First up for a heat printed athletics kit was Andy.

For his top layer, I chose the TR110 TriDri Long Sleeve Performance ¼ zip in Black and Red. There are four fabulous colour combos for this garment, but knowing that Andy lives and breathes black garments, I thought the black with a pop of Stahls' UK red was very on-theme.

The TriDri® performance 1/4 zip is designed with soft, lightweight fabric that is perfect during outdoor workouts for bulk-free warmth.

Placements: Left Chest Logo

Print Method:

Having worked with this garment previously, I knew that this particular blend of polyester was heat sensitive so I chose to use the Hotronix Dual Air Fusion IQ for it. I knew that with this heat press, I wouldn't risk scorching it with an over-pressured pre-press as the machine calculates it all for me. I also used a Power Platen (a heated lower platen) so that I could reduce the heat on the top platen.

For Andy's Tshirt option, I tried out the new CV012 Unisex EcoMax Short Sleeve Tee from Bella+Canvas. Crafted from a blend of recycled Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton scraps and recycled PET bottles, the EcoMax Tee is 100% recycled from fabric to thread.

Placement: Front chest & sleeve detail.

Print Method:

This tshirt is a nice blend of both polyester and cotton so printing it was a breeze. Use any heat press to print this tshirt. I used the Hotronix Tag Along Platen so that I could print a neck label and the front chest at the same time. It also made threading the short sleeve through the neck label slot on the platen super quick and easy for printing too.

If you find you're experiencing scorches due to using a high-temperature print method with this tshirt, try a grip flex pad over the top.

Up next: Molly.

Mollys top layer might be my favourite creation of the whole collection. The JH037 Women's cropped ¼-zip sweat from Just Hoods by AWDis did not disappoint.

This type of garment looks really premium and definitely looks like the sort of sweatshirt that an athlete would throw on for their journey to their race.

Keep things casual with this on-trend cropped sweatshirt. Featuring a quarter-zip front and funnel neckline. Made from cotton-rich fabric for all-year-round comfort. Team with leggings or jogpants for relaxed daytime wear.

Placement: Left Chest Logo & Sleeve Detail

Printing Method:

I used the Hotronix Auto Open for this sweatshirt, but the key here was not the heat press. It was the use of a heat press pillow. Because of the quarter zip detail, I slipped a pillow inside so that the metal zip would depress into the pillow while printing the left chest placement. I also used a heat press pillow for the sleeve detail. It is a little fiddly trying to get the pillow inside and it's worth noting that you do need a longer thin pillow option for this. Or you could use the Sleeve Platen from Hotronix for this part.

For Molly's tshirt option, I wanted something a little more feminine and retail-inspired than a standard unisex tshirt. Having never used Tombo for garments before, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the TL507 Womens Open Back Vest when it arrived.

Made up of two different finishes, the front is opaque and the back section (that opens with a split detail) is made of a fine mesh. 

This women's open back vest mixes innovation and style to create the perfect garment for both working out and hanging out. The long back with split can be worn open or tied up for maximum versatility.

Placement: Left chest and bottom seam detail.

Print Method:

Having never worked with this garment before, I chose to print this with a Power Platen (heated lower platen) on the Dual Air Fusion IQ Heat Press. No pre-press neccessary. The material is so thin and lightweight that I could see any moisture evaporating from this garment just by laying it onto the heated lower platen.

Last but not least: Richard

For Richard's top layer, I really liked the look of the two-tone JH063 Baseball Zoodie from Just Hoods by AWDis. I thought it was a great blend between casual and sporty. It definitely looks like the sort of garment an athlete would throw on after competing.

Placement: Left Chest and Full Back Print.

Print Method:

I used the Hotronix Fusion IQ heat press for this hoodie, but again, printing this garment was more about the use of heat press accessories than anything else. Printing the back print was simple, I just made sure the sleeve seams fell off the platen.

But for printing the front left chest detail, I chose to slip a heat press pillow inside so that the zip could depress into it to create a nice flat print space. You can also avoid the zip by using a smaller lower platen. With hoodies like this, this is particularly important as the zip is plastic and will melt if you heat press directly onto it.

For Richards T-shirt option, we used the JT001 Triblend T from JustT's by AWDis.

We went for an on-theme Heather Navy Blue Choice. This tshirt is made from 50% Polyester, 25% Viscose & 25% Cotton so it's great for breathability and softness.

This tee has all the comfort you'd expect from AWDis, designed with a modern fit and made from triblend ultra-soft feel fabric. The crew neck tee has twin needle stitching detail on the sleeves and bottom hem and features side seams and set-in sleeves. Available in various flattering colours, this tee is an essential wardrobe staple.

Placements: Full Chest & Sleeve detail

Print Method:

For this tshirt, I actually took too many precautions and it was completely unnecessary. Because of the polyester count in this tshirt, I decided to up my platen temperature slightly and use a grip flex pad as a thicker cover sheet. But as it turns out, this tshirt is very printable and my efforts were overkill. When the front chest didn't scorch in the slightest, I decided to print the sleeve normally with use regular release paper and this also didn't scorch.