With the first snow, the ski sector is restarting once again, with sector operators having high expectations after the restrictions of the pandemic period. The same goes for the rich supply chain related to clothing and accessories commonly used in the mountains. And if that’s not looking too far ahead, the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are coming...

It’s reasonable to expect an upturn in demand also for customized sports-related material: be it enthusiasts wishing to customize their own equipment, ski schools for children offering gadgets, amateur or professional teams willing to identify themselves with clothing and accessories (helmets, gloves, boots, tracksuits, bags, etc.). Without forgetting the many companies that rely on customized sportswear to promote their brand with marketing operations on the snow.

The high technical content and performance features of ski clothing and equipment sometimes require special care in the choice of printing technologies. We are talking about jackets, trousers, tracksuits, gloves and hats that are often polyester-based or otherwise synthetic, and in some cases have a registered name: Cordura, Polartherm, Thermolite, Lycra, Coolmax, they all share the goal of providing warmth, waterproofness, durability and breathability. And then there’s the actual equipment: skis, snowboards, boots.

Let's start with screen printing, that allows to print on all types of fabrics and to customize a wide variety of objects with solid colour images without any particular shades. This type of processing is ideal for lettering and logos, even large ones, and can be applied to Lycra, polyester, microfiber, natural and synthetic leather, PVC and polypropylene. Screen printing can also be used to make decals, which are ideal for the application on rigid supports (skis, boards and boots), making sure to use a protective spray to guarantee durability even after the rubbing that the equipment inevitably has to sustain.

An excellent solution for on-demand requests is the Goccopro Qs2536 Digital Frame, recommended by Marketscreentypographic, a particularly innovative model capable of reproducing photographic images in great detail, reducing the cost of preparing dies and frames.

Dye-sublimation can also be considered a suitable technique to customize technical fabrics, as it allows colours to permanently combine with the material and resist scratches, stress or decay. The final result is a surface or fabric without any embossment or thickness, that is washable and retains the original texture of the material. However, this technique requires to check the tolerance range of the garment to the temperature of the press. Certainly, this technology is ideal for the coating of skis and snowboards with a film in polyester (otherwise it can be applied beforehand) and is also suitable to customize accessories such as hats, gloves, water bottles and gadgets of various kinds.

The Epson SC-F100 SureColor A4 dye-sublimation printer for objects and gadgets offered by Awservice is recommended for small companies wishing to expand their offer in the giftware sector.

Let's move on to embroidery, which is an interesting solution to customize sports jackets, tracksuits or ski caps, adding great value to the garment. It can be performed directly on the garment also in the 3D version, a technique that involves placing a rubber backing underneath the part to be worked in order to give some thickness and obtain a visually striking result that is pleasant to the touch. With respect to technical clothing, it can be also suggested the use of embroidered patches to be prepared in advance and sewn later on (or applied by means of Velcro). In any case, a good advice is to make sure to use a heat-applied polyurethane film on the inside to prevent the seams from causing the product to lose its waterproof properties.

Specialized in embroidery machines, Il Punto presents the Swf model Ke Series, an evolution of the embroiderers for the promotional and personalization market. Entirely enhanced on the electronic side, with a new 15-inch touchscreen monitor, and in the mechanical part, with the introduction of the semi-automatic lubrication system for greater cleanliness of the appliance, the Ke Series represents the first step for any company who wants to equipe the laboratory with a professional embroidery machine as to personalize clothing.

Last but not least, another useful technology to be applied on ski clothing is Dtf, which represents a practical and effective solution, also recommended for synthetics such as polyester and microfiber. Maitech (a commercial brand of Bitfactory) offers several machines, including the A3 FlatBed DTF version, that is capable of printing on both white and coloured fabric thanks to its white colour support, and is equipped with an advanced ink management system that ensures longer printhead life and higher productivity.