conditions, there are certain factors that can cause the design to fade over time. Don’t use chlorine bleach when washing your sublimated basketball team uniforms. It is also advised to not use hot water temperatures when laundering sublimated basketball jerseys and shorts. Warm water will work fine. One of the most common ways to cause fading of sublimated basketball uniform colors is to hang them outside in the sun to dry. The sun’s UV rays will eventually cause the deep sharp colors from the dye sublimation process to fade. Best practice is to dry them by hanging on a clothesline in the shade. Taking good care of your uniforms will allow them to last a long time and save you money in uniform replacement costs.
Why are Some Basketball Team Uniform Companies More Expensive?
In a nutshell, some companies are more expensive because they offer a higher quality basketball team uniform than their competitors. They may offer better quality polyester fabrics, or they may provide a higher quality uniform design than other companies who sell cheaper team basketball uniforms. When shopping for cars for example, a Ferrari will cost more than a Ford. If you just need a car for reliable transportation, you don’t really need a Ferrari. Be sure to ask questions during the buying process. A reputable uniform company will be happy to answer your questions and provide useful information to potentially save you and your team time and money.
Why are Some Basketball Team Uniform Companies Less Expensive?
Some uniform companies are less expensive because they manufacture their products overseas where labor regulations are less stringent, and workers are not always paid a fair wage. Or they may use lower quality inexpensive materials to save money on the finished uniforms they sell.
On the other hand, some basketball team uniform companies will be less expensive because they have a lot of experience with the manufacturing process, and they operate at a high level of efficiency and productivity that allows them to sell basketball uniforms for less.
Be sure to do your homework and learn as much as possible about the company and the manufacturing processes they use before you make an important decision on which basketball team uniform supplier you will use for your team.
Which Basketball Team Uniform Company and Which Kind of Basketball Team Uniform is Best for my Team?
The best kind of basketball team uniform company is one that has many years of experience and has a great reputation for product quality and customer service. Look for uniform company that manufactures uniforms in North America, without the additional shipping time and expense that is associated with overseas manufacturers.
We also believe that sublimated basketball team uniforms are a superior product and a superior value when compared to silk-screened or embroidered basketball uniforms. Dye sublimated uniforms look better, perform better, last longer, and are superior in just about every measure when compared to non-sublimated basketball uniforms.
Team Sports Planet has been in business for over 20 years and has successfully supplied top quality team uniforms to thousands of teams. We manufacture superior quality uniforms here in North America. Our prices reflect our ability to produce premium quality basketball team uniforms efficiently and cost-effectively. We highly recommend dye sublimated basketball team uniforms as well as other kinds of sublimated uniforms for their superior durability and the ability to use intricate designs and multiple colors.
If you are ready to experience the superior quality and customer service that we provide at Team Sports Planet, please follow this link to our uniform builder where you can create your own designs for your basketball team uniforms. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to complete the contact form on this page for more information from a Team Sports Planet team uniform expert.
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