5 Tricks To Keep Your Uniforms Looking New Longer

It's been said that appearance isn’t everything, but your uniform becomes a symbol of who you and your players are on the field or the court. It is essential to keep that symbol looking fresh and clean, with the same quality as your players. 

Sweat, dirt, and the wear and tear of a challenging game can be hard stains to conquer on your uniform. Follow the tricks below to prevent your uniforms from fading fast, and instead, keep their brand-new look long-lasting.

1. Invest in High-Quality Fabrics

The first step to maintaining a fresh, new look on your uniform is to invest in high-quality fabric from the start. It can be tempting to look for the cheapest options for your team, but this will only come back to bite you in a few months. Explore the fabric options available and ensure that you’re not settling for something less than quality. 

Check out different companies and brands to compare materials and pricing before you decide on the one, and your team will thank you for finding materials that will last them through the season, keeping them looking fresh and on top of their game. Make sure your fabric is durable and easy to clean, which will help ease maintaining that brand new look.

2. Print Your Design with Sublimation

Material isn’t the only quality to think about, however. Uniforms are set apart by their logos and numbers, and so the design is just as important as the fabric. The key to quality design control is using sublimation. What is sublimation ? It’s the process of infusing the ink onto the fabric through heat and inkjet printers. This melds the dye and the material together so that the design becomes a part of the fabric. 

This eliminates the design from cracking, peeling, or fading. It works on polyester fabric and stands up to both the sweat of the game and the subsequent wash.

3. Turn the Uniform Inside Out

A dirty team uniform is a sign of a hard-working player who gave it his or her all. However, it’s time to reset for the next game at some point, which means putting that symbolic uniform in the wash. A super simple trick to keeping the design on the fabric from fading is to turn the uniform inside out. 

This way, the underside gets the brunt of the beating while the front side still gets a good wash. Keep the pants right side out, though, as they won’t need quite as much care and are often prone to tougher stains.

4. Always Wash on Cold

Another simple trick to maintaining the integrity of your uniform is to wash it in cold water. This way, the colors keep their brightness, and the heat of the water doesn’t affect the synthetic material. Pay attention to your material's included instructions on how to wash it, as some uniforms may require them to be dried on a line or a specific, low setting. 

By following the exact directions for cleaning your uniform, you can keep it looking fresh and new for months past the usual time.

5. Pay Attention to the Detergent

To keep the uniform long-lasting, don’t just pay attention to how to wash the material, but also what you are washing your uniform with. Not all detergents are equal, and what you might use for a regular load may end up damaging a jersey or a uniform. Check out this list of top detergents for your uniform for suggestions on how to get the most of your wash cycle.

Each of these tips will help you maintain a clean, fresh-looking uniform that is sure to impress not just your team but your competitors. Sublimation hits the ball out of the park when designing your material, keeping it fast, cheap, and simple while not compromising the quality.

If you invest in high-quality material from the start and pay close attention to how to treat and clean the uniform after each game, you’ll be able to keep your team looking fresh, clean, and unstoppable.