416.800.1391
Text Us!
We're open 12-7pm - 7 days a week for in person service
557 Queen St W

Our Blog

Toronto soccer team wearing custom-matched jerseys and shorts

Custom team uniforms for Toronto sports leagues

Published: July 25, 2025
5/5 - (1 vote)

Key Takeaways

  • Toronto's most popular custom team uniform options include jerseys, shorts, and full kits tailored to both amateur and professional sports teams.
  • Custom team apparel enhances team identity, boosts player morale, and creates branding opportunities within local leagues.
  • The design process for custom sportswear typically involves consultation, digital mockups, revisions, and final approval, often supported by intuitive online tools.

What are the most popular options for custom team uniforms in Toronto?

Custom team uniforms have become an essential aspect of sports culture in Toronto. Whether it's a recreational soccer league or a competitive basketball team, personalized apparel contributes to both performance and presentation. In the city’s thriving sports scene, certain products consistently stand out.

Jerseys: The Foundation of Team Identity

Jerseys remain the cornerstone of any custom uniform order. In Toronto, popular choices often include:

  • Sublimated jerseys: These offer vibrant colours and durable prints that won’t crack or peel.
  • Performance fabric jerseys Are Designed for breathability and moisture-wicking, making them ideal for high-intensity sports like soccer or basketball.

Local teams often choose design elements such as city skylines, team mascots, or indigenous symbols to reflect Toronto's multicultural spirit.

Shorts and Bottoms: Performance and Style

While jerseys catch the eye, shorts and other bottoms must support movement and endurance. Toronto teams usually opt for:

  • Elastic waistbands with drawstrings for adjustable comfort
  • Breathable mesh fabrics to enhance ventilation during summer leagues
  • Team-coloured accents or piping to maintain visual consistency

Sports like flag football and volleyball also prefer integrated padding or compression elements.

Complete Kits: A Unified Statement

Many local leagues now require complete kits that include jerseys, shorts, and sometimes socks. These are especially popular for:

  • Youth soccer programs, where kits help manage team organization and ensure compliance
  • Adult leagues seeking a cohesive look for tournaments

Some teams also customize warm-up jackets, hoodies, and training wear to reinforce identity during off-game activities.

What Do Toronto Teams Look For in Design?

Toronto’s teams prioritize:

  • Custom logos and fonts that reflect unique team branding
  • Number and name personalization for player identification
  • Durable stitching and heat-sealed graphics for long-lasting wear

Local Preferences and Emerging Trends

Toronto’s cultural diversity influences the design of uniforms. Teams increasingly incorporate bilingual text (English and French), multicultural symbols, or regionally inspired colour palettes (e.g., blue and white for Toronto Pride).

Additionally, many opt for eco-conscious materials and local production, aligning with the city’s sustainability goals.

Why should Toronto sports leagues invest in custom team apparel?

The benefits of investing in custom team apparel go far beyond aesthetics. For leagues in Toronto, the value lies in unity, motivation, performance, and strategic promotion.

Building a Unified Team Identity

Uniforms give teams a cohesive visual identity. When all players wear the same high-quality gear, it fosters:

  • A sense of belonging and pride
  • Stronger group cohesion and recognition
  • Visual impact during events, tournaments, and photos

Improving Performance Through Functionality

Performance gear isn’t just about logos. Custom apparel can be engineered to:

  • Regulate temperature with moisture-wicking fabrics
  • Minimize chafing with flatlock seams.
  • Offer stretch zones for better mobility.

Toronto teams competing in variable weather particularly benefit from these enhancements.

Supporting Local Branding and Sponsorship

Custom uniforms can feature:

  • Team logos
  • Sponsor branding
  • League badges

Leagues also share apparel designs on social media, increasing their reach and supporting local sponsors. It’s a win-win.

Online design tool for creating custom sports uniforms in Toronto

How does the design process work for custom team sportswear?

Creating custom team uniforms involves a detailed yet streamlined process that ensures each piece reflects the team's identity and meets its functional needs. For Toronto clients, this process is increasingly digital, collaborative, and quick.

Step 1: Consultation and Brief

The journey starts with a consultation. Teams outline:

  • Sport and the number of players
  • Style preferences (e.g., colours, themes)
  • Budget and timeline

Providers like Freshly Baked Tees work closely with team managers to determine base products and print methods suitable for Toronto’s seasonal demands.

Step 2: Design Mockups and Feedback

Designers produce digital mockups using online platforms or in-house software. This step includes:

  • Logo placement
  • Font selection for player names
  • Colour options with Pantone references

Revisions are common. Teams can typically provide 2-3 rounds of feedback to fine-tune the design.

Step 3: Final Approval and Production

Once designs are locked in:

  • Sizes are submitted for each player
  • A production timeline is shared (usually 2–4 weeks)
  • Payment and shipping details are finalized.

Toronto providers often offer local pickup or delivery options, reducing wait times and logistics hassles.

Step 4: Delivery and Post-Order Support

After delivery, teams can review the gear for any defects or fit issues. Many providers offer:

  • Reorder services for new team members
  • Fit guarantees or exchange policies.
  • Online reordering portals for recurring leagues

Turnaround Time Considerations

Most teams in Toronto can expect:

Product TypeAvg. Turnaround Time
Jerseys only7–10 business days
Full kits10–14 business days
Rush orders3–5 business days

Seasonal demand may affect lead times, particularly during spring and fall league openings.

What fabrics and materials are best for custom sports uniforms in Canada?

Selecting the right material is fundamental to the comfort, durability, and performance of custom team uniforms, especially in Canada’s climate, which ranges from humid summers to icy winters. Each fabric comes with trade-offs that affect how the gear performs on the field.

Polyester: The Industry Standard

Polyester is widely used in custom sportswear across Canada due to its performance features:

Pros:

  • Durable and wrinkle-resistant
  • Lightweight and fast-drying
  • Excellent for sublimation printing

Cons:

  • Can trap odours without proper ventilation
  • May feel synthetic or less breathable than natural fibres

In cooler seasons, polyester blends with brushed interiors are favoured for warmth and resilience.

Cotton and Cotton Blends: Comfort-Driven Choices

While pure cotton is rare in performance gear, blends with polyester or spandex provide a good balance.

Pros:

  • Soft on the skin
  • Breathable and moisture-absorbent
  • Great for off-field apparel (hoodies, warm-up tees)

Cons:

  • Tends to shrink if not pre-treated
  • Less durable than synthetic fibres in high-movement sports

Many Toronto teams use cotton blends for training wear or pre/post-game attire, prioritizing comfort.

Moisture-Wicking Fabrics: Built for Performance

Moisture-wicking materials, often engineered synthetics, have become a top choice in Canadian sports apparel.

Pros:

  • Draws sweat away from the body
  • Keeps athletes cool and dry
  • Supports layered outfits for variable climates

Cons:

  • It may cost more than basic poly or cotton
  • Quality varies significantly between suppliers.

These fabrics are particularly useful in endurance sports and during summer tournaments in Ontario.

Specification Table: Fabric Performance Overview

Fabric TypeDurabilityComfortMoisture ControlPrint CompatibilityBest For
100% PolyesterHighMediumHighExcellentSoccer and basketball kits
Cotton-Poly BlendMediumHighMediumGoodWarm-up gear, team tees
Moisture-wickingHighHighExcellentExcellentTournament play, running
Fabric swatches for custom sports uniforms including polyester and moisture-wicking materials

What makes Freshly Baked Tees different from other uniform suppliers?

Freshly Baked Tees stands out in Toronto’s crowded custom apparel market due to its community-focused approach, in-house design tools, and commitment to fast delivery without compromising quality.

A Local Business with a Team-Centric Mission

Unlike larger competitors that ship from across Canada, Freshly Baked Tees produces and prints everything locally. This allows for:

  • Shorter lead times
  • Support for Toronto’s creative economy

Their strong presence in community sports has earned them recurring contracts with several leagues and high schools.

Online Designer and Mockup Tools

Clients can design and create uniforms using an intuitive web interface. Key features include:

  • Uploading custom logos
  • Selecting colours and fonts
  • Live previews of designs

This streamlines communication and reduces the need for back-and-forth with designers.

Can schools and youth teams order custom sports apparel?

Absolutely — schools and youth organizations across Canada, particularly in urban centres like Toronto, frequently place custom uniform orders for their teams. But compared to adult leagues, outfitting youth athletes involves additional considerations around safety, sizing, and logistics.

School Leagues and Youth Organizations

Custom apparel is a staple in extracurricular programming for:

  • Elementary and high schools
  • Youth soccer and hockey leagues
  • After-school and community programs

These uniforms build school spirit and help young athletes feel part of something larger. Many Toronto school boards have policies supporting custom gear as part of their athletics and health curriculum.

How the Process Differs for Youth Orders

While the general design and approval process mirrors that of adult teams, youth orders require:

  • Wider sizing range: From children’s XS to adult S for mixed-age teams
  • Higher volume coordination: Schools often order for multiple teams at once
  • Simplified design tools: To accommodate administrators with limited design experience

Additionally, Toronto-based suppliers like Freshly Baked Tees often send out sample kits tailored explicitly to school sizes, which helps ensure a correct fit before full production.

Elementary school students in branded sports uniforms during a school event

How long does it take to get custom team apparel delivered in Toronto?

Timely delivery is crucial, especially when gearing up for tournaments or the start of league seasons. For Toronto-based teams, turnaround time depends on several key variables.

Standard Production Timelines

Most local providers follow a multi-step timeline:

  • Design and revision: 3–5 business days
  • Production: 5–10 business days
  • Shipping or pickup: 1–3 business days (longer if outside GTA)

In total, teams can expect to wait 7–14 business days on average, assuming no delays.

Factors That Impact Delivery Time

Several variables may affect your order timeline:

  • Seasonal volume: Spring and fall are peak seasons for sports apparel
  • Complexity of design: More revisions = more extended mockup approval phase
  • Team size: Larger orders take longer to produce and quality check
  • Print method: Sublimation often takes longer than screen printing

Rush services are available from most Toronto suppliers, including Freshly Baked Tees, for an added fee. These can reduce the total time to 3–5 business days.

What’s the bottom line on ordering custom team uniforms in Canada?

Ordering custom sports apparel in Canada — particularly in cities like Toronto — is a powerful move for any team. Whether it’s for schools, youth programs, or adult leagues, the benefits are measurable in both performance and morale.

Recap of Key Benefits

  • Team Identity: Uniforms foster unity and distinguish teams on the field
  • Performance & Comfort: High-quality materials improve gameplay
  • Branding & Sponsorship: Logos help promote your organization and its supporters
  • Fast Local Turnaround: Toronto providers reduce delays and simplify logistics

Provider Comparison Summary

ProviderBest ForStrengthsAvg. Cost per Set
Freshly Baked TeesToronto-based teamsLocal production, fast delivery, design tool$40–$65
EntripyLarge bulk orders across CanadaWide reach, large order processing$45–$70
TeamGear CanadaBudget-conscious leaguesCompetitive pricing, good support$35–$60

Expert Recommendations

  1. Plan, especially during the spring and fall seasons, to avoid rush fees.
  2. Use sample kits to verify sizing and material before completing orders.
  3. Select flexible suppliers who store your design files and provide easy reordering options.

Final Word

Whether you're building your team brand, preparing for tournaments, or outfitting students for inter-school sports, investing in custom uniforms is a decision that pays off every time your players hit the field. And with Toronto’s growing network of local providers, there’s never been a better time to get started.

Get 15% Off
Your First Order

Discount code will be emailed to you right away

    We will send you emails about promotions we are running in the future as well
    No thanks, I'm just browsing