Why Blue Chip?
We're glad you asked! We've decorated over a million custom apparel items for tens of thousands of happy customers. We make ordering simple, and your singlets are covered by our 100% "No Excuses" guarantee. Our singlets are hand-made right here in the USA, and you'll get to work with a team of professionals hell-bent on getting you the best looking team singlets possible.
How do I order?
Blue Chip Wrestling is your source for custom wrestling singlets for teams. If you're tired of broken promises and poor quality, we're ready to show you just how easy the process can be. Choose one of our great-looking wrestling singlet designs as a starting point, and select your team's colors and mascot to make the singlet come to life. Our team of professional representatives is here to help you make your vision a reality. We're proud to offer great quality wrestling singlets, quick turnaround times, low minimum order sizes, and a satisfaction guarantee for all of our wrestling singlets and other team apparel. All of our singlets are sublimated - meaning the colors are dyed right into the fabric. That means your singlet will never crack, peel, or fade, and it will stand up to all the abuse your wrestlers can dish out. Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and you can rest assured that your order will be given the attention it deserves. When you're ready to get your team uniforms this wrestling season, don't make a decision without checking with Blue Chip Wrestling!
CUSTOM TEAM SINGLET BUYING GUIDE
Buying custom wrestling singlets is one of the single biggest investments and decisions that a coach can make. A great-looking design and well-fitting uniforms will boost the confidence of the athletes and interest in the program, not to mention making the coach look like a hero. This short guide provides some suggestions of things to consider when shopping for new singlets.
TYPE OF SINGLET
You can choose between stock and custom singlets. Stock singlets are mass produced by major brands like Cliff Keen on Nike. You have a limited set of basic styles to choose from, and can make some small customizations such as adding your team name and logo. Custom singlets are made with “all over” design that is dyed permanently into the fabric, as opposed to being screen printed or heat sealed on. For design, the sky's the limit, and the manufacturer will work with you to create custom artwork. These days there are a lot of manufacturers of custom singlets - some produced overseas, and some in the USA. With similar prices and turn times, most teams prefer fully sublimated custom singlets.
Pro Tip: When working with a custom vendor, ask them what their turn time (also known as “in hands date”) is so you’ll be sure you can get your uniforms in time for the first match.
SINGLET STYLE
Manufacturers will have a range of styles and features that can be included in your custom team singlets. You can choose between high cut, low cut, or women’s cut singlets. Additionally, you’ll be able to choose features like mesh side panels (for breathability) or leg grippers (to keep the legs from riding up). Additionally, your vendor should be able to provide you with some inspiration for design - either from a library of sample designs or previous custom work they’ve done. They’ll have a color palette for the colors of the singlet as well as the binding.
Pro Tip: Make sure you ask to see all the available options for singlets and choose the style that works best for your team.
AVAILABLE SIZES
Singlets will be available all the way from toddler to very large (4XL or 5XL) to accommodate the smallest youth wrestlers all the way up to the heavyweights. Your vendor should be able to provide you with a weight-based size chart so you can determine the sizes you need. For wrestlers with an “average” body type these size charts do a good job of predicting fit. If you’ve got a wrestler that is significantly taller or wider than average and is close to the edge of a size range, you may need to move up to the next larger size. Similarly, if a younger wrestler is close to the cutoff, we generally suggest sizing up - it is better to have the singlet fit slightly too big and then let them grow into it, rather than having them grow out of it in just a few months.
ORDER QUANTITIES
In general, you’ll need to meet a “minimum” to get your order started. The size of the minimum varies, but usually it is cost prohibitive for a vendor to do custom artwork and set up a production run for a single garment. This will usually be 12 or more singlets.
Pro Tip: Ask about “fill in” quantities - if you have a late addition or need a replacement singlet after your initial order, find out if you can get another singlet with your design and not have to hit the minimum again.
THE ORDER PROCESS
Here is an example order process for custom team singlets:
- Customer screens some vendors - The coach reaches out to a “short list” of vendors they’ve identified from referrals from friends or online research.
Pro Tip: In order to get an apples to apples comparison, make sure you know the quantity of singlets you’d like to order, and communicate that in the initial discussion. Quantity will impact price, with higher quantities having a lower per-item cost.
- Customer evaluates vendors - There are a lot of things to consider, including:
- Reputation - How long have they been in business? What feedback do you see publicly about them?
- Price - What is their per-item price for singlets? Are their shipping or other fees?
- Quality - Do you have any samples of their singlets? Does the material feel durable and are the seams well constructed?
- Manufacturing Location - Many singlets are made overseas in Pakistan or China. There are made in the USA options that are somewhat more expensive, but many coaches find it to be worth the difference.
- Other Services - Can you get other team apparel at the same time (e.g. workout shorts, t-shirts) that will have the same “look” as your singlets?
- Customer selects a vendor - Make a choice based on the criteria that are most important to you.
- Customer confirms sizes and quantities - You’ll need to communicate exactly how many singlets you need of each size.
- Customer makes a payment - In order to begin the process, you’ll be asked for a full or partial payment.
- Artwork Started - Beginning with a sample design or your own sketches or inspiration, the artists will create one or more mockups incorporating your team colors, logo, and other elements.
- Artwork Feedback - You’ll be given the opportunity to review the mockups and provide feedback.
- Artwork Approval - Once you’re happy with the artwork, you’ll provide an official “sign off” on the design.
- Production Begins - After the artwork is finalized, the clock starts ticking. Production times will vary based on a few factors including overseas or domestic production, and the time of year. Pro Tip:It is no surprise that the closer to wrestling season it gets, the more demand there will be, so don’t wait until the last minute!
- Production Complete - Once your singlets have been completed, they’ll ship out to you or be available for pickup.
COMMON MISTAKES
We’ve been making custom singlets for teams since 2001, and there are a few facepalm incidents that come up every year. If you want to get jeers instead of cheers on the first day of practice, make sure you commit one or more of these blunders:
- Choose a cheap fly by night vendor - The barriers to entry for sublimated apparel are very low. You can use freelance artists and outsource production overseas, meaning that the company you’re working with might just be a guy in his basement. Sure, his overhead is low and prices are cheap, but will he stand behind the product six months from now?
- Skimp on Quantities - Interestingly, one of the most common complaints we hear is “I didn’t order enough!” There is commonly a late addition or size change late in the game, so wise coaches get a few extra uniforms so they don’t have to wait or pay extra to have one made at the last minute.
- Design By Committee - It is tempting to get everyone involved in the design process - the coach, the assistant coach, their families, all the moms on the team… This usually ends up stretching out the time to produce the art, and you can end up with a “Frankenstein” design. You should choose one individual and trust them to come up with a great design.
- Change your mind … a lot - You’ll be given a final opportunity to approve the design, quantity, and pricing before the order is started. If you want to extend the timeline (and possibly increase the cost) a surefire way to do that is to make a lot of last minute changes to your art, items, and quantities.
- Wait until the last minute - If you need your singlets in early November, waiting until October to start the process is a recipe for disaster. You’ll put a lot of extra stress on yourself and have to rush the process. Worst of all, you probably won’t get your uniforms in time, and will have to beg and borrow to get some rag-tag uniforms together for that first event.