Bear Grips Pro ShopsRecreational Gymnastics Leotards: Honest Capability Breakdown
- We do not make custom sublimated competitive leotards.
- We do make every other piece of branded gym apparel.
- For leotards, work with a sublimation specialist. For everything else, use Pro Shops.
- Most rec gym programs need the warmup-and-bleachers apparel, not the leotard.
The honest answer to "do you make gymnastics leotards" is no. Bear Grips Pro Shops does not manufacture competitive sublimated leotards. We do not have the technical capability for all-over panel sublimation onto the four-way stretch fabric a real competitive leotard requires. What we do make: every other piece of branded apparel a gym wears outside the leotard, from warmup tees to coach polos to family bleacher hoodies. Below is the honest capability breakdown and what to use for what.
What we do not make
- Competitive sublimated leotards: the all-over panel-print four-way-stretch one-piece. Comes from a leotard-specialist supplier (GK Elite, Snowflake Designs, Alpha Factor, etc.).
- Crystal/rhinestone leotards: specialty technique we do not do.
- Practice leotards: simple stretch leotards. Available from generic dancewear suppliers cheaper than we could offer.
- Grips, beam shoes, wrist supports: technical equipment, not apparel.
What we do make for rec gymnastics
- Custom cotton and performance tees with the gym logo
- Hoodies, crewnecks, quarter-zips
- Leggings, joggers, shorts, sweatpants
- Tanks, racerback tops, cropped pieces
- Polos, performance polos for coach and staff
- Hats, snapbacks, beanies
- Youth, womens, mens sizing across all of the above
For 80% of rec gym apparel needs, we cover everything.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.When to use a leotard supplier vs Pro Shops
| Need | Supplier |
|---|---|
| Competitive team leotard | Leotard specialist (GK Elite, Snowflake, Alpha Factor) |
| Practice/basic leotard | Dancewear or generic gymnastics supplier |
| Warmup tee, tank, hoodie | Pro Shops |
| Coach polo or quarter-zip | Pro Shops |
| Parent/family/sibling gear | Pro Shops |
| Showcase, theme drop, class shirts | Pro Shops |
How a rec gym uses both suppliers together
For most rec gymnastics programs, the rec students do not wear competitive leotards. They wear basic practice leotards (often parent-bought) plus the gym warmup apparel program we run. For the competitive squad, the gym orders leotards from a leotard specialist once a year and orders the warmup-track-suit kit from Pro Shops.
This is how almost every well-run gym does it. Pro Shops handles the high-volume year-round apparel that drives the merch revenue. The leotard supplier handles the once-a-year leotard order.
Why this honesty matters
Some apparel platforms quietly suggest they can do everything. They cannot. The result: gym takes the order, supplier subcontracts to a third party, quality is inconsistent, delivery is late, gym gets blamed. Being honest about what we make means the parts we do make come out right every time, and the parts we do not get sourced from the right specialist supplier.
Open the Apparel Section We Do Cover
Warmups, tanks, leggings, hoodies, polos, family gear. Everything outside the competitive leotard.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Can you print a gym logo on a leotard we send you?
No. We do not print on competitive sublimated leotards. Logos must be built into the leotard at the sublimation stage by the leotard manufacturer.
Do you ever plan to make leotards?
Not in our current roadmap. Leotards are a specialty manufacturing niche that requires equipment and supplier relationships outside our core.
What if a parent asks for a leotard on our shop?
Direct them to a leotard supplier (GK Elite, Snowflake Designs, Alpha Factor) and offer the warmup and family apparel from Pro Shops.
Can our shop sell our own custom leotards alongside our Pro Shops apparel?
The Pro Shops shop catalog is limited to what Pro Shops makes. The gym can link out to a leotard supplier from its own gym website.
