Custom running t-shirt: how do you choose one for your club or your race?

The right custom running t-shirt is a polyester-knit sports t-shirt of 130 to 140 g/m2 that wicks sweat away instead of holding it, decorated with a transfer or screen printing. At tknp.io, for 25 units with an A6 DTF transfer logo, expect €6.20 excluding VAT per unit for the JHK Sport and €7.88 excluding VAT for Just Cool's Cool T, as a guide.

Our prices, read on the product pages on 19 October 2026, as a guide: unit prices excluding VAT, one print position included (A6 format for the transfer), base colours and standard sizes, standard lead time, delivery extra. They may change.

A good race t-shirt has two lives: race day, when the club's runners can be spotted from far away, then Tuesday evening training, season after season. It is often a running club's first merch, and that second life, the one that carries its name around, depends almost entirely on the fabric.

Which t-shirt should you choose to run with your club's logo?

For running, choose a polyester-knit sports t-shirt between 130 and 140 g/m2: it is light and moves sweat out of the fabric so it can evaporate. Look at ventilation too: open-knit areas and mesh panels under the arms create the airflow that dries the t-shirt during the effort.

The three models in the table cover most of a club's needs. JHK's Man Sport T-Shirt, in recycled polyester piqué knit with raglan sleeves, is the lightest of the three. Pen Duick's Firstee Men, with a fitted cut and no neck label, won't rub the back of your neck over a half marathon. Just Cool's Cool T, with a UPF 30+ rating stated by the brand, suits summer runs in full sun and comes in 50 colours. All 70 models in the range can be compared on our custom sports t-shirts page.

Cotton or polyester for a race t-shirt?

For running, polyester wins: cotton soaks up sweat and holds it, getting heavy and cold over the kilometres, while polyester moves it outwards. Cotton keeps its place for the t-shirt you pull on after the finish line, at the refreshment stand or the medal ceremony.

Our cotton or polyester comparison covers both fabrics beyond sport.

How much does a custom running t-shirt cost?

At tknp.io, the JHK Sport with an A6 DTF transfer logo costs €6.20 excluding VAT per unit at 25 units, and €5.45 excluding VAT each for a run of 50 screen-printed in one colour. The price drops further at 100: €4.41 excluding VAT in screen printing on the same model.

Our per-unit prices of the JHK Sport, as a guide, men's and women's versions alike: for a single print position, in the most affordable colour, at the standard lead time, delivery extra, taken from its two product pages on 19 October 2026.

For a club, two settings weigh on the bill: the club t-shirt in two colours counts as a single run for the price tier, whereas the men's and women's versions are each priced on their own quantity. The largest sizes and a few colours cost slightly more from the brand: the product page adds that surcharge as soon as you select them. Our guide to custom t-shirts for your company details these tiers on cotton t-shirts.

Which decoration works on a polyester sports t-shirt?

On a light sports t-shirt, sublimation gives the best result: the ink enters the fibre with no thickness at all, and the design can cover the whole t-shirt. It is quoted on request from 10 units, with an answer within 24 working hours, and only works on light polyester. Our article on textile sublimation explains the process.

On a dark t-shirt, use a DTF transfer designed for polyester, or screen printing once the run gets bigger. On the JHK Sport, per our product pages of 19 October 2026 and as a guide (one print position, most affordable colour), the A6 DTF transfer costs less as long as the run stays under 50 units, draws level with one-colour screen printing at 50 (€5.45 excluding VAT per unit), then at 100 one-colour screen printing comes to €4.41 excluding VAT, against €4.94 excluding VAT for the transfer. Avoid direct-to-garment printing, designed for cotton, which does not grip synthetic fibre. Embroidery remains possible in a small format, with a backing under the fabric, but we keep it for the club's sweatshirt or jacket.

Why does a white logo turn pink on a red t-shirt?

On a strongly coloured polyester, the heat of the press can draw the fabric's dye up into the print: that is what turns a white logo pink on a red t-shirt. This is why the transfer designed for polyester carries an anti-migration barrier, a blocking ink or film that keeps white truly white.

How many t-shirts should you order, and when?

Each reference is ordered in at least 10 units, mixing sizes and colours; the men's and women's versions of a t-shirt are two references. For a race, start from the number of entrants or club members, then add a margin for volunteers and last-minute sizes.

As for timing, it all depends on who pays. When the club orders directly, its t-shirts are customised then shipped within 10 working days as standard, and leave within 5 working days on rush; add delivery, with the estimated date shown in the basket, and the time to approve the design and gather sizes. When each runner pays for their t-shirt on the Store, allow four to six weeks in total, pre-sale included. If the race is still far off, note that the production lead time can also be chosen on the product page: four weeks lower the price by 5%, one week costs 10% more.

For a corporate race, where the employer equips its runners, our guide to custom t-shirts for your company helps choose the rest of the team outfit. In November, a team taking on the Movember challenge of running 60 kilometres in the month will find its model in our guide to the team t-shirt for Movember.

Women's race t-shirts, priced like the men's

The JHK Sport, the Pen Duick Firstee and the Just Cool Cool T each have a women's version, priced exactly like the men's one: JHK's Lady Sport T-Shirt, fitted from S to XXL, Pen Duick's Firstee Women, from XS to XXL, and Just Cool's Women's Cool T, from XS to 4XL. A runner stuck in an oversized men's t-shirt won't wear it again.

For runners who want a recycled fabric, the men's JHK Sport is 100% recycled polyester; our article on recycled polyester explains what that changes.

Where should the logo go when you race with a bib?

Put the club logo on the chest and the club or race name large on the back: on race day, the bib covers the stomach and lower chest. One design works on two colours: navy on Just Cool's Cool T in cream (Vanilla), cream on the same t-shirt in navy (Oxford Navy), and the whole club runs under a single logo. Product page prices include a single print position, in A6 format for the transfer: a large design on the back or a partner logo on the sleeve is priced on top. For the design size on the chest and back, see our guide to logo placement.

The club t-shirt, reserved and paid for by each runner

On the tknp.io Store, the club opens a pre-sale for its race t-shirt: each runner picks their size and pays online, and the club pays nothing upfront. The t-shirts are delivered roughly three weeks after the pre-sale closes, each in a bag labelled with the runner's name, ready to hand out at bib collection. Opening a Store is free; our guide to a sports club's online shop covers the pre-sale, prices and the club's kitty.