Discover plain polo shirts in black, white, polycotton and wicking styles, including Pro RTX Polo, Russell Polo Shirts, Kustom Kit Polo Shirt and Just Cool
The polo shirt is a timeless classic offering versatility, comfort and style. From hospitality to retail, events to workwear, it’s the perfect smart-casual option for uniforms that look sharp and feel great all day.
For you as a printer or embroiderer, polos offer more than just comfort, they’re a blank canvas for building your customer’s brand. Add a logo, tagline, or company name, and you’re not only enhancing their professional image, but you’re also creating repeat business opportunities for yourself. With so many fits, fabrics, and colours available, you can confidently match the right polo to each client’s needs.
The Evolution of the Polo Shirts
Originally designed as a classic sportswear staple, the polo shirt was all about lightweight fabrics and freedom of movement. Fast-forward to today, and polos have stepped well beyond the tennis court and golf course. They’re now a firm favourite for casual wear, hospitality, events, and uniforms across countless industries.
For you as a printer or embroiderer, polos tick three important boxes for your clients, they’re simple, comfortable, and budget-friendly. That makes them an easy sell for businesses wanting a professional look without a high price tag, and a great opportunity for you to add value through custom branding that keeps customers coming back.
Polo Shirt Fabrics Explained
Cotton
If your client wants a breathable, all-day-comfort option with a polished look, 100% cotton polos are a go-to. They’re soft, versatile, and ideal for both print and embroidery. The smooth cotton fibres hold embroidery stitches beautifully for a professional, long-lasting finish, while their excellent ink absorption makes them perfect for DTG and screen printing.
For workwear and retail clients, cotton polos strike the right balance between smart and casual as well as being cost-effective all year round. When you’re buying wholesale, offering a cotton polo option can help you win over customers looking for a formal yet comfortable garment they’ll want to reorder repeatedly.
Polyester
For clients who need durability, shape retention, and quick turnaround on branded garments, polyester polos are a smart choice. They have a smooth, stable surface that works brilliantly for heat transfer and screen printing, helping designs stay crisp and colours pop.
Polyester’s quick-dry properties make it a winner for summer uniforms, outdoor teams, events staff, and sports clubs. If your client’s crew is working hard in all weather, a polyester polo ensures they look professional without compromising comfort and gives you a versatile option to upsell for active or outdoor industries.
Polyester/Cotton Blends
For brands and businesses that want high-performance workwear or promotional gear, performance polos are the upgrade worth offering. Designed with features such as anti-bacterial properties, UV protection, and added stretch, these garments are built for comfort in warm or high-activity environments.
The smooth texture makes them ideal for vinyl and sublimation printing, producing sharp, vibrant designs that stand out, perfect for gyms, clubs, outdoor events, and activewear brands. When a client wants their team or brand ambassadors looking sharp while on the move, a performance polo is a premium option that can set you apart from competitors.
Performance/Tech fabric
Designed with features such as anti-bacterial, UV and stretch properties, performance polo shirts make a great option for the warmer weather as they are quick drying and lightweight. With these polos designed for visibility and activity, it is ideal for branded promotion and sport.
Its smooth texture makes vinyl and sublimation application extremely easy, creating crisp designs that will stand out in a crowd. Designed for hot environments and outdoor activities, these polo shirts would be perfect for gyms, clubs and activewear brands.
Choosing the right polo for your business
Decoration space
When purchasing polo shirts, you want to ensure you find ones that have a flat surface, free from seams, pockets and texture to prevent the risk of ink bleed or print distortion. Fabrics such as polyester and cotton will allow for a cleaner and more detailed print. When embroidering polo shirts, choose ones with stable fabrics that can withstand needle work without puckering such as pique or poly cotton blends are fabrics such as polyester will be too flimsy under the machine and will be likely to move.
Colour range for branding
Polo shirt ranges with a vast colour selection will allow you to carefully match brand and event colours without over complicating the design. A wide colour selection will also allow you colour match threads and pantone requests more closely to win repeat business. To shop our range of threads and other consumables to help you achieve this, click here.
High stock levels
Consistent stock availability means you can confidently offer the same polo shirt for repeat orders which is vital when providing uniforms for the workwear and school wear industries. At Prestige Leisure, we are known for our high stock levels, ensuring you have the right colours and sizes available to you. View live stock on all styles on our website to ensure you don’t miss out on large orders!
