The Women’s Athleisure Guide

The athleisure apparel look is a fad that started a few years back and just continues to get stronger and stronger.

This look is here to stay for a while because of the versatility and comfortableness that this look brings to all who embrace wearing it.

In case you are unaware of what athleisure is, you’ve definitely seen it around. You just may not recognize the name.

The name comes from what it is – a combination of athletic wear and leisure – athleisure.

It is apparel that is normally worn at the gym and to work out in, but has made its way out of the gym and is worn as everyday, casual wear.

The apparel is great for working out, going to get coffee, wearing on the weekend to lounge around, getting groceries, hanging out with friends, etc.

It can be worn for so many occasions and settings and it has been widely accepted as such.

It’s casual and comfy. It’s fashionable. It’s sporty.

And it’s all year round.

 

Custom Athleisure Apparel

With its growing popularity, as an apparel decorator, you may already have customers asking for it.

In case you are wondering, the answer is:

  • yes – you can get blank wholesale athleisure apparel and
  • yes – you can decorate it with heat applied transfers and a heat press.

We carry many athleisure items in the Transfer Express Apparel line.

We’ll break down a couple categories of what makes up a good athleisure outfit and styles available in that category, specifically for women’s wear.

[Related Content: Decorate More Athleisure Wear]

 

Athleisure for Women

If you are familiar with athleisure, leggings and tank tops are probably at the top of the list.

But athleisure expands past the leggings and tanks with long sleeves, sweats, and pullovers, which allow it to be worn all year around.

Here are some of the styles.

 

Tees/tanks

Tees and tanks are one of the basics and staples of athleisure. With almost any tee or tank, it’s hard to go wrong. But typically with athleisure, you’re going to be looking at the polyester shirts for moisture wicking performance and the racerback tanks.

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ Racerback Tank (LST356)

Sport-Tek offers a racerback tank that is 100% polyester and moisture wicking. It is available in 11 colors.

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ Racerback Tank (LST356)

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ Tee (LST350)

This tee is the companion version to the tank above. This tee is lightweight, roomy, and breathable with moisture wicking ability. It is 100% polyester and comes in 23 colors.

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ Tee (LST350)

 

District® Women’s Perfect Tri® Racerback Tank (DM138L)

This racerback tank has the perfect mixture of softness and comfort. It is a triblend and is made from 50/25/25 poly/combed ring spun cotton/rayon. It is available in 14 different colors.

District® Women's Perfect Tri® Racerback Tank (DM138L)

 

District® Women’s Scorecard Tee (DT487)

This tee has style and comfort that is great for exercise or lounging. It is made from 60/40 combed ring spun cotton/polyester, so it is soft. It is available in 5 colors.

District® Women's Scorecard Tee (DT487)

 

New Era® Ladies Sueded Cotton Blend Cowl Tee (LNEA123)

A long sleeve tee with a cowl neck and thumbholes in the cuffs? That has athleisure written all over it. This longer tunic style length is unbelievably soft and is made of 60/40 sueded ring spun cotton/polyester. It is available in 4 colors.

New Era® Ladies Sueded Cotton Blend Cowl Tee (LNEA123)

 

 

Pullovers

Pullovers and great for layering for when the weather gets on the chillier side. There are so many pullover options and styles to choose from, but here are a few to get started.

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ ¼-Zip Pullover (LST357)

This is a lighter weight pullover perfect to wear all year around. It is 100% polyester and is moisture wicking. It is available in 10 different colors.

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Competitor™ ¼-Zip Pullover (LST357)

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies Sport-Wick® Stretch ½-Zip Pullover (LST850)

This pullover is also great for year around wear, featuring the popular thumbhole sleeves to keep hands warm. It is made from 90/10 polyester/spandex and is available in 16 different colors.

Sport-Tek® Ladies Sport-Wick® Stretch ½-Zip Pullover (LST850)

 

OGIO® Endurance Ladies Nexus ¼-Zip Pullover (LOE335)

The OGIO pullover has built in zoned ventilation and seams for extra comfort. It includes the thumbhole sleeves and is made with 88/12 polyester/spandex. This style comes in 4 colors.

OGIO® Endurance Ladies Nexus ¼-Zip Pullover (LOE335)

 

OGIO® Endurance Ladies Fulcrum Full-Zip (LOE700)

This is actually a full zip garment but has the same look and feel as the pullovers. It has the thumbholes in the sleeves and a cowl style collar. It is made from 95/5 polyester/spandex and comes in 4 colors.

OGIO® Endurance Ladies Fulcrum Full-Zip (LOE700)

 

Augusta – Ladies Shadow Tonal Heather 1/4 Zip Pullover (2909ASG)

Augusta also carries several pullovers for the ladies. This one is made of 100% polyester, is moisture wicking, and comes in 10 colors.

Augusta - Ladies Shadow Tonal Heather 1/4 Zip Pullover (2909ASG)

 

Hoodies/sweatshirts

After the lightweight polyester pullover styles, there are also fleece sweatshirt styles.

 

Alternative Women’s Maniac Eco™ -Fleece Sweatshirt (AA9582)

This popular off-the-shoulder style from Alternative features a kangaroo pocket on the front. It is super soft with the triblend materials of 50/46/4 poly/cotton/rayon. It is available in 5 colors.

Alternative Women's Maniac Eco™ -Fleece Sweatshirt (AA9582)

 

Alternative Women’s Eco-Jersey™ Slouchy Pullover (AA1990)

The other style from Alternative is the Slouchy Pullover sweatshirt, also made from a triblend of materials. It is made from 50/38/12 poly/cotton/rayon, which makes it super soft and comfortable, enough to be worn all day. It comes in 4 colors.

Alternative Women's Eco-Jersey™ Slouchy Pullover (AA1990)

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Tri-Blend Wicking Fleece Crop Hooded Pullover (LST298)

This stylish, on-trend cropped fit hoodie from Sport-Tek is moisture wicking and extra-soft. It is a triblend, made of 75/13/12 poly/cotton/rayon and comes in 5 colors.

Sport-Tek® Ladies PosiCharge® Tri-Blend Wicking Fleece Crop Hooded Pullover (LST298)

 

Pants

Pants complete the athleisure outfit, either with the leggings or with the jogger style sweats.

 

Holloway – Girls Axis Capri (222909ASG)

We’ll start with the capri style, which is probably seen most often. These leggings have fashion and function with mesh inserts at the calves and knees to increase breathability and a bit of flair. They are 88/12 polyester/spandex, moisture wicking, and they come in 5 colors.

Holloway - Girls Axis Capri (222909ASG)

 

Holloway – Ladies High Rise Tech Tight (221398ASG)

Still in the leggings, are the Holloway high rise style designed for maximum comfort in or out of the gym, with 4-way stretch for mobility. Made of 82/12 polyester/spandex and feature zippers on the outside lower legs. These come in 3 colors.

Holloway - Ladies High Rise Tech Tight (221398ASG)

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies NRG Fitness Pant (LPST880)

If your customer is looking for something with a looser fit, Sport-Tek offers these fitness pants. They are made from 88/12 poly/spandex and are moisture wicking and breathable. These pants are available in black only.

Sport-Tek ® Ladies NRG Fitness Pant (LPST880)

 

Alternative Women’s Jogger Eco™ -Fleece Pant (AA31082)

Jogger pants are part of the trend and there are several styles to choose from. These slim-fitting fleece pants from Alternative offer casual comfort with style. These are soft and made from the triblend materials 50/46/4 poly/cotton/rayon. They are available in 3 colors.

Alternative Women's Jogger Eco™ -Fleece Pant (AA31082)

 

Russel – Ladies Essential Lightweight Jogger (64JTTXASG)

The light weight joggers from Russell have comfort and style for an active lifestyle. They are made of 60/40 cotton/polyester and have moisture wicking technology and odor protection. These are available in 2 colors.

Russel – Ladies Essential Lightweight Jogger (64JTTXASG)

 

Augusta – Ladies Tonal Heather Fleece Jogger (5564ASG)

These fleece joggers are made of 100% polyester and wick moisture. They are available in 4 colors.

Augusta - Ladies Tonal Heather Fleece Jogger (5564ASG)

 

Jackets

As the weather and temperatures get a little cooler, jackets are definitely part of the athleisure outfit, especially the track jacket style. And it wouldn’t be a complete list of athleisure without the bomber jacket and vest. 😉

 

Sport-Tek® Ladies Sport-Wick® Fleece Full-Zip Jacket (LST241)

This track style jacket is a classic. It is made with 100% polyester and moisture wicking. It is available in 6 colors.

Sport-Tek ® Ladies Sport-Wick ® Fleece Full-Zip Jacket (LST241)

 

Holloway – Ladies Flight Bomber Jacket (229732ASG)

This version of the bomber jacket is both a classic and fashionable. It has an inner lining to help stay warm and has some cool vintage details as well. It is 100% polyester and comes in 3 colors.

Holloway - Ladies Flight Bomber Jacket (229732ASG)

 

Holloway – Ladies Deviate Vest (229715ASG)

This vest can stand up to the elements with weather resistance and a microfleece lining for extra warmth. It is made from polyester and is moisture wicking. It is available in 5 colors.

Holloway - Ladies Deviate Vest (229715ASG)

 

Accessories

Finish off the athleisure outfit with accessories. Headbands are great for when you want to keep your hair or sweat out of your face, whether it’s during a workout or you just don’t want to do your hair that day. Workout hair, don’t care 🙂

 

Sport-Tek® PosiCharge® Competitor™ Headband (STA35)

This headband narrows toward the back to fit more securely. It is made from 100% polyester and is moisture wicking. It is available in 11 colors.

Sport-Tek® PosiCharge® Competitor™ Headband (STA35)

 

How to decorate athleisure apparel

Decorating these items is like decorating any other piece of apparel.

However, some athleisure apparel can be a bit tricky.

The first thing you need to do is check what material the item is made with.

Most athleisure is polyester, spandex, or some sort of combination of the two.

It is important to check the material because that will help determine which heat applied transfer you can use to decorate the apparel.

If there is any hint of spandex in the apparel, the best transfers to use are UltraColor Stretch or CAD-PRINTZ® Soft Opaque.

CAD-PRINTZ offers a full color option if your artwork has lots of colors or any shading or gradients, such as a photo-realistic image.

If your apparel does not contain any spandex and is either polyester, cotton, or a cotton/poly blend, any of our transfer types will work. Goof Proof is the most popular transfer type for these types of garment fabrics.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is if your apparel is 100% polyester, or if it contains high amounts of polyester, generally over 50-60%. Polyester can be heat sensitive, which makes it prone to scorching under high temperatures.

[Related Content: Dos and Don’ts of Heat Printing on Polyester]

The scorching appears as a shiny or shimmery rectangle after it is heat pressed.

If your fabric has lots of polyester and is heat sensitive, a transfer with a lower temperature application will be better to use. Elasti Prints, UltraColor Soft, and CAD-PRINTZ Express Matte 250 are all good options for this.

Since a lot of athleisure is lightweight and thinner fabrics, it will be best to keep your designs on the smaller side or with lots of open areas. This will help keep the apparel feeling lightweight.

[Related Content: Designing T-Shirts for a Softer Feel]

Since athleisure is still used to work out in, you want to make sure that it is easy to move around in and that the decoration does not prohibit any movement or flexibility.

Other than that, heat printing athleisure is the same as printing a regular cotton t-shirt or hoodie. Make sure you follow any tips that you would for those and you’ll be just fine.

[Related Content: How to Heat Press a T-Shirt (Step-by-Step Guide)]

 

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