How to Design a Custom Club Rashguard: A Checklist for Coaches

So your gym wants its own rashguard. Great idea, right up until ten people have ten opinions on the color of the logo. If you're the coach who has to design your own rashguard for the whole club, this checklist keeps things simple and the result sharp.

Quick answer: To design your own rashguard for a club, start with a clean logo file and pick two or three main colors. Decide what goes where, keep text readable, collect sizes early and check the mockup carefully before you approve it. Club orders start at 10 pieces, and single custom pieces have no minimum.

Before you start: one piece or a club order?

Know which route you're on before you design your own rashguard. There are two, and the rules differ.

• Individual custom pieces live in the custom gear collection. There's no minimum. A custom BJJ rashguard costs €62.90 short sleeve or €67.90 long sleeve, and you can order just one.
• Club orders go through the custom gear for clubs page. The minimum is 10 pieces, combined across products and sizes. Volume tiers start at 50 pieces, and design work is free on 25 pieces or more.

A smart move for a new design is to order one individual piece first. You see the real thing, then roll it out to the team. For the full breakdown of minimums and timelines, read our guide to custom team rashguards.

Step 1: Get your logo file in shape

Before you design your own rashguard, sort out the logo. This is where most delays start. A blurry logo pulled from Instagram won't print sharp, however good the rest of the design is.

What you need is one of these:

• A vector file, like AI, EPS, SVG or a vector PDF. Vectors scale to any size without going fuzzy.
• A high-resolution PNG with a transparent background. No white box around the logo.

If the person who made your logo years ago has vanished, ask around the gym. Someone usually knows a designer, or has the original file buried in an old email.

Step 2: Pick a color palette that works on the mats

When you design your own rashguard, less is usually more. Pick two or three main colors and one accent. Too many colors and the design turns into noise from across the room.

A few tips:

• Use color codes. Write down HEX codes, or Pantone references if your club has brand guidelines. "Dark blue" means something different to everyone.
• Check contrast. A dark logo on a dark base disappears. Light on dark or dark on light reads best.
• Think about the group photo. One strong base color looks great when 20 people line up.

A note on competition rules

If your team competes in IBJJF no-gi events, rashguard color rules can apply, especially for ranked divisions. Check the current IBJJF rulebook before you lock in the base color. Our post on IBJJF no-gi rules covers the basics.

Step 3: Plan the placement

A rashguard has more space than people expect. When you design your own rashguard, plan it like a map:

• Front chest: the main logo, sized so it's clear from a few meters away.
• Back: your billboard. Club name in big letters, or a large version of the logo.
• Sleeves: good for small details like a city name, a flag or a motto.
• Side panels: nice for color blocks or patterns that tie the design together.

Keep key details away from the armpits and seams, where fabric bunches and stretches. Also decide on sleeve length early. Our post on short vs long sleeve rashguards can help you choose.

Step 4: Keep text readable

Fonts cause more arguments than colors. If you design your own rashguard with a club name on it, keep it simple:

• Use one or two fonts at most.
• Skip thin script fonts for anything important. They get lost at a distance.
• Name the exact fonts in your order notes, or send them as files.
• Spell-check everything twice. A typo on 40 rashguards is a story the gym will tell forever.

Step 5: Make the most of sublimation

Tribe Alpha gear is sublimation printed. The ink goes into the fabric instead of sitting on top, so colors don't crack or peel. That gives you a lot of freedom when you design your own rashguard.

Because the whole panel is printed, all-over patterns, gradients and large color blocks are fair game. You're not stuck with a small logo on a plain shirt. The fabric is 85% polyester and 15% elastane at 230 g/m², with a compression fit and reinforced seams.

Step 6: Collect sizes the smart way

You can design your own rashguard in an evening. Collecting sizes takes weeks, so start early.

• Sizes run from XS to 2XL, and a club order can mix them freely.
• Share the size chart and our rashguard size guide so people measure instead of guess.
• Women on the team can check the women's short sleeve chart, which has its own measurements.
• Samples are available, so people can try a size before the order goes in.

Set a hard deadline and use a simple shared spreadsheet. Name, size, product, sleeve length. Done.

Step 7: Review the mockup properly

Once you share your idea, you get a mockup to review. For individual custom pieces, a 3D mockup arrives by email within 10 business days. For club orders, there's a feedback and approval step built into the process.

When you review a mockup, check:

• Spelling of every word, including the small text
• Colors against your color codes
• Logo size and position on the front, back and sleeves
• How it looks zoomed out, like someone seeing it across the gym

Don't approve it on your phone at midnight. Look at it fresh, and ask one or two trusted people for a second opinion.

Step 8: Plan the timeline and budget

Club orders are delivered 4 to 6 weeks after design approval and payment. Work backwards from any event date, and add time for feedback and sizes.

On budget, club prices include 22% VAT. Volume tiers run from Recruit (10+ pieces, 0%) up to Alpha Tribe (250+ pieces, 25% off), based on the combined count. Adding shorts or spats to the order can push you into a better tier.

The design your own rashguard checklist

Here's the whole thing on one screen. Screenshot it for your next team meeting.

1. Pick the route: one custom piece (no minimum) or a club order (10+ pieces)
2. Find a vector logo or a high-res PNG with a transparent background
3. Choose two or three colors plus an accent, with color codes
4. Check competition color rules if your team competes
5. Map out front, back, sleeves and side panels
6. Use one or two readable fonts and spell-check everything
7. Collect sizes from XS to 2XL with a firm deadline
8. Review the mockup carefully, then approve
9. Allow 4 to 6 weeks after approval and payment

Quick answers

Can I design my own rashguard if I only want one?

Yes. Individual custom pieces have no minimum. You pick the product, add notes, upload your logo and get a 3D mockup by email within 10 business days.

What logo file do I need?

A vector file or a high-resolution PNG with a transparent background. Avoid screenshots and low-res JPGs.

How many colors can I use on a sublimated rashguard?

Sublimation prints the whole design into the fabric, so full designs, gradients and patterns are possible. For readability, most clubs do best with two or three main colors.

How long does a custom club rashguard take?

Club orders arrive 4 to 6 weeks after design approval and payment.

Wrapping up

When you design your own rashguard for your club, the work is mostly in the prep: a clean logo, a tight palette, smart placement and sizes collected on time. Get those right and the rest is easy.

Ready to bring your design to life? Send your concept through the custom gear for clubs page and get the process started.