It’s your logo – known to everyone associated with your school or team. That instant recognition is good, because it sparks team pride and a sense of unity among players, coaches and fans. So it makes perfect sense to use your logo to decorate all your sports gear -- but only if your logo is going to look perfect once it’s applied.
As it turns out, there is both an art and a science to decorating sports gear, and it takes a really great logo to score a decisive win.
Every team should have a great logo
Your logo has functional value because it identifies your team on and off the field. But its real value is psychological. It is the visual essence of your team. The colors, the font, and the overall design come together in a unique way to tell the world who you are – not just your team name, but your personality and style.
Professional sports teams spend millions to design a just-right logo that symbolizes their organization. Their logos are easily recognizable and memorable and fan-approved for spirit wear. Even if your team hasn’t quite made it to the majors, a great logo says you’re on your way to greatness.
What does the perfect logo look like?
There are factors that determine great logo design, regardless of its intended use. But then there are factors that ensure excellence when it comes to using your logo for apparel decoration.
A logo that looks snappy on a sign or a poster won’t necessarily look great on your gear. That’s because different decoration processes produce a different result. And who wants uniforms or spirit wear that look, well, not that great? At SquadLocker, we believe every team deserves pro quality, and that’s what you get. So we make sure your logo is “field ready” – destined to look like a winner on the field as well as in the stands -- before we decorate your gear.
The best logos are simple, because that makes them both memorable and versatile:
- Design is eye-pleasing as well as eye-catching
- Definition is crisp and clear
- Colors look snappy
Frankly, not everyone can produce field-ready quality, consistently. Especially across a broad range of gear types and methods of decoration application. When you team up with us for decoration, you know you’re going pro.
Design factors that affect decorated logo quality
Color
You want your team colors, but maybe only the main one. Colors should be bright because pastels look “fragile,” not much of a sports message. Multiple colors should contrast sharply with each other and the garment, so the design doesn’t look mushy or disappear into the background. Including “white space” can help with that.
Font
Simple lettering is easy to read at a glance, whereas fussy fonts can look prissy and are nearly impossible to read. All caps and bold font look powerful and are visible from a distance and while players are in motion.
Size and shape
Large areas of color can be too much of a good thing, making your logo look like a “sticker” on the gear. Simpler line art can make a much more impressive statement.
Detail
Intricate detail, gradients, textures, shadings, and photographic effects are good examples of artistic elements that can reproduce beautifully on paper but not on sports gear.
Intended purpose/placement
For pro-quality decoration, your logo must be versatile enough to look perfect when it’s large on the front of a uniform or a blanket and when it’s small on a sleeve, above a pocket, or on a hat.
Application type
At SquadLocker, we decorate gear using printing, sublimation and embroidery, depending on the specific item and each customer’s desire. Embroidery, in particular, requires simpler design to produce professional-looking results.
So, what does the perfect logo look like? Here are a couple of great examples:
Every school, organization and team deserves a logo that is nothing short of great! If yours doesn’t make the cut, we can help. Our SquadLocker design team is geared up and ready to team up with your team right now to transform your logo from poor to score, or to create a brand new logo custom-designed just for you. And we’ll do it for free. That’s a win everybody can applaud.
