The Apparel Plan: What a Year of Gym Merch Looks Like

You've heard us talk about the Apparel Plan. You know it's free. You know there's no contract. But what does it actually look like when a gym runs one for a full year?

Here's the short version: one 10-minute phone call with us maps out your entire year. We handle the follow-ups, the design, the production, and the reminders. You just say yes or not yet. Gyms on the Apparel Plan sell 30% more apparel than those who aren't — not because of some magic formula, but because consistency is the single biggest driver of merch revenue.

Here's what that consistency looks like in practice.

A Typical Year on the Apparel Plan

Every gym is different, but after 17 years and 5,000+ gym owners, we've seen what works. Most successful gyms run 4–6 drops per year, timed around the moments when members are most engaged and most likely to buy. Here's a sample calendar:

January / February — The Open

The Intramural Open is the single biggest apparel moment of the year for most group fitness gyms. Members are hyped, community energy is at its peak, and people want gear that marks the occasion. We start designing in January so your order is printed, shipped, and in your members' hands before the first workout drops. This is also a great time for fresh everyday designs — new year, new look.

April — Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a cultural event at this point, and patriotic or memorial-themed gear sells itself. We'll have designs ready and your pre-order live with plenty of lead time. If your gym hosts a Memorial Day event, this is an opportunity to sell to your members and their guests.

June / July — Summer Drop

Tanks, crop tops, brighter colors Summer is when members want to show off the work they've been putting in. A seasonal drop here keeps your merch rotation fresh and gives members something new to wear outside the gym — which is free advertising for you.

September / October — Fall Collection

This is where long sleeves, baseball tees, and long sleeves with a hood enter the picture — and where your margins get bigger. Fall drops are consistently some of the highest-revenue orders we see members excited for new merch as the weather changes. 

November / December — Holiday & Year-End

Hoodies, zip ups, crewnecks, and winter hats are wardrobe essentials that everyone loves.  Members buy for themselves and as gifts for the people in their lives who train. A well-timed holiday drop can be your biggest revenue order of the year.

What Happens Between Drops

This is where most gym owners fall off — and where the Apparel Plan earns its keep.

During the first week of every month where you have a project scheduled, we reach out to you. Not to sell you something — to remind you that it's time to start the next phase. We send the design concepts. We ship the garment samples to your gym. We set up the webstore if you want one. We provide the marketing gameplan for your staff.

You don't have to remember anything. You don't have to chase us down. You don't have to figure out what to sell or when. That's the whole point.

If a scheduled month doesn't work — your gym is hosting a competition, you're on vacation, things are slow — we adjust. No penalty. No guilt. We move it.

Why Consistency Beats Everything Else

The gyms you admire — the ones with members wearing their gear everywhere, the ones with a waitlist for new designs — didn't get there by ordering shirts once a year. They built a culture of apparel through repetition.

When members know there's always something new coming, they pay attention. When they see their coach wearing the latest drop, they want in. When they miss one release, they make sure they don't miss the next. That cycle only happens with consistency, and consistency only happens with a plan.

One order a year looks like you're trying to sell merch. Four to six orders a year looks like your gym has a brand.

What You'll Never Pay

The Apparel Plan is free. But so is everything else that typically gets marked up by other vendors:

No art fees — unlimited design revisions included with every order.
No setup fees — no screen charges, no plate fees, no surprises.
No shipping fees — free shipping on every order.
No contracts — adjust, pause, or stop anytime.
No minimum commitment — skip a month or skip a quarter, it's your call.

Pricing is straightforward: tees and tanks run $12–$20, long sleeves $20–$26, hoodies $35–$45 depending on garment, ink colors, and print areas. We build every quote around making sure you have healthy margins on every piece you sell.

How to Get Started

It takes one phone call. 10–15 minutes. We'll ask about your gym, your members, your goals, and any events you want to build around. Then we'll map out your year and handle the rest.

No homework. No prep. No commitment. Just a conversation about what you want your merch program to look like — and a team that will make sure it actually happens.

Schedule Your Free Apparel Plan Call →

Over 5,000 gym owners have worked with us across all 50 states. Gyms on the Apparel Plan sell 30% more than those who aren't. The call is free. The plan is free. The only cost is the apparel your members were already going to buy from someone.

For more strategies on maximizing your merch revenue, check out The Ultimate Guide to Selling Gym Apparel on a $0 Budget.