SPONSORED CONTENT Not Your Average Custom Polo Elevate your client’s brand with custom-printed, premium sport polos that their employees and clients will actually want to wear. STANDARD POLOS, STEP to the side. There’s a new, exciting option in the promotional wearables market: Sparkpolo. Entrepreneur Siva Kandaswamy isn’t a fan of the term walking billboards. “Employees and clients aren’t advertising real estate,” he says. “For me, it’s about transforming overlooked categories into opportunities, reimagining the custom polo as a premium canvas that sparks conversation.” Founder and CEO Kandaswamy, who debuted Sparkpolo at The PPAI Expo last year, wanted to bridge the gap between retail and promotional polos. That perspective informed his research, which revealed an industry dominated by mass-produced blanks, mid-market retail brands and high-end lifestyle labels, leaving an opportunity for custom polos built exclusively for promotional impact in a more engaging way. “Even leadership teams in top companies weren’t excited to wear branded polos outside the of ice,” he says. “Clients felt the same way. We wanted to take the category to a new level with Sparkpolo.” What Makes Sparkpolo Different Distributors often ask irst if polos are sublimated, but decoration is only one piece of the puzzle. A truly great shirt depends on every element working together: design, ink quality, fabric, it and logo placement. That’s why, as a young company, Sparkpolo has built its foundation on four key pillars: customer service, design, quality and sustainability. The design process is quick, complimentary and collaborative. “Our inhouse team, who’s designed 1,000+ polos, loves to surprise clients,” Kandaswamy says. “The momentum and excitement start when distributors’ clients see our irst personalized design concept.” The result brings a wow factor: Sparkpolo begins with a logo and brand colors to create retail patterns and textures, with tonal and step-and-repeat elements, gradients and unexpected placements. “It’s not just about design or making a beautiful garment, because it’s still promotional,” Kandaswamy says. “So, regularly, we hear things like, ‘hands-down the nicest custom polo I’ve ever worn… no difference from Peter Millar!’” That same design- irst approach carries across Sparkpolo’s expanding line, which includes lifestyle brand-quality men’s and women’s styles: tailored- it long-sleeve polos, short-sleeve polos, quarter-zip pullovers, hoodies and button-down shirts. “We offer an accessible minimum of 50 polos, with a four-week turnaround,” Kandaswamy says. “Clients love that we deliver 99% of our orders on or before the in-hand date. We create an experience that feels personal, attentive, and above all, responsive to a brand’s unique needs.” Sustainability Woven Into Every Stitch Sustainability and responsibility are built into how Sparkpolo operates, with raw materials produced and sourced from factories following ethical labor practices. Sparkpolo prioritizes recycled and compostable packaging. “Our shipments go through DHL’s Go Green Plus program to offset carbon impact, and we pay extra to ensure sustainable delivery,” Kandaswamy says. “We also turn fabric waste from polo production into branded pouches to carry a laptop sleeve or essentials, a simple way to add sustainability for the end-user.” Plus, the polos are designed to last. People say, “This feels like the golf shirt I was about to buy for myself,” so they get real value, not just another giveaway. As Sparkpolo grows, it’s committed to expanding its use of sustainable fabrics and eco-friendly production processes. Your Polo Specialists Sparkpolo is on a mission to educate and empower distributors to view custom polos not as “another promotional item,” but as one of the most impactful branding tools for brand engagement. “We’re setting a standard in promotional apparel, where premium, fully custom products become the norm,” Kandaswamy says. Visit Sparkpolo.com to learn about designing a custom, branded apparel line. SAGE: 53336 PPAI: 827845 PPAI • NOVEMBER 2025 • 41
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