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Market Trends: Russ Neale, SVP– marketing, points out that custom sublimation is getting faster and more flexible. "The technology has been used on premium jerseys for years and its capability to produce distinctive garments is finding an increasing number of applications both on and off the field. Many new customers were introduced to custom sublimated masks due to the pandemic and this is opening up the world of possibilities," he says. "With vibrant colors and graphics permanently embedded into the garment, personalized for the wearer, custom sublimation is finding new corporate and promo- tional markets." Technology and Initiatives: F o u n d e r S p o r t G ro u p j u s t launched Gameplan, billed as custom sublimation made simple for dealers. "Custom sublimation is so dynamic, it can be over- whelming for teams to visualize the possibilities. Gameplan cuts through the clutter by letting teams browse uniforms and fan- wear for their sport, in their team name and colors," explains Neale. "We've worked closely with key dealers and have found that it not only speeds up selling, but leads to incremental purchases. Plus, Gameplan is 100 percent dealer-driven." The company offers three custom sublimation brands to its dealers. Flash 2-Day Tech Tee features finished garment subli- mation in which crew, V-neck and sleeveless garments are pre-made and the front and back are subli- mated using an exclusive Coverall process. Chromagear is a brand of custom sublimated uniforms, offering cut-and-sew sublimation. ProSphere offers custom-subli- mated fanwear. Technology and Initiatives: Because there are never any inven- tory or art upcharges for custom sublimation, dealers can say "Yes" to their customers without impact- ing profit margins, notes Neale. The Future: On the front end, the company will continue to simplify the custom experience. "It's not enough to hand a team a catalog filled with designs in the wrong colors. Similarly, we can't hand teams a blank sheet of paper and ask them to design their gear. We have to visualize the possibilities so coaches and teams can browse and make their choice. A team won't ask for something they don't know is possible," says Neale. n Market Trends: Sublimation con- tinues to evolve as technology, product, pricing and lead times improve and these enhancements are expanding the opportunities for current sublimation custom- ers and allowing new customers to enter the category, suggests Brad Sullivan, VP–sublimation. "The digital experience to design a sublimated product is becoming increasingly important. Customers want to interact, personalize and visualize their product before making a purchase," he explains. "The product is migrating towards sleek and subtle design with softer performance fabrics. The market relevance of sublimation is pushing positive advancements in the cate- gory that will spur future growth." Technology and Initiatives: Augusta's FreeStyle program is the cornerstone of its digital platform. "FreeStyle allows customers to design a product in five easy steps in record time on either a phone or desktop. The product is displayed in a 3D image and 360 views so that it can be easily shared with customers," explains Sullivan. "We continue to add new features that improve the customer experience and increase production speed through thoughtful automation." Advice for Dealers: Sullivan contends that sublimation allows dealers to deliver incredible value to their customers by providing standout design, personalization and service. "Sublimation lead times and pricing have become increasingly competitive, to the point where sublimation is now a viable option at the price-con- scious youth and recreational levels. Dealers who embrace the shift and offer sublimation as a new solution to their recreational and youth leagues will position themselves as thoughtful experts and have an advantage over the competition," he says. The Future: "The sublimation market is rapidly evolving as the category becomes more viable for a broader base of end users," observes Sullivan. "We will see it grow in the youth and recreational space, the corporate market and the outdoor space. Each of these new customer segments will have a different set of expectations and requirements, but all will require speed and excellent customer ser- vice." He believes that the leading brands will find ways to use tech- nology to improve their speed and deliver unmatched service. n Augusta Sportswear Founder Sport Group TEAM/ APPAREL sportstylemag.com • sportstyle January 2021 • 57

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