Custom branded athleisure wear is massive right now. From gyms and health clubs, to personal trainers, to influencer merch and fashion resellers, we are seeing a big rise in demand for sporty goods printed or embroidered with your logos.

So much so in fact, that we’ve invested in a fancy new bit of kit to better print sports fabrics to make sure your logos are as vibrant as they deserve to be. This DTF (direct to film) technology produces a full colour printed film which gets applied to the garment with heat. This replicates your logo or design exactly and gives a hard wearing print that will look amazing wear after wear and wash after wash.

We’ve also expanded our product range, which is why we decided to put the clothing (and ourselves) through the ringer to see what we think of them.

Most of our new athleisure wear is by a brand called TriDri, who make some really good quality, fashionable items which are way beyond what you’d expect from old school print and promotional ranges. These maintain an extremely competitive price point whilst being akin to leading sports fashion brands in their look and composition.

So see what Simon and Anna from our marketing team made of some of the new TriDri kit when they took it for a brisk run around Media City, handily located just around the corner from our Manchester HQ.

Simon – 6ft 1, slim build, regular runner

I took up running as my New Years resolution, and for once it stuck! I’ve been running around 100-150 kilometres per month since January and have gone from the occasional 5k to running a couple of half marathons, including the Great North Run a few weeks ago.

I typically wear GymShark or Nike products in training, or the occasional technical charity t shirt from events I’ve run in. The important things for me are a reasonably tight fit to avoid chafing and a breathable fabric. I prefer smooth fabrics to mesh and won’t buy shorts unless they have a zip pocket for a key!

When the team sent through some of the new TriDri products I was really happy. Clearly my banging on about running all year had sunk in! 

The products at a glance looked great, the colours were vibrant, the fabrics a smooth wickable polyester and the shorts have the all important zip pocket.

The products I tested were:

The TriDri Performance T Shirt (Size M)

In Sapphire Blue, this smooth polyester t shirt looks really vibrant and fits beautifully. It’s got a great feel against the skin and a good stretch to the fabric giving more of a feel of a base layer. This meant going for a run around Manchester on a blustery October day I could wear it underneath the next piece in the review, the ¼ zip performance top. As a snug base layer type of fit, it added warmth on a cool day, yet was breathable so as to remain comfortable as I got warmer as we got going on the run.

This t shirt feels just like premium brand performance t shirts and the fit is as good. I think I’ll be turning to TriDri t shirts for my daily running basics from here on out.

If I got this t shirt as a running event t shirt I’d be delighted. I could see this t shirt as a great edition to the merch for any event, club or sports society.

The print sits on the t shirt perfectly, with the print thin and flexible. Just be aware that very large prints might disrupt the breathability of the fabric so I’d recommend chest, sleeve or text prints rather than very large centre chest or centre back designs.

The TriDri 1/4 Zip Long Sleeve Performance Top (Size M)

As a runner who usually gets very hot when running I typically stick to t shirts, short sleeve in the summer or long sleeve in the winter. I can definitely see this top fitting into my autumn/winter and even sprint repertoire. It’s lightweight and breathable so even over a base layer t shirt didn’t feel too warm or bulky. It suits me perfectly, that it’s definitely more of a long sleeve t shirt than a sweatshirt, so this isn’t the choice for you if you’re looking for something warm and snuggly, but it kept off the breeze whilst warming up and then remained cool and breathable once we got going.

The melange colour of the material places this on par with most fashion athleisure brands and again the stretch in the fabric makes it comfortable and allows a full range of motion. This item will be great for runners and would make a great training top for any sports team or club. 

Again the print looks and feels great, sitting on the fabric nicely and giving a crystal clear replication of the design we created for this trial.

The TriDri Running Shorts (Size M)

I’ve already mentioned the all important feature of a zip key pocket, which these have, but I was also impressed with the lined inner shorts adding a greater level of comfort and warmth. I have to admit I never train without Runderwear (my choice of running boxers) so can’t attest to if these shorts are chafe free over long distances without some sports underwear underneath! 

They allowed for flexibility, have two side pockets and the zippable key pocket on the back. They take a print really well, again making these the ideal choice for printed merchandise or for training gear for sports teams. Team Clothes2order will certainly be wearing these for our next 5 aside tournament!

The Verdict

I’m really impressed with the TriDri range, it competes on comfort and fit with the big fitness brands for a fraction of the price and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to any sports teams, clubs or societies who are looking for fashionable athleisure wear for their members or supporters. 

Anna – 5ft 1, slim build, returning to running after a break

Having recently had a baby, I was nervous to take up exercise again. I used to do a fair amount of running and cross training at the gym, but after a substantial break, I felt it was time to challenge myself. I needed to find some new clothes to work out in – a comfortable, stylish range that would fit my post-baby body shape. I also wanted to find a pair of leggings for work that were warm and comfortable enough to wear all day.

I previously worked out in mostly Nike clothing – so Nike leggings, bras and tops. This brand was perfect for me as I liked the on trend styles and not to mention that the leggings didn’t fall down when I ran or squatted.

When I was asked to test the TriDri range, I jumped at the chance to try something new at an affordable price. 

TriDri Women’s Cropped Oversize Hoodie (Size XS)

I started off with a few simple warm up stretches so for this I wore the oversize hoodie in Nude over my vest and leggings. You could definitely run or do yoga in this too – it’s a lightweight hoodie so is perfect for that extra layer when your body is warming up or if you’re exercising outside and braving the elements! The detail in the cropped hoodie and the camel colour is very on trend – I love the drawstring you can tie as well as the oversized cuffs. 

TriDri Women’s Recycled Seamless 3D Fit Multi-Sport Flex Leggings (Size XS)

Going out on my first run wearing TriDri, I am happy to say that the leggings fitted perfectly! I chose them in a lovely vibrant lilac. I like to listen to music while I’m running so the handy side pocket for my phone was a pleasant surprise – I have a Google phone which is on the bigger side compared to other mobiles and it fitted in the pocket no trouble.

I wore the leggings for a good few hours and they didn’t fall down while running like some brands do – and they kept me warm when the wind chill picked up but I didn’t feel overly hot or uncomfortable in the material.

TriDri Women’s Recycled Seamless 3D Fit Multi-Sport Flex Vest and TriDri Women’s Seamless ‘3D Fit’ Multi-Sport Reveal Bra (Sizes XS)

I love that I could mix and match different items in the range to build out my running look! 

I choose to go very matchy-matchy with my leggings and vest top, creating an all-lilac look with a black TriDri sports bra underneath for a contrast effect. I loved the racerback style of the bra and vest top – both items felt comfortable and the vest didn’t ride up. The DTF printed logo looked and felt great and didn’t stick or crease as I moved about.

TriDri Women’s Panelled Polo (Size XS)

One of TriDri’s selling points is that their range isn’t just suitable for sports and exercise. As an athleisure brand it can also be worn as uniform – thanks to its range of polo shirts, t-shirts and hoodies in various colours and sizes. I tested the TriDri Women’s Panelled Polo in French Navy. As soon as I buttoned up the collar I felt really smart, especially with the addition of my DTF printed logo. I can see this polo shirt being used across the leisure, hotel, hospitality and spa industries as it is lightweight, comfortable and available in a range of colours to match across the brand.

The Verdict

I was really impressed with my trial of the TriDri and it lived up to my expectations – especially when comparing to the products I used to wear. I love that it celebrates a range of body shapes and the variety of colours that you can mix and match across different products made me feel this isn’t just any old sports range, but an athleisure brand you can feel confident and smart in whether you’re working out or simply working.