With recent advances in digital printing and sublimating technical fabrics (like cycling kit), the market for custom designed team kit has exploded. How good your local club kit looks is limited only by your imagination. Since 2002, the guys at Custom Sublimation have been turning out custom team kit in less time than it takes some races to post results…
It’s crunch time for 2007 team kit – the lucky teams have their rosters decided and sponsor deals done. The really organized ones have already designed and ordered their new kit for next year. And with kit manufacturers the world- over running at capacity to make it and ship it before the season starts… we were lucky to get time to talk to Chris Jackson - the grand-poobah at Custom Sublimation.
Custom Sublimation is a part of the Mt.Borah cycling apparel company - the part that specializes in custom kit.
They Make Custom Kit...!
Customsublimation.com is a division of Mt. Borah, LLC, makers of cycling apparel since the fall of 1995. In the spring of 2002, Mt. Borah established Customsublimation.com, the division was set-up to fulfill a need for custom team apparel requests from bicycle stores and cycling teams.
Customsublimation.com was one of the first US businesses to use digital printing technology for dye-sublimation inks, allowing for turn around times of 7-weeks or less (vs 12+ weeks from other makers) and the lowest minimums (6-garments) in the industry. Plus they stepped up to offer unlimited colors at no extra charge and a no minimum reorder policy, which other manufacturers charge hundreds of dollars for.
Not your average sweatshop: the Mt. Borah employees like their jobs and it shows in the finished product.
The Secret of Success
Some impressive claims from an industry more noted for tortoise-like turn-around times, I asked Chris to back it up with an explanation…
Chris: We’re a completely vertical manufacturer, from initial design to shipment of the finished product, it’s all crafted under our strict quality control policies, right here in Coon Valley, Wisconsin. This is especially important in a fast paced, time sensitive custom environment. In four years of manufacturing custom team apparel, we can honestly say that we’ve never missed an event deadline, in fact, we’ve even bailed out other companies who have overbooked their production and have notified the customers that their kits would not ship by the due date.
Every customer signs off an a printed version of their artwork before the order is made.
Pez: Not bad, so you have everything under one roof – but that still leaves a lot of steps where things can get bogged down -
Chris: In 2006 we implemented cutting edge ERP database software which effectively walks an order through our facility from start to finish. Our system includes several “checkpoints” along the way, to avoid delays that are typical in the kit making process. For example, we send a miniature “color swatch” before going into production, this is a shrunken down version of the final product and acts as the final proof before production begins. Once we receive a client’s final “color swatch” approval and their teams sizes, we can produce the order within 4-weeks. We can even rush an order for a 25% surcharge, rush orders have been produced in under 2 weeks! So clients get a smooth, hassle free ordering experience without any surprises.
Art director Jeron Moe works with each design, making sure customers’ ideas look right on the kit.
Pez: One thing I’ve seen many times in the bike industry is how better product comes from happy employees. So how about a little non-management insight – what’s it like working at Mt. Borah?
Jeron Moe, Mt. Borah’s art director told us:
“The atmosphere is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about why I enjoy working at Borah. An atmosphere that embraces creativity, that is laid-back and comfortable, while still being fast-paced and productive. An atmosphere where upper management not only allows me to, but encourages me to ride my bike through the beautiful, scenic bluffs during the work day. An atmosphere that keeps me up to date with the latest technology, newest software, and progressive seminars. An atmosphere where team work is key, and hard work is noticed. An atmosphere that allows me to enjoy coming to work every day, and provides me with a continually exciting future.”
Working with clay was part of a recent team building exercise – something all too rare in the bike industry.
Okay, But How’s The Quality? Chris: All of our products are constructed from high quality, technical fabrics. We offer a complete product line, providing all of the necessary items for complete team kits, from jerseys to thermal jackets. We also offer several upgrades, using the latest in European fabric technology. Our latest fabric, Swiss-Tech, is a super fine lycra polyester which has superior wicking and air flow characteristics. For jersey upgrades, we have a Micro-Grid fabric which utilizes a grid pattern, the pattern creates a unique look and feel and easily enables air to pass through the fabric, keeping the athlete cool and dry.
Nick Waite of Team Kelly Benefits riding in his Custom Sublimation kit.
Good Enough For My Team
Nobody trashes gear like sponsored athletes, so a good testimonial is a look at the teams who ride your kit. Customsublimation.com has worked with several professional cycling and cross-country ski teams, both national and international. Look for their kit in 2007 on the backs of Team Kelly Benefits, Team Tough Girls, Team Endeavor and America’s Dairyland Team, plus several elite level teams throughout the US and Canada. And if that’s not enough, the company website lists over 8 pages of satisfied customer testimonials – not too shabby.
Everything is sewn in house by skilled pros like Darcy.
What’s All This Gonna Cost Me
“We’re not the cheapest on the block, customers are willing to pay a bit more for a fast turn around time and guaranteed delivery, we have never missed an event deadline.” Say Chris. Customers can expect to pay anywhere from $82.50 per item for 6-12 jerseys down to $60.00 each for 75 or more units. They also offer a 10% pro-purchase discount for teams who use a “sponsorship template”.
Mt. Borah products are also distributed through Quality Bicycle Products or QBP, one of the world’s largest wholesale bicycle distributorships.
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
When the now defunct Belgian newspaper Het Volk first organized Omloop Het Volk in 1945 to capitalize on the growing popularity of bicycling racing ... More....
When you get an invite from the nation’s premier component maker to join a metric century in wine country that is fully catered, you grab the clean ... More....
Six Day racing comes to Berlin for the 99th time on Thursday, 28th January, 2010 with the great tradition of winter track racing in Germany in a ... More....
One more day, one more sprint! Sky had the goods to finish the week Down Under the same way they started: 1-2. The rest of the favorites were hot on ... More....
American Classic spent the last couple of years reworking their line up and the 420 Aeros are the latest to leave the bench. Take a look at the new ... More....
A couple years in the making, Pez head up to see arguably the top custom builder on the planet. We hit Serotta's NY shop, take a peek at their ... More....
You’ve still got today and all of tomorrow to ‘git ‘er done! Your holiday shopping that is… and armed with the complete set of 4 gift guides ... More....
If the stocking's not full - somebody's not doing their job. Good thing we're here to help with a big ol' bag full of the kind of stuff we'd love to ... More....
Winter riding is almost upon us - except for you lucky Aussies - and that means less riding outdoors. But with an indoor trainer and a Netflix ... More....
Many ergogenic aids, both legal and illegal, have been touted as the magic bullet that will improve cycling performance. What about something that ... More....
Having goals is one of the important first steps in achieving your dreams. They can be small goals or they can be big goals, but without them you’ll ... More....
Is cycling your religion, or at least one of them? If so, you’re not alone. Many people define themselves as “spiritual,” even if they don’t practice ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: I love Scotland; but there’s no Gazzetta in the morning, most of the coffee tastes like John Wayne brewed it beside the ... More....
Sunday July 20th 1969; that’s 40 years ago now but I remember it clearly as the day that I first became aware of professional bicycle racing – I was ... More....
Roadside Recap: As we make our merry way through the rounds of the PEZ Looks Back, Ed is up for his retrospective on the Tour that was. As the ... More....
Coming on four years ago, Saul Raisin was one of THE big things in US pro cycling. Top 40 in a hard Tour de Suisse and mountain king at the Tour de ... More....
The last time we spoke to Garmin's Steve Cozza was after the 2008 Paris - Tours; where he produced another solid performance from a consistent and ... More....
Just about to start his second season with Cervélo - thanks to strong Classic rides and his first Grand Tour finish, in the Giro - Englishman, Dan ... More....
In October, nine-time Tour de France rider Frankie Andreu announced that he would be Director Sportif of the Ohio-based KENDA Pro Cycling p/b ... More....
With so many (too many?) others looking back to best-of-2009 or decade highlights, why not look ahead? A new decade beckons, after all, so who better ... More....
We first talked with Lostende Bike Tours owner and avid cyclist Allan Reeves about his Pyrenees Cycling Challenge, from the Atlantic to the ... More....
So, riding in Texas is mostly flat, with only tumbleweeds and armadillos to avoid right? Well, not exactly. You see, Austin is situated in what’s ... More....
I’m just digging out from a few days at the BMC training camp, and while I won’t be reporting on doing Jaeger-bombs and Redbulls with Cadel & George, ... More....
When the now defunct Belgian newspaper Het Volk first organized Omloop Het Volk in 1945 to capitalize on the growing popularity of bicycling racing ... More....
When you get an invite from the nation’s premier component maker to join a metric century in wine country that is fully catered, you grab the clean ... More....
Race report: Alejandro Valverde stayed upright to seal his Vuelta victory – the first Grand Tour win of his career. On such a short stage, ... More....
Race Report: Today David Millar won his 5th stage in all his Vuelta’s, he was given one of the swords that Toledo is famous for along with the ... More....
Updated! Hallelujah, they're racing in Qatar, and I just got back from celebrating with every other New Orleanian on Bourbon Street. There's ... More....
It was a dark Sunday morning in Italy when the news services announced that Franco Ballerini, ex-professional, former dual Paris-Roubaix winner and ... More....
The maracas shake, 'Cara mia, mine !' blasts from the PA. Bang! The little cannon fires and the hall fills with smoke. Yes, this is the right place, ... More....
When the K-Mart Classic of West Virginia stormed through the state in the mid-90s, it opened awareness as to just how great the bike riding is in ... More....
Roadside St. 14 When you start each new Giro you understand you’re a year older. You feel a stranger to the village approach and for a moment ... More....
As the final Madison got underway the arena was packed to the rafters, all the talk of Six Days in crisis forgotten for now. The finale was ... More....
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/amclass/amc420alarge.jpg",900,698);)
![](javascript:showpic("http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/serotta/meilarge.jpg",2000,1244);)
