Custom Baseball Jerseys: What You Need to Know

Whether you're outfitting your local junior baseball team or just starting a crafty side hustle making custom jerseys for die-hard fans, there is a fair bit to plan out—especially if you plan to turn this into a fully-fledged business down the track!

We are going to walk you through the process of creating custom baseball jerseys from start to production.

Understanding the Basics of Custom Baseball Jerseys

Material Selection

When purchasing custom baseball jerseys, the material you choose can either make or break the game—no kidding! You would want something comfortable, breathable, and strong enough for a few slides into home plate!

Polyester is a great material choice—it is durable and moisture-wicking; this helps players remain cool while playing under the Australian sun! Some people like to add some spandex to it for a little give. Also, mesh panels are a great addition—not many would want to be that poor guy that sweats a river at shortstop.

Design Elements

Here in Australia, when you think about custom baseball jersey design, you’re thinking of putting the team name or logo front and centre, numbers on the back, and maybe a few cheeky sponsorship patches or a badge to celebrate an occasion.

But don’t get me wrong—it's not simply a matter of sticking a few letters on the jumpers and calling it a day. You've got to think about colours that will stand out on the field, a bold font that even your mates in the nosebleeds can read, and a design that truly embodies the soul and pride of your team. Whether it be local footy legends or a weekend rec team, your jersey should ooze team spirit and Aussie pride.

Sizing and Fit

A baggy custom baseball jersey may be acceptable for a relaxed Sunday afternoon competition, but if you’re playing to win, you’ll want to ensure your fit is correct. If it's too tight, you’re going to feel like a stuffed sausage; too loose, and you’ve got excess material flying around (ok, they may not actually fly away, but you get the point).

Make sure you are providing a strong size range, including little sizes for the junior ranks, and also check the length—no one wants to be tripping over their jersey halfway around the bases!

Why Embroidery's a Ripper Choice for Custom Baseball Jerseys

Quality and Durability

Alright, let's chat about quality. When it comes to embroidery, it's not just stitching for the sake of good craftsmanship. When you stick a design on a jersey by means of embroidery, you spend the time and money to build something sustainable.

Contrasting with heat transfer, where it just sits on top, although heat transfer is a great option for many different crafty things, when embroidery happens, it sinks into the jersey and becomes part of something. It can withstand wash after wash, major dives, hectic slides, and all the celebratory high-fives you can throw at it—without fading or peeling. Your team name logo is still going to look just as brand new on the bottom of the ninth as it did on day one.

Professional Look – Aussie Style

Maybe it’s how the thread catches the light or that texture it creates—but embroidered jerseys just look good. They look slick and professional in a way that other methods just can't replicate.

There’s a huge difference between looking like a backyard cricket team and looking like you’re turning up to a professional game. When you spend money on custom baseball jerseys, you’re not just outfitting a team—you’re ramping up the professionalism of the uniform! And the players will feel and wear it like a pro!

Team Branding

If you are looking to truly upgrade your team gear, then embroidery is the way to go. You can really go to town with detailed multi-colour designs to embrace your team colours, whether that be the mascot, a cheeky slogan, or a patch to keep the memory of that great win in the grand final alive.

You can even embroider each player’s name and number as a way to add that little bit of extra pride into the jersey, hey? It’s all about producing a team look that is sharp and also looks great on the fans! There is no better finish than that pro look, that's for sure!

The Custom Baseball Jersey Process

Let’s Take a Squiz at How the Magic Happens Behind the Scenes

Making top-notch custom jerseys isn’t just about whacking on a logo—it takes a bit of know-how and the right gear. Let’s break it down, step by step.

1. Design & Digitisation

Whether it is a team logo that has been around for a while or a new design you have just created, every great jersey begins with a ripper design. The first step is to achieve a digital file for your embroidery machine to read it.

This is where digitising comes in; it is similar to the machine getting a treasure map to follow. A good digitiser will consider your fabric, the size of your design, and how to orient the stitches for a polished finish.

Whether it is solid fill stitches or slight shading to clean outlines, digitising is key in getting that finished embroidery to look like a professional job.

2. Material Preparation

Once your design’s ready to roll, it’s time to get your jerseys prepped. You can’t just chuck them under the machine and hope for the best!

First up—hooping. That’s the process of locking the fabric into a frame so it stays smooth and steady while the machine does its thing.

You’ll also want to use the right backing to support the design, especially for footy or baseball jerseys. It keeps the stitches from puckering and makes sure your design holds strong even after a rough match. The backing you choose depends on your fabric and how detailed your design is.

3. Time to Stitch!

Now for the main event – the embroidery itself! This is where your machine really earns its keep. Modern embroidery machines – like our RMT 1503-10S – are absolute rippers. They can handle a bunch of colours, stitch up detailed designs, and run at speeds that'll leave you gobsmacked.

Once you’ve got your design digitised, the machine gets to work, switching threads and stitching like a pro. Depending on how big or detailed the design is, it could take anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour.

But don’t kick back just yet; the job’s not done when the stitching stops. A top-notch embroiderer always gives each jersey a once-over, snipping stray threads and making sure everything looks schmick. A quick press with the iron and your embroidery’s sitting flat and looking mint – ready to hit the field or the streets in style.

Take Your New Custom Baseball Jersey Biz to the Next Level with Ricoma on Your Team!

Ready to hit it out of the park with your own custom baseball jersey business? With a Ricoma embroidery machine in your corner, you’re all set to knock it out of the park.

Check out our top-notch embroidery machines – built tough and easy to use. Whether you’re just kicking off or already running a growing business, Ricoma Australia has got the gear to help you stitch up pro-quality jerseys without the drama.