Have you ever considered starting your own brand of designer board shorts? Or what about broadening your existing beachwear, swimwear or casual wear collection to include a range of digitally printed shorts?
Boardshorts are a type of men’s and women’s swimwear that appear more like casual clothing than a swimsuit.
They are designed to be quick-drying, yet lightweight and comfortable to wear. They are made from polyester or nylon fabric.
Boardshorts are sometimes called “boardies” in Australian slang and “baggies” in South Africa.
They are durable and hold up to wear from contact with a surfboard, yet are comfortable and lightweight. They are well-adapted to use in various active watersports.
Although board shorts are now considered a popular form of general beachwear, much of today’s mass consumer acceptance is based on competing brands marketing themselves as being authentic due to their historical roots within the surfing lifestyle and their product’s technical authority.
Use and design of board shorts
Board shorts do not have an elastic waist like many swim shorts do. Instead, they have a more rigid waistband that opens at the front, often with a velcro fly.
The waistband is also held together at the front with a lace-up tie. This double fail-safe system is in order to ensure that the shorts cannot be pulled off the body by the force of the wave when a surfer is tumbled underwater during a wipeout.
Another common feature of authentic surfing board short design is a very small pocket sealed with velcro to house car keys or money.
The major reason for the extra length is to protect the wearer’s legs from wax on the board.
Surfboards are covered with a layer of sticky wax, which allows the surfer to stand on the board without slipping off.
However, this wax can rip leg hair off a surfer when sitting on the board waiting for waves.
Digitally printed polyester key trend in designer board short fabric
At Digital Fabric Solutions we have two suitable fabrications for designer board shorts. Your unique designs will be printed using a dye sublimation printing method.
The first option for a board short fabric is a polyester spandex poplin 4-way stretch 145gsm. Fabrics that have a 4-way stretch provide freedom of movement to their wearer.
The wearer is capable of small active movements such as jumping, running, and biking. But is polyester stretchy you ask? The good news is that it is . . . and naturally so.
Many polyester fabrics are stretchy because of the petroleum product it is made of, which also makes them susceptible to heat.
As you can see the print quality at Digital Fabric Solutions is vibrant, with popping colours and crisp edges on the print.
The second option is a 100% polyester twill-peach wicking – UV-118gsm. This fabrication has no stretch. However, many boardshorts are made for polyester wicking fabric.
A brief history of board shorts
Board shorts would seem the most logical attire to go surfing in. However, when Captain Cook first saw surfing in Hawaii the locals were going one better – they surfed naked.
When surfing was revived, around the turn of the last century, neck to knee woollen tank suits was required to protect the riders’ modesty.
By the 1930s Hawaiian surfers were challenging social mores, doffing the top and exposing the nipples – the first board shorts were born!
Hang Ten, which had been around since the mid-60s making cotton trunks, rose to fame and became California’s first real major brand.
In 1966, they sponsored the first group of “team riders”, of which Greg Knoll was one. They were the first brand to really establish an international market.
Some say the originator of the modern board short.
In the early-70s the surf industry was making its first forays out of home industry manufacturing with companies blossoming in Torquay, Sydney, and the Gold Coast, as well as Southern California.
Product development helped distinguish the wares of each company with function becoming as critical as form.
In the 80s Okanuis treated hibiscus prints and watermelon slices as the height of the designer board shorts fashion.
By the early-80s surfwear was a byword for youth wear and with a spring tide of teens behind them, the surf companies boomed.
The images they projected were cocksure, colourful, and bucket loads of fun.
Famous Designer Brands
Almost all swimsuit manufacturers and many designer brands now produce board shorts.
There are even board short-specific retailers which offer an assortment of boardshorts to the surfing and wakeboarding public.
Famous brands include:
- Ripcurl
- Billabong
- Quiksilver
- Gotcha
- Critical Sliders Society
- Roxy
- Volcom
- Von Zipper
- Oakley Firewire surfboards
Key swimwear trends for Spring/ Summer 2020
Matchy-Matchy
Two is better than one, they say, and that’s precisely what’s on offer with one of this season’s biggest resort wear trends.
Fashion speak for ‘co-ordinated outfit’, a beach-ready co-ord is made up of swim shorts and a short-sleeve shirt in the same colour or print.
At Digital Fabric Solution we have a Rayon Viscose that is an ideal textile fabric to print the matching shirt.
Flower Power
Botanical prints have made the jump from female favourite to everyday essentials for men.
Action Man
The military-inspired look has been one of the most prevalent trends of recent decades, and it’s now gone full circle to storm the beaches.
Perfect if stripping down to your shorts have you feeling slightly vulnerable, enlisting the armed forces can add some rugged manliness to even the skimpiest of swimwear.
Stripes
Swim shorts with bold vertical stripes are trending as they can be easily paired with a basic T-shirt and flip-flops or espadrilles for a laid-back, stylish day-to-night look this summer.
Old-School
The appeal of retro sportswear is as present as ever, and now nostalgic swimwear trends in fashion. This season, designers have taken their lead from the old-school vibe and updated it.
What are you waiting for? Print your designer board shorts today!
Digitally printed swimsuits are considered today’s canvas for the beach.
Coming in an array of designs and patterns, from photo prints to silhouettes to motifs to geometric patterns – the right pair is an extension of your personality.
Starting your own brand of board shorts or casual beachwear range is simple with the help of sportswear fabric suppliers such as Digital Fabric Solutions. The key is to be creative with your board short fabric prints and marketing to stand apart from the competition.
- We can courier samples to you to take a closer look at our digitally printed fabric options. For more info contact us!
