Custom Ink Alternative for Gi BJJ Academies

Custom Ink is the default for academies running their first apparel order. The price-per-unit pricing model works for academies that can order 50+ shirts in one bulk buy, but penalizes small academies and most competition teams who realistically order 12-24 pieces per drop. Bear Grips Pro Shops is structurally different: no minimum, the same per-unit price at every quantity, and each student orders her own size from a standing shop link instead of the academy front-funding bulk inventory.

How Custom Ink Pricing Works for BJJ Academies

Custom Ink uses bulk-order pricing tiers. Roughly:

• 1-11 pieces: high per-unit price (often $25-$40 per tee depending on ink colors).
• 12-23 pieces: meaningful per-unit drop.
• 24-49 pieces: another drop.
• 50+ pieces: best per-unit price.
• 100+ pieces: deeper bulk pricing.

For an academy that can confidently move 50+ shirts in one bulk order, Custom Ink's per-unit price at scale is competitive. The pain shows up when the academy has 18 students who want the new design, the head professor front-funds the order, and the academy is left holding a stack of unsold smalls and XLs three months later.

How Bear Grips Pricing Works for BJJ Academies

Bear Grips is a SaaS shop platform, not a one-time bulk order tool. The model:

• Same per-unit price at every quantity. 1 tee or 250 tees, same base price (VIP plan: $19.88 for Airlume Cotton Athletic Tee).
• Each student orders her own size. The academy posts the shop link. Students click, choose size, pay retail. The item ships directly to the student.
• The academy keeps the difference between base and retail as profit. Standard retail $28-$32 on a tee means $8-$12 profit per shirt, ongoing.
• No inventory. The academy never front-funds, never holds stock, never deals with leftover sizes.
• Standing shop link. The academy posts the shop link in the gym chat, the Discord, the Instagram bio. Students order whenever they want.

The structural difference: Custom Ink is a transaction. Bear Grips is a storefront.

When Custom Ink Is Actually the Right Tool

Custom Ink is the right tool when:

• The academy is running a one-time bulk order for a specific event (academy anniversary, fundraiser tournament) with confirmed pre-orders for 50+ pieces.
• The academy wants screen printing on a specialty blank Bear Grips does not carry (specialty workwear, specific blank brands).
• The academy has the cash to front-fund a bulk inventory order and the storage to hold leftover sizes.

If those three conditions are not all met, Bear Grips is structurally better for the academy because the inventory risk transfers to the platform.

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

When Bear Grips Is the Right Tool for the Academy

Bear Grips is the right tool when:

• The academy has fewer than 50 students who would commit to a bulk order.
• The academy wants a standing apparel program, not a one-time order.
• The academy wants to add new designs throughout the year without each one requiring a bulk pre-sale.
• The competition team needs walkout apparel for a 6-12 person group.
• The academy wants tournament-specific drops for IBJJF Worlds, Pans, Opens, or NAGA flagships.
• The academy wants to add kids program apparel and parent merch.
• The head professor does not want to handle inventory, sizing collection, or Venmo collection.

Most BJJ academies fit this profile. The exception (large academy with 100+ students running an annual single-design bulk order) is the minority case.

Switching From Custom Ink to Bear Grips

The switch is straightforward:

1. Open the Bear Grips academy account. Go to shops.beargrips.com/for/gi-bjj. Set up takes about 25 minutes.
2. Upload the academy logo. The same logo file the academy uses on Custom Ink orders.
3. List the same products. Academy tee, hoodie, hat. Use the existing Custom Ink retail price as the starting point on Bear Grips retail.
4. Update the academy chat or bio with the shop link. Replace the Custom Ink campaign link or PDF order form with the standing Bear Grips shop link.
5. Students order individually going forward. No more group buy coordination, no more front-funding, no more leftover sizes.

Existing Custom Ink inventory can sell down naturally. The Bear Grips shop runs in parallel during the transition.

What the Switch Costs the Academy

Honest comparison:

• Custom Ink. No monthly fee. Per-order bulk pricing. The academy pays the full bulk order upfront and recovers the cost as students buy.
• Bear Grips Free plan. $0/mo. 3 live products. Higher per-unit base price than VIP. Best for testing the model.
• Bear Grips Self-Service VIP. $59/mo. 200 live products. Lowest per-unit base prices. Best for an academy committed to running a standing apparel program.
• Bear Grips Done-For-You VIP. $109/mo. 250 live products plus a personal advisor, monthly design service, and curated drops. Best for academies that want the apparel program but do not want to manage it.

The Self-Service VIP at $59/mo breaks even at roughly 6-8 shirts of profit per month, which most academies clear in week one. After that, the platform pays for itself ongoing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would a BJJ academy switch from Custom Ink to Bear Grips?

The structural reason: Custom Ink charges bulk-order pricing that penalizes small academies. Bear Grips has no minimum and the same per-unit price at every quantity. The academy stops front-funding inventory, stops collecting sizes manually, and stops holding leftover stock. Each student orders her own size from a standing shop link, the item ships to her, and the academy keeps the margin as profit.

Is Bear Grips pricing competitive with Custom Ink at 50+ pieces?

At 50+ piece single-order bulk pricing, Custom Ink can match or beat Bear Grips on per-unit cost. The trade-off: the academy front-funds the bulk order on Custom Ink and takes the inventory risk. Bear Grips removes the inventory risk entirely. The per-unit math depends on whether the academy actually moves 50 pieces in one drop or whether it ends up holding leftover sizes.

Can Bear Grips ship to multiple addresses?

Yes. Every order ships directly to the student's address. The academy does not coordinate shipping, does not collect addresses, does not hold stock. This is the central structural difference from a Custom Ink bulk order, where the entire batch ships to one place and the academy distributes.

What if the academy already has Custom Ink inventory in stock?

Sell down the existing Custom Ink stock naturally. The Bear Grips shop can run in parallel. New designs and refreshed product listings go on Bear Grips, while old inventory clears at the front desk. No conflict between the two.