Custom branded polo shirts are a great way to promote your brand, whether they are being used for trade shows, corporate events, or by your workforce out in the field. However, there are so many options when you are looking to buy custom polo shirts and set up your custom apparel program. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you navigate ordering wholesale custom polo shirts for your business, so you can make the best choice for your apparel program stakeholders.
Types of Wholesale Custom Polo Shirts
If you’re ready to buy custom polo shirts, the first step is to learn about polo material, style, and brand options. You want to make sure you select polos your program stakeholders will find comfortable and enjoy wearing.
When it comes to polo fabrics, you’ll often find shirts made from performance, cotton, micro pique, or polycotton materials. Below we’ll break down what each one is and the benefits it carries for wearers.
Performance Polos
Performance material is designed with an active user in mind and is typically made of lightweight synthetics or natural blends. A performance polo is designed to reduce odor, eliminate any discomfort from sweating, and is a comfortable option for people with on-the-go lifestyles.
Cotton Polos
Cotton material is a natural fabric with many advantages, the top being that it’s pleasant to wear. Cotton is a breathable fabric with good moisture absorption, making it especially ideal for people with sensitive skin.
Micro Pique Polos
Micro pique is often used the most in golf shirts and athletic wear. Made often from polyester materials, micro pique polos have a tight woven construction that is resilient against snags or tears. It’s also a durable option, ensuring that the polo lasts for years to come.
Polyester Polos
Polyester fabric is a strong and durable polo option that’s comfortable to wear and designed to last. It won’t shrink over time and also dries quickly, making it an ideal choice for an active polo wearer.
Poly Cotton Polos
A blend of polyester and cotton, poly cotton is another lightweight, breathable polo option that’s comfortable to wear. Different shirt styles will have different percentages of cotton and polyester mixed, but overall, it’s a durable material that holds up well over time.
Men’s and Women’s Polos: A Comfortable Fit for Everyone
When picking out wholesale custom polo shirts, it’s important to make sure you offer both men’s and women’s polo options. You may think that it’s not a big deal if you just offer men’s shirts, but it can undermine the success of your program if you only offer one type of fit.
Men’s and women’s shirts are tailored differently, and you’ll end up with unhappy stakeholders if you only offer one type of fit. By presenting both polo options, your participants can select a shirt that’s as loose or as fitted as they prefer. They can also order their size with confidence, knowing how it will fit instead of having to guess and ultimately return or not use the shirt.
Consider Name Brand Polo Options
If you’re looking to keep costs manageable, you can certainly choose a high-quality polo shirt from a private label brand. However, if you think your program participants tend to shop for certain well-known brands, like Nike or Adidas, find a corporate apparel provider who has established a relationship with those popular brands.
Choosing brand name polos that fit your stakeholder’s style further ensures the success of your custom polos. People are more likely to wear it since they already purchase apparel from those name brands. Plus, they know what to expect with the fit and size of the custom polo shirt.
Embroidery vs. Polo Shirt Printing
While it’s popular to look into polo shirt printing, embroidery is a more professional option for polo shirt embellishment. It offers a polished presentation of your business’ logo and creates a much more professional-looking customized shirt.
With polo shirt printing, you’re locked into your design and can’t get samples ahead of time. Whereas when you choose to embroider your logo, you can get a sample beforehand and check that the quality of the embellishment matches your visual branding guidelines.
When adding an embroidered embellishment to a polo shirt, it often looks best to place it on the upper right or left corner of the shirt. If the polo has a pocket, it also looks sharp when added over a shirt pocket.
Best of all, an embroidered embellishment will last for years to come, wash after wash, looking just as good as when the polo was brand new. It’s the perfect way to visually convey the quality and durability of your brand.
The Benefits of a Partner Who Customizes In-House
When it comes to figuring out how to put together a wholesale custom polo shirts program for your business, picking the right company to handle your apparel is key. If you try a DIY program where you buy shirts separately and then take them somewhere for customization, you can end up with a lot of mistakes and headaches.
At Custom Threads, we believe the key to creating a good-looking, custom polo is choosing a partner who can handle it all from start to finish. That way, you get the apparel you want without the hassle.
By choosing a partner who customizes your polos in-house you get:
Access to private and name brand polo options
Samples before launching your apparel program
Better quality control to ensure the polos match your branding guidelines
A full-service team supporting you from design through delivery
It’s important that every embellished polo is the best possible representation of your company. And working with a partner that does the work in-house ensures you get the quality polos your brand deserves.
The Benefits of An Online Ordering Site
Another key to successfully ordering polos for your business is choosing an apparel partner who can build, and manage, a custom online ordering site. That way there’s less waste and the logistics of polo orders doesn’t become a full-time job for your team.
Using a custom-built ordering website means:
Your employees can choose and order the exact polo(s) they want
Polo wearers can easily pay for their shirt upfront
You can offer vouchers and e-gift cards as an incentive
You’re not responsible for tracking inventory or delivery
No waste because you don’t have to find space to store leftover polos
Items are made-to-order, so you’re not tying your marketing budget in inventory
Best of all, when you work with a provider like Custom Threads, there are no minimum purchase order commitments or contracts. This gives you the flexibility to swap out polo styles for the seasons or add new options to keep your apparel looking up-to-date with the latest fashion trends.
This type of service is invaluable if you’re looking to set up a long-term ordering site for employees or plan to offer polos for a recurring event. It makes it that much easier to get the professional custom polos you want, whenever you need them without the added storage space or cost.