Working With Bakline
Charity Team Portal
We’re honored that you’re considering Bakline for your charity team’s kit. Charity teams represent so much of what we love about running: people taking on something hard, doing it together, and tying the miles to a purpose that matters.
We are drawn to runners and teams who keep showing up when the work is hard, the miles are long, and the reason matters. That spirit reflects the values we bring to everything we make: commitment, care, community, and respect for the work behind the result. Charity teams embody those values in a powerful way, from the training and fundraising to the race-day nerves and the choice to carry a cause through every mile. That is why this work matters to us, and why we approach the gear that unites your team with care.
You’re managing fundraising goals, race logistics, internal approvals, team communications, and all the details that come with representing a cause well. Your apparel partner should make that work easier, not add another complicated piece to manage. That is why we try to offer something more complete than training tops, race kits, or printed tees: a partner who understands both the meaning of the work and the work behind the scenes.
From design and team store setup to order collection, individual shipping, exchanges, and customer support, we help create a team experience that feels organized, thoughtful, and worthy of the cause your runners are supporting.
A great team kit helps make the team feel real. It gives runners a tangible reminder of what all the work is for and something visible to rally around, whether they are training on their own, fundraising in their community, or showing up on race day. Done well, the gear becomes a connection point between the athlete, the organization, the cause, and everyone supporting the effort.
Our partnership with The Michael J. FoxFoundation's grassroots fundraising arm, Team Fox, has focused on outfitting their dedicated endurance athletes in high-visibility gear. After several successful projects using high-performance silhouettes, including the Astoria Tank, McCarren Singlet, and Prospect Tee, Team Fox returned to Bakline. This time, it was to integrate their upcoming tagline that reinforces the power of community toward a cure into their team apparel as a way to leverage their apparel as a motivator to the athletes raising funds for the organization's singular, urgent goal: a cure for Parkinson's disease. We are currently collaborating on a refreshed design that maintains their signature orange branding while incorporating the new tagline for the upcoming Chicago and NYC race seasons.
We’re honored that you’re considering Bakline for your charity team’s kit. Charity teams represent so much of what we love about running: people taking on something hard, doing it together, and tying the miles to a purpose that matters.
We are drawn to runners and teams who keep showing up when the work is hard, the miles are long, and the reason matters. That spirit reflects the values we bring to everything we make: commitment, care, community, and respect for the work behind the result. Charity teams embody those values in a powerful way, from the training and fundraising to the race-day nerves and the choice to carry a cause through every mile. That is why this work matters to us, and why we approach the gear that unites your team with care.
You’re managing fundraising goals, race logistics, internal approvals, team communications, and all the details that come with representing a cause well. Your apparel partner should make that work easier, not add another complicated piece to manage. That is why we try to offer something more complete than training tops, race kits, or printed tees: a partner who understands both the meaning of the work and the work behind the scenes.
From design and team store setup to order collection, individual shipping, exchanges, and customer support, we help create a team experience that feels organized, thoughtful, and worthy of the cause your runners are supporting.
A great team kit helps make the team feel real. It gives runners a tangible reminder of what all the work is for and something visible to rally around, whether they are training on their own, fundraising in their community, or showing up on race day. Done well, the gear becomes a connection point between the athlete, the organization, the cause, and everyone supporting the effort.
Our partnership with The Michael J. FoxFoundation's grassroots fundraising arm, Team Fox, has focused on outfitting their dedicated endurance athletes in high-visibility gear. After several successful projects using high-performance silhouettes, including the Astoria Tank, McCarren Singlet, and Prospect Tee, Team Fox returned to Bakline. This time, it was to integrate their upcoming tagline that reinforces the power of community toward a cure into their team apparel as a way to leverage their apparel as a motivator to the athletes raising funds for the organization's singular, urgent goal: a cure for Parkinson's disease. We are currently collaborating on a refreshed design that maintains their signature orange branding while incorporating the new tagline for the upcoming Chicago and NYC race seasons.
WHAT IT'S LIKE WORKING WITH US
So how does it all work?
Putting It All Together
CUSTOMIZATION
There are three main ways of working with Bakline. Some organizations use one of these options, while others combine all three:
1) Customizing In Stock Bakline Gear
How it works: Bakline creates and sells original performance gear and lifestyle apparel that express our passion for design, performance, and our sport. If you see a product from our own collection that you like (whether from the performance or lifestyle side), your collection can include any of these items and we will customize it (inventory permitting) with your team logo, though some design and color limitations apply.
Minimums: None. Produced on demand, although higher quantities yield higher team discounts.
2) Fully Designed and Customized Performance Gear
How it works: We completely design something for you. Just about any design or image can be printed using sublimation with any number of colors and patterns. This is one of the clearest ways we separate ourselves from many apparel partners. Our products are printed through dye-sublimation, then cut and sewn. This level of customization is pretty intensive. While the pricing doesn’t change per unit, the minimums are higher.
Minimums: Every cut and design combination must hit 15 units, though some products have a higher minimum such as hats and socks.
3) Custom Printed Lifestyle Apparel
How it works: Bakline performs all screen printing in-house, giving us complete control over the quality of our products. We were frustrated with contract printers who simply didn’t care about the end result because they compete on price and volume. Our hand-crafted production process is flexible. We’ll work with you to create a team collection so that all team members can support the team wherever they are.
Our process allows Bakline to create an on-demand store for your team depending on the design. This small batch approach is more sustainable, both environmentally and financially. We would discuss details with you once we know what you want!
We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, and if you have a specific need or request, ask us.
ORDERING AND OPERATIONS
We take pride in customizing the experience for each entity we work with. Generally, there are two ordering options:
1) Bulk Order
You place a single bulk order. We ship the gear to you, and you handle all individual distribution. Simple as that. 🙂
2) Team Store (Time-Limited or Ongoing)
We set up a team store with a 2-week order window. Athletes order directly through our site, selecting their sizes—no admin work on your end!
After the window closes, we notify you whether the minimums have been met. If not, you're responsible for ordering the remaining items to reach the agreed-upon minimum. We can handle exchanges if you wanted to hold a few extra of the primary sizes although the organization would be responsible for purchasing all items by the event. If you want us to facilitate a year-round store not tied to an event, we can do that too! In fact that's common with our regular teams. We can also support team fundraising if you opt not to pass the team discount (based on expected volume) on to your athletes.
NON-PROFIT PRICING
Established non-profit entities enjoy special pricing at our highest tiered discount, regardless of quantity ordered. For all items we offer, there’s just one all-in price based on the MSRP of the item. The MSRP might shift a bit as compared to what's on our site if we’re doing something extra custom—like a more complex screen print with a bunch of colors—but if that happens, we’ll always make sure it’s clear before you commit to anything.
There are three possible additional charges:
- Shipping: Postage for bulk orders shipped to you,
- Handling: Team Store Handling, if relevant, $2 per item sold, covering our storing, holding, and managing your team store, including exchanges/returns, and
- Extensive Design: The majority of the time, we do not charge any design fees. However, if what you are looking to create is quite extensive, then we may need to have an open conversation on the time needed to bring your creative direction to life. We do everything we can to avoid this as we know it can take away from the funds of your mission. This design service fee is in support and in respect of our creative process when working as your true brand partner.
The Process And Timeline
Agreeing on the Design (0-4 Weeks)
Understanding what you want
Getting going is as simple as an email support@bakline.com. What we’ll need from you is as much detail as you can describing what you’re looking for. During this initial phase we may set up a meeting or two to understand what you’re asking for and to answer any questions you may have.
If you just want us to replicate exactly your existing team singlet, we prefer you bring or mail us one so that we can color match to it.
This takes as long as it takes! But usually 0-4 weeks.
Pre-Production (1-4 Weeks)
Bringing It To Life
Here, we get to work and provide you with final confirmation of everything. We then translate everything into technical specifications with our manufacturing team, including pre-prints (which you can see), color confirmations, and artwork proofs. For customized orders, we provide digital mock-ups for approval before moving into production.
This takes 1-4 weeks.
Ordering (2 Weeks MAX)
Team Store Ordering (If relevant)
If you use a team store, we have a hard rule of only allowing for 2 weeks maximum. At the end of that window, you as the team leader are expected to communicate to us any additional quantities to order to that is to hit a minimum, or to have extra on hand to facilitate exchanges.
As stated in the Ordering section, you can also submit a bulk order. And of course, we do not limit you to two weeks if you are taking care of it yourself :)
Production (6-8 Weeks)
Making It All Happen
Custom sublimated production is a technical process that we've perfected in the context of our team clients. If we're doing in-house printing, our screen printing team will get to work moving ink from the container to your lifestyle apparel. We ensure every detail is checked before shipping things out.
This takes about 6–8 weeks for custom sublimation and 2-4 weeks for in-house production. Rush timelines are possible.
Shipping (1-2 Weeks)
Getting It To Your Door
Our performance wear is made overseas and usually takes about 10 days to arrive at our facility by air. Once we receive it, we verify everything is in order before shipping it to your athletes or for your event.
The Team Captain's Guidebook
Here are FAQs that cover a range of topics from minimum order requirements, to shipping and fulfillment logistics, and ordering options.
General
What does it mean to hit a 15 count minimum? Is that across every size?
Minimums are per item style and per cut—but not per size. That means you need at least 15 units of each cut (e.g., Straight Cut and Contoured Cut), but you can split that as needed across sizes.
For example, if you're offering singlets in both cuts:
- 15 total Straight Cut singlets (any mix of sizes—could be 15 smalls or a mix of S, M, L, etc.)
- 15 total Contoured Cut singlets (again, any mix of sizes)
As long as each cut hits the 15-unit minimum, the specific size breakdown is completely up to you.
Can we get samples or come to try on the gear in a physical Bakline location?
Making sure your athletes are comfortable with the sizing options available is critical. You can purchase samples at 40% of the price (60% off). Those can be worn and run in so that you don't have to worry about returns. Or you can return them for a refund provided the return occurs within three months.
If you want to come to Bakline HQ, we would love that! We have many organizations that come to our shop in Gowanus, Brooklyn. You can see, feel, and try things on to be sure you get what matters most. Beware, clubs and organizations usually walk out doubling their collection :)
What are your best-selling items for teams?
The McCarren Original Singlet is our best seller so far, but the new Astoria Tank may take that crown soon. Other popular items include the Riverside Race Crop and the new Queen Short Cut Muscle Tank—great options for all levels of recreational runners.
Next up would be our shorts, where organizations have liked that we can do in-house customization, which means that we can offer a range of short options, all in the color black, without worrying about minimums because athletes can be very particular about their shorts!
Do you have a product catalog with details on sizing, color, and price breaks?
Our website is effectively our catalogue. Virtually anything you see you can customize. As it relates to color, see the section on customization. If you're customizing something that we have in-house, then you will be limited by the quantities we have or are expecting to receive. If something appears out of stock, ask us! If you're customizing, then you don't need to worry about our in-stock colors.
As for price breaks, all non-profits get special non-profit pricing which is effectively the maximum discount we offer for a given item, regardless of quantity ordered.
Do you work with organizations outside of the US?
Heck yeah! While we always need to contemplate the logistics of import/export processes, we are happy to work with you, no matter where you are.
Shipping and Fulfillment For Team Stores
What does fulfillment cost either to the organization or the athlete?
We add $2 per item to the base price. That covers storage space, labor, packing materials, postage, exchange handling, and overall fulfillment service. It doesn’t fully cover all costs on our end, but it helps make the process smooth and sustainable. If we're shipping bulk to you, this postage will depend on the volume and shipping location.
Who pays for packaging? Can it be customized?
Packaging is covered by the $2 per item fulfillment fee. While we don’t offer custom packaging, we can include custom inserts (like cards or notes) if you'd like. Orders are packed and shipped just like our other online orders.
Who pays for shipping?
Customers pay a $5 flat rate if their order is under $75. Orders over $75 ship free. Expedited shipping is also available for an added cost—we’ll upgrade to UPS or similar for 1–3 day delivery.
Where can Bakline ship to?
We can ship almost anywhere, but we block some countries where there is a higher fraud risk. If you have legitimate athletes in a specific country, just let us know—we’ll make sure shipping is enabled for them if needed.
What’s the longest turnaround time for an athlete to get their gear?
About 3 months in a worst-case scenario: ordered on day one of a two-week pre-order, 8 weeks manufacturing, 1 week shipping to us, and 1 week shipping to the customer.
Payments, Deposits, & Fundraising
Can Bakline facilitate team fundraising?
Yes. We know this is an important element to any charity organization. A markup can be added to the pricing on the website with an agreed portion or percentage passed back to the entity.
How and when are organizations paid out for merchandise sold?
That depends on pricing. If you charge more than what we charge you, we’ll send you the difference. For example, if your price is $50 and ours is $45, you get $5 per item sold. We can settle up periodically.
Do I or does the team need to pay a deposit?
Generally, no, if we are facilitating a team store because we capture payment at the time of the order. If you are placing a bulk order or you need to supplement a team store order with more than 50% of the quantity minimum, then we do ask for a deposit. The starting point is 50%, though we will work with you if this poses a challenge.
Are there extra charges like screen fees or setup costs?
Nope! No hidden fees. Pricing is all-in, based on volume, MSRP, and customization method. But please review our "Non-Profit Pricing" section above for additional details.
Returns and Exchanges
Do you facilitate returns for bulk orders?
No. We do not facilitate returns with respect to bulk orders outside of defective or damaged products, where the damage occurred before or during transit to you.
What’s your return and exchange policy for custom team stores?
The default is that we handle exchanges just like any regular Bakline order. Some organizations prefer this, since it gives athletes confidence in sizing and an ability to exchange (provided the organization ordered additional quantities or someone else exchanged/returned the size requested). That said, leftover/exchanged stock is your responsibility. You can opt for a “no exchanges” policy (no organization has chosen this yet). Our standard return policy is here: Return Policy.
Are there fees for handling exchanges and returns when part of a team store?
Exchanges are expensive—they involve three shipments (original, return, replacement), plus manual handling. The $2 per item discussed in our pricing section, which is applied to all items we facilitate, regardless of whether they're returned or exchanged, helps offset that cost and allows us to maintain a high-touch customer experience without extra fees. Plus, we invest a lot in sizing tools to minimize returns in the first place!
Team Store Setup
Can we password-protect and customize our team store?
Yes. All team stores are password-protected. You can control who gets the password or we can customize the welcome message to include the passcode. The passcode is a Bakline requirement in order to ensure that team products are locked from view unless you are a member of that team. Each store includes your team name, discount code, and a custom banner photo. Once someone enters the password, the store stays unlocked for them unless they clear cookies or use incognito mode.
Do we need to carry inventory or pre-purchase every size for running kits?
No, you can run a pre-order model where we batch produce only what’s ordered. This helps avoid leftover inventory.
What do team stores look like? Can we see a sample?
A video is just below this FAQ to show you what a team store looks like.
Feel free to share this link to your team as appropriate.