Chlorine-resistant, sublimated, sized to the body
Swimming: the one fabric in the factory that has to survive chlorine
Every other garment we make is washed. A swimsuit is soaked in chlorine for an hour a day, and ordinary spandex loses its stretch within a season of that. The fabric a team suit is made from is chosen for chlorine resistance first and everything else second.
It is also a garment where the fit is unforgiving. A racing suit is worn tight, and a size out is not a loose suit, it is a suit the swimmer cannot get into.
The fabric decision
Standard swimwear spandex breaks down in chlorine. It goes slack at the straps and the leg openings first, and a team suit worn daily is baggy by mid-season. A chlorine-resistant knit uses a different elastic fibre that holds its stretch through a season of pool time, and it costs more per metre, which is where the price difference between a fashion suit and a team suit comes from.
Sublimation works on this knit the same way it works on a singlet: the dye is in the fibre and it does not fade with chlorine any faster than the fabric itself. A printed design on a swimsuit is gone in weeks.
We do not offer the cheaper knit as an option, because a team suit that fails in season is a suit that has to be bought twice. The reasoning is the same one our note on washing and drying kit applies to the rest of the range: specify for what the garment will actually meet.
What we make for a swim team
- Women’s one-piece
- A racing cut with a keyhole or open back, thin straps, and a lined front. Sublimated to the club design.
- Men’s jammers
- Knee-length, with a drawcord waist and a front liner, in the same knit.
- Men’s briefs
- For swimmers who prefer them, in the same knit and design.
- Rash guards
- Short or long sleeve, in a UPF knit, for open-water and training. Worn over the suit.
- Warm-ups
- Jacket and pants for the pool deck, $59.99 a piece, in a fabric that is sat on wet without complaint.
- Youth sizes
- From a youth block, with the strap and leg placement drafted for a smaller frame.
Sizing a suit that is meant to be tight
A racing suit is sized smaller than the swimmer would choose for themselves, because a suit that feels comfortable dry is loose wet. The difference is about one size, and it is consistent enough that we build it into the chart.
What we ask for is a torso measurement and a height, not a dress size. Three swimmers tried in three sizes, then the rest of the squad placed from those, is the method; and a coach who has done it once does not go back to guessing.
What to send with a swim order
Torso and height per swimmer
Not chest or waist. A racing suit is fitted by torso length before anything else.
Back style
Keyhole, open or closed on the women’s suit. It changes the strap pattern, so it is decided before the mockup.
Suits and warm-ups together
One dye batch, so the club colour on the deck is the club colour in the water.
Ten of one garment
The minimum is per garment type. Ten suits meets it; five suits and five jammers does not.
What we make for swimming, and what it costs
Prices are per piece and include the design work. Every garment has a minimum of 10 pieces; sizes can be mixed within it. A garment marked quoted is priced per order, because its cut and design coverage change the work.
| Garment | What it is | Per piece | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Swim Team Suits | One-piece racing suit in chlorine-resistant fabric, sublimated to the club design. | quoted | 10 pcs |
| Men's Jammers & Briefs | Knee-length jammers or briefs in the same fabric, with a drawcord waist. | quoted | 10 pcs |
| Rash Guards | Short or long sleeve, worn over the suit for open-water and training sessions. | quoted | 10 pcs |
| Swim Team Warm-Ups | The poolside jacket and pants, in a fabric that does not mind being sat on wet. | $59.99 $84.49 | 10 pcs |
Swimming questions
Is the fabric chlorine-resistant?
Yes, on every suit. We do not offer standard swimwear spandex, because it loses its stretch within a season of daily pool time.
Will the design fade in the pool?
The design is dyed into the fibre, so it fades no faster than the fabric, which is to say very slowly. A printed design would be gone in weeks.
How should a racing suit fit?
About one size tighter than feels comfortable dry, because it loosens wet. Our chart is built that way, and we ask for torso and height rather than a dress size.
Do you make men’s and women’s suits?
Yes — one-piece suits on a women’s block, jammers and briefs on a men’s, and youth from a youth block.
Can the warm-ups match the suits?
Yes, when ordered together. They come from one dye batch.
What do warm-ups cost?
$59.99 a piece for a jacket or pants, reduced from $84.49.
What is the minimum?
Ten pieces of one garment type, sizes mixed freely.
How long does a swim order take?
Two to three weeks from approved artwork. Stretch fabric is cut slowly, and we do not promise faster.
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