How Custom Apparel Trends are Formed (and How Decorators Can Get Ahead of Them)
Trends don’t just appear. They’re engineered.
In the decorated apparel world, the decorators who lead the conversation aren’t guessing what’s next. They’re studying what’s influencing customers, experimenting with what’s possible, and partnering with the right vendors to bring it all to life.
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay ahead of the curve (and win the work that comes with it), here’s where to start.
1. Watch What’s Influencing Your Customers’ Customers
Before a design ever hits your press, it’s been influenced by dozens of micro-movements: what athletes wear off the field, what’s trending on TikTok, what colleges are doing, what pro teams are unveiling.
You don’t need a trend-forecasting subscription to spot patterns, you just need curiosity.
➤ Follow the brands your high school teams admire.
➤ Pay attention to colors and typography used in college and travel programs.
➤ Note which styles players or parents are ordering as spirit wear, not just uniforms.
When you start connecting those dots, you’ll see tomorrow’s requests before they’re spoken.
2. Build a Vendor Team That Keeps You Informed
You don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t.
The best decorators work hand-in-hand with their blank apparel and custom transfer vendors to stay inspired and equipped.
➤ Ask for sample programs. Most suppliers will gladly help you fill a showroom with trending blanks or print samples in current colorways and finishes.
➤ Host a quarterly refresh. Swap out one or two display pieces with items that mirror what’s trending in retail or athletics.
➤ Lean on your reps. They’re often the first to see what’s coming down the pipeline.
A strong vendor partnership transforms your showroom from a catalog wall into a living trend board.
3. Use Specialty Inks to Support the Trend, Not Be the Trend
Rarely does an ink type itself become a “movement,” but it can absolutely shape one.
Take puff ink, for example. Once popular in the ’60s and ’70s, it resurfaced a few years ago when consumers started craving nostalgic, tactile designs. That wave has now evolved into decorators using puff as a subtle accent - a raised outline, a dimensional logo hit, a contrast texture against matte ink.
That’s how smart decorators turn a short-term fad into a long-term tool.
When evaluating new specialty finishes (shimmer, vintage wash, glow, glitter, etc.):
➤ Ask “What story does this help me tell?” instead of “What’s everyone else using?
➤ Pair finishes intentionally - like soft vintage colors with a puff outline, or shimmer accents on a school crest - to amplify your creative direction.
➤ Keep samples of each finish in your showroom to show customers possibility without overwhelming them with choice.
4. Turn Observation into Opportunity
Trends are nothing without translation. Here’s how to turn what you notice into what you sell:
➤ Create seasonal lookbooks or mood boards highlighting your favorite style combinations.
➤ Run short-run “trend tests”. Print a few mockups of a new design direction and share them on social media to gauge interest.
➤ Offer bundled packages (e.g., coach gear + spirit wear + warmups) using consistent design cues to make the brand feel cohesive.
➤ Educate your clients. A five-minute conversation about why this year’s look is fresher or more functional builds trust and positions you as a consultant, not a commodity.
When customers come to you for ideas instead of just prices, you’ve officially become their trendsetter.
5. Keep Your Finger on the Pulse and Your Press Ready
The best decorators don’t chase trends; they translate them for their community.
Whether it’s a new texture, a color story, or a smarter uniform package, staying current is about curiosity and collaboration.
Partner closely with your vendors, refresh your displays often, and keep exploring new ways to make familiar tools feel fresh again.
In this business, trendsetters don’t wait for inspiration. They press it.