Custom Ink Alternative for Competition Kickboxing Gyms

Competition kickboxing gyms that ran their first team apparel order through Custom Ink often outgrow the bulk-order model fast. The 12-piece minimum on a single shirt does not match small fight rosters, the 2-week lead time misses fight-week moments, and the per-piece economics on a 6-fighter order are punishing. Here is the head-to-head comparison and the switch playbook for moving a competition kickboxing gym apparel program off Custom Ink.

Where Custom Ink Works

Custom Ink built its model for a specific use case: a 25-500 piece one-time order of identical shirts. Single-color print on a stock tee, all shipped to one address. For a large tournament with 100 family fan tees in one box delivered to the gym, the model works.

Where It Breaks for Fight Gyms

• Small rosters. 4-fighter and 8-fighter teams hit the 12-piece minimum painfully.
• Multi-variant orders. Walk-out hoodie with fighter name on back means each piece is a unique SKU. Bulk shops price each as a setup.
• On-demand fight-week orders. A fighter named to a card 10 days out cannot wait for a 2-3 week bulk lead time.
• Direct-to-fighter shipping. Custom Ink ships bulk to the gym. Gym still has to fulfill to each fighter home for out-of-town team members.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Per-Piece Cost Compared

Order type	Custom Ink approx (with setup spread)	Bear Grips Pro Shops VIP base
6 cotton tees, 1 color print	$28-$38 per piece	$23.88 per piece
6 hoodies, 1 color print	$48-$62 per piece	$36.88 per piece
1 piece, on demand	Often unavailable	$23.88 (cotton tee)
Per-fighter walk-out hoodie with custom name	+$5-$10 per piece naming fee	No naming fee

The Switch Playbook

1. Sign up for the free plan (3 products) or VIP at $59/mo (200 products).
2. Upload the same gym logo file you used on Custom Ink.
3. Re-create your top sellers: walk-out hoodie, team tee, coach polo, fan tee.
4. Set retail. Match or raise your Custom Ink retail by $4-$8. Margin lifts because base cost dropped.
5. Share the new shop link with the team group chat, gym Instagram, fighter family group.
6. Old Custom Ink stock sells through naturally. New orders flow through the new shop.

What Stays the Same and What Gets Better

Stays the same	Gets better
Brand availability (Bella+Canvas, Sport-Tek, Champion, Gildan)	No inventory in the gym back room
Embroidery and screen-print methods	No forecast pain on the once-a-quarter restock
Apparel quality	Fighters and family order direct to home
Logo and brand consistency	New designs tested for $0 risk

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my existing logo file transfer cleanly?

Yes. Upload the same PNG or vector. No re-design required. Embroidery digitization is a one-time setup if you want embroidered pieces.

What about my old Custom Ink hoodies in storage?

Sell them off normally through the team or family channels. Once gone, transition fully to the no-minimum model.

Does the switch require any contract or commitment?

No contract. Free plan is no-commitment. VIP plan is month-to-month. Cancel anytime.