Team building events are a great way to build relationships between employees and express company culture. One way to elevate the sense of belonging is to create custom T-shirts specifically for team building moments, ensuring a memorable experience for everyone involved. While companies often focus on subtle branding, they should also consider T-shirts that are truly comfortable and enjoyable to wear. Let's take a look at the trends in custom shirt design for team events to transform a simple garment into a meaningful part of the experience.

What are the current top design trends for team-building T-shirts?

The design trends for team building T-shirts are evolving along with broader fashion and branding trends. There are key design trends for team-building T-shirts:

1. Minimalist & Aesthetic

Clean typography and uncluttered layouts are very popular. Minimalism makes the T-shirts wearable beyond just the event, and your employees are more likely to reuse them. Subtle line art or single-line graphics are also trending, such as continuous-line drawings and featuring only one logo on the chest.

2. Retro or Nostalgia

Choose a design inspired by the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s with pixel graphics, VHS-style, or glitch art to create a playful energy and perfect for team-building vibes.

3. Bold graphics

Full-chest or back prints are still trending, along with oversized prints featuring inside joke phrases, motivational slogans, or team mottos. These ideas can be creatively designed with wordplay and dynamic layouts.

4. Eco-friendly themes

Using recycled polyester, low-impact dyes, and organic cotton is now commonplace. Design motifs that reflect nature, such as mountains, lakes, leaves, or eco-slogans, can show your company's involvement in recycling programs.

5. Personalization

Team nicknames and custom names will add a personal touch. Don't forget to include specific graphics tailored to the event, such as Team Outings 2025 or themed motifs related to your team-building event. Some companies are starting to experiment with interactive or AR designs that allow scannable graphics to reveal the digital content within.

Are minimalist T-shirt designs still popular for corporate events?

Yes, minimalist T-shirt designs are still in style for corporate events, especially well-suited. Why do minimalist designs remain popular? Because projects have a professional image, more wearable beyond the event, making them a better long-term value for both the company and participants. Minimalist typography never really goes out of style. A clean and uncluttered look helps T-shirts feel more like part of someone's regular wardrobe, rather than just merch.

Do companies still include logos on their team-building shirts?

Yes, and that's something there should always be custom corporate shirts, but how they do it has evolved quite a lot. The style is shifting toward more subtle and refined placements. The trend is less about brand billboards and focuses on wearable identity. Rather than big and flashy graphics, you can replace them with clean and refined designs. Using small embroidered logos or tone-on-tone prints gives a premium feel without looking like a billboard.

Why Every Business Should Invest in Corporate T-Shirts

Plus, you can focus on material quality and sustainability. High-quality fabrics and sustainable materials don't require heavy or wasteful prints, making corporate merchandise shine even more. The goal is to create shirts that people will want to wear even after the event.

What materials are trending for team-building apparel?

Companies need to focus on fabrics to create an elegant and comfortable impression. Here are the top material trends:

• Organic cotton

Cotton remains the go-to material because it is organic and reduces environmental impact. It's soft and breathable, ideal for casual events or long-term use tees.

• Renewable plant-based fibers

Beyond cotton, there are several new natural fibers that demonstrate innovation and eco-consciousness like hemp or bamboo. Hemp is a strong and long-lasting material that is good for outdoorsy shirts. Bamboo is gaining favor for sustainability and known for being helpful in hot weather locations.

• Recycled performance synthetics

Recycled performance textiles are great for outdoor or movement-based activities rather than traditional polyester. RPET is made from used bottles and plastic waste, provides moisture-wicking, fast drying, and lightweight stretch ideal for active events.

What printing methods are most popular for modern team-building shirts?

Based on the type of event or purpose, the following are the most popular printing methods for team-building shirts:

• Direct-to-Garment printing

DTG printing is a very common method for bulk T-shirt orders, printing ink directly onto the fabric, much like an inkjet printer. This method is suitable for personalized graphics and can be used on cotton or light-blend fabrics.

• Screen printing

Still very relevant for large team orders. Cost-creative for high volumes for simple designs. For an eye-catching look, you can use metallic or neon inks in screen printing.

• Heat transfer

Good for small batches or when you want flexibility. Some styles that are trending toward specialty vinyl are metallic and glow-in-the-dark shirts for more creative or branded team shirts.

When should companies start planning their team-building T-shirt order?

The event date is set, but are your custom T-shirts ready? This can't be rushed, as there are several factors to consider, such as shirt design, production time, and shipping time. The ideal planning start time is 6-9 weeks before the event. 

This is the safest and most common timeline because it gives you time to brainstorm design ideas, choose shirt materials and colors, allow for revisions and approvals, and allows for production and delivery time, as well as room to fix mistakes.

If you don't have that timeframe, the minimum recommended timeline is 4 weeks before the event. This works if your design is simple, you're ordering common shirt colors, and using fast methods like DTG. Your T-shirt order is small to medium, 20-100 people.

Conclusion

Preparing to create the best custom T-shirts for team-building activities will strengthen employee bonding and a sense of belonging. If you're looking for a one-stop solution for custom corporate T-shirts, BestGiftHK stands out as the best choice.

Why BestGiftHK? We have a wide range of material options, offering organic, recycled, and high-performance fabrics to suit any team-building scenario. Multiple printing methods adapt to any material you choose, as does the design you choose for your T-shirt.

Need custom T-shirts quickly? We ensure production and delivery times meet your needs, even for bulk orders. Ensure your team-building T-shirts with BestGiftHK reflect your company's values and attention to detail!