Keeping With the Trends

The Staying power of athleisure

staying power of athleisure all american print supply co

"People are very open-minded about new things-as long as they're exactly like the old ones."

- Charles Kettering

Since 2020, the world has been in somewhat of a different place. One of the trends that seemed to have gained traction and sustainability has got to be the athleisure style of dress that became so popularized during the remote work from home era. Whether we realize it or not, we see it everywhere; it is now common place to find joggers in the workplace, and yoga pants have become an ensemble staple for many people. What does this mean for our industry? A lot. Regardless of if this trend is able to stand the test of time, athleisure is NOW and just like any phase of fashion this means money making opportunities. What are we talking about here exactly?

When we talk about this sort of clothing, think of a hybrid style of athletic-themed looks casually worn as everyday wear. Popular fixtures include: sneakers, hoodies, and tights. It does not matter if folks are actually even exercising or not - people are dressing like this out and about outside of the gym. Many people during the pandemic sought to find attire that was comfortable to wear during the day while at home, but without looking like a total mess who just rolled out from their bed when they hop on a Zoom call. Additionally, many sought to invest their new found free time by taking better care of their health, getting fresh air, and finding other activities under the recommended guidelines. The need for a versatile ensemble of clothing that could be worn to multiple occasions and maintain its functionality rose, leading us to the present day.

all american print supply co staying power of athleisure

In 2023, the wellness and self care movement is at an all time high. Like never before, people are looking after themselves and prioritizing, not only their physical health, but also their mental wellbeing. Sustaining a degree of comfort throughout the day has become paramount. As apparel decorators, ANY opportunity to ride a wave of cyclical fashion trends is a chance to spike our profits. Factor in the cost-effective, user-friendly printing process that is direct to film, and you have a recipe for a low cost, high end product with plenty of room for margin. Especially since these apparel items are usually decorated with subtle text-based graphics. This is a great way for us to separate ourselvesfrom our T-shirt only competition.

Now typically, mass quantities of this sort of printing would be ideal for screen printing, but for those of us just venturing into this style of garment decorating, DTF can be the solution. Most athletic/athleisure apparel will have a % of synthetic material woven in, such as spandex or polyester. This means they can be more sensitive to high heat or discoloration from other at-home decoration processes. Direct to film works great with synthetics and applies to virtually anything you can get even contact on with a heat press. Athleisure shows no signs of slowing down and with direct to film printing stabilizing how it has now could be the perfect time to expand your operation.

Meet our author

Estevan Romero

Brand Marketing Lead

Esteven Romero began making YouTube videos back in 2017 to help new business owners learn how to use their products and grow their operation.

He has been featured in many companies content such as Siser North America, Key Print Co and more. He has been featured as a speaker/presenter nationwide across the tradeshow circuit sharing information and insight to the print community audience and brings 13+ years of experience to the table.

You can meet Estevan and more of the friendly All American Print Supply Co team by visiting the company live events calendar and our YouTube channel.