Wholesale Shorts

Wholesale Shorts: Athletic, Fleece, and Performance Styles

This collection covers wholesale blank shorts for the categories buyers order against: lightweight athletic mesh for team and event programs, fleece shorts for lifestyle and streetwear-adjacent merch, women's performance and fitness builds, youth athletic styles, and specialty constructions including pigment-dyed fleece and stretch-woven training shorts. Brands include Sport-Tek, Badger, Independent Trading Co., Bella+Canvas, District, TriDri, Comfort Colors, A4, Richardson, C2 Sport, and American Apparel. Every shorts piece on Bulkthreads ships same day with automatic volume discounts at checkout.

Sport-Tek Athletic Shorts

Sport-Tek is the default pick for team uniform programs because of PosiCharge, the brand's color-lock treatment that keeps decoration sharp through repeated washing. For programs that screen-print or heat-press logos and then launder uniforms through a full season, PosiCharge is the meaningful upgrade over generic polyester athletic shorts.

The interlock-fabric Competitor family is the workhorse: ST355 at a 9-inch inseam, ST349 at 7-inch with UPF 30+, and the matching pocketed versions ST355P and ST349P. The ST103 Competitor United adds contrast colorblocking on the side panels for two-color team programs. For mesh construction (more breathable, basketball-style cut), the ST510 Classic Mesh and ST5100 Mesh 7" cover the lighter open-hole tier; the ST312 Tough Mesh is the heavier 5.3-ounce flat-back mesh for programs where substantial fabric matters. The ST575 Position Short covers the structured team-sports build.

For dedicated basketball cuts, the ST901 Rival Basketball uses closed-hole mesh with PosiCharge plus contrast side striping and side vents. The ST310 Jersey Knit is a softer 60/40 cotton/poly basketball cut for casual lounging and lifestyle wear rather than performance use.

Sport-Tek Recycled Polyester Shorts

For programs where a documented sustainability claim is part of the brand pitch (corporate ESG-tracked merch, environmentally-positioned campaigns, school athletic programs with sustainability mandates), Sport-Tek's recycled polyester line uses 100% recycled poly with the same PosiCharge color-lock as the standard line. The ST442 Club 7" is the standard inseam, the ST447 Club 4" Track covers the shorter track-and-field silhouette, and the ST485 Repeat brings a more relaxed mid-thigh cut for practice gear and warmups.

Pro Mesh and Budget Mesh Alternatives

Badger covers the recognized-brand pro mesh category for buyers who specifically want Badger Pro Mesh construction: 7207 7" and 7219 9" with Pockets. The C2 Sport 5107 is the most accessible price point in the mesh category — functional construction for high-volume programs where per-unit cost is the primary driver. The A4 N5293 Sprint Mesh Basketball sits between, with moisture-wicking, odor-release, and stain-release treatments for athletic programs that want functional fabric upgrades at a non-Sport-Tek price.

Stretch Woven and Performance Training Shorts

For training and gym programs where the short reads more retail-fashion than basic mesh, the Richardson RA7401B Barrage uses 4-way stretch woven polyester/spandex with a DWR water-repellent finish, back zippered pocket, and side pockets — suited to crossfit, training, and lifestyle gym programs.

TriDri brings sustainability credentials with OEKO-TEX, OCS, GRS, and RCS certifications across the line. The TD052 Men's Training is ultralight at 2.8 oz./yd² for hot-weather and high-output use. The TD049 Women's Running includes a built-in liner and zippered back-waistband pocket. The TD046 Women's Compression covers the fitness compression-short category. The TD535 Performance Micro brings a leg-pocket micro-short silhouette. The TD062 Maria Jogger Short moves toward athleisure with a cotton/recycled-poly blend and high-waist fit, suited to lifestyle programs rather than pure performance.

Fleece and Lifestyle Shorts

The Bella+Canvas 3724 Sponge Fleece Short is the premium retail-quality fleece pick. The defining advantage is set coordination: the 3724 uses Bella's Sponge Fleece construction, which matches the brand's popular hoodies and joggers, so a complete branded set across hoodie, jogger, and short is straightforward to source.

The Independent Trading Co. line covers two distinct lifestyle aesthetics. The IND20SRT Midweight is the standard ITC fleece short for lifestyle merch programs. The PRM50STPD Pigment-Dyed uses the brand's pigment-dye process for a washed lived-in finish that matches their pigment-dyed hoodies and joggers — the right pick for brands building a complete garment-dyed set.

The Comfort Colors 1468 Lightweight Sweatshort brings the brand's signature garment-dyed aesthetic into a short, pairing with the Comfort Colors tee and hoodie line for resort, beach-town, and lifestyle programs that already lean into that look. The American Apparel 2PQ Pique Gym Short is the substantial all-cotton option — heavyweight ring-spun pique with a more retail-fashion read than standard fleece, useful for athleisure programs where a 100% cotton short is part of the brand identity.

For decoration programs that want fleece-short pricing without giving up a cotton-face print substrate, the District DT6108 V.I.T. Fleece Short is the value option in the cotton-face category.

Women's Athletic Shorts

Sport-Tek covers the broadest women's athletic shorts assortment. Inseam length is the key spec to match against the program: the LST475 Interval 3" is the fitted short-inseam running short, the LST304 Cadence uses a layered shell-and-mesh construction for athletic-styled fitness wear, the LST485 Repeat includes a knit waistband and exterior phone pocket for running, and the LST484 Repeat Swift is a 3-inch performance short with snag-resistant moisture-wicking treatment.

For recycled-polyester women's athletic shorts that mirror the men's Club line, the LST442 Club 5" covers the standard recycled-poly tier and the LST447 Club 3" Track covers the track silhouette. The LST311 Jersey Knit Squad Short is the form-fitting cotton-blend cut designed for cheer, dance, and similar program applications.

Women's Bike, Compression, and Lifestyle Shorts

Two bike-short options at different fabric tiers. The Bella+Canvas 0814 FWD Fashion High Waist Biker is the performance pick: 87/13 nylon/spandex with compression fit, four-way stretch, antimicrobial treatment, and notably no side seams (an ideal print surface). The District DT7509 Flex High-Waist uses a cotton/spandex blend with anti-odor finish, more lifestyle-positioned than performance.

The District DT1309 Perfect Tri Fleece brings District's Perfect Tri triblend hand into a women's fleece short. The Independent Trading Co. PRM20SRT California Wave Wash covers the women's casual lightweight fleece slot with the brand's wave-wash finish.

Youth Shorts

The Sport-Tek YST355 and YST355P Pocketed bring the adult Competitor PosiCharge construction into youth sizing. For youth sports programs that need adult-and-youth coordinated sets in matching colorways, both run alongside the adult ST355/ST355P.

All shorts ship same day via UPS Ground and typically arrive in 1 to 3 business days. Automatic volume discounts apply at checkout (no codes required), and free returns are included on every order. Related collections: Wholesale Performance Apparel, Wholesale Sweatpants and Joggers, Wholesale Leggings, Sport-Tek.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sport-Tek's PosiCharge technology, and when does it actually matter?

PosiCharge is Sport-Tek's color-lock fabric treatment, applied to the polyester during manufacturing, designed to keep colors and printed logos sharp through repeated washing. It matters most for team uniform programs and decorated apparel that gets laundered frequently — uniforms that wash 30+ times a season, branded staff apparel for high-turnover environments, anything that has to look new after sustained use. For decoration programs that don't wash heavily (event-day giveaways, single-occasion uniforms, lower-cycle merch), PosiCharge is a nice-to-have rather than a meaningful upgrade. For programs that do wash heavily, it's the difference between a sharp uniform in week 12 and a faded one.

What's the difference between Sport-Tek's Competitor and Classic Mesh families?

Different fabric constructions for different decoration and climate priorities. The Competitor line (ST355, ST349, ST349P, ST355P) uses an interlock fabric — tighter, smoother surface that prints and embroiders cleaner, with UPF 30+ on the ST349. The Classic Mesh line (ST510, ST5100) uses an open-hole mesh, more breathable for warm-weather and basketball-style use but a less ideal print surface. The Tough Mesh ST312 is the heavier flat-back mesh for programs where substantial fabric matters. For decoration-heavy programs in cooler climates, the interlock Competitor is generally the cleaner pick. For warm-weather basketball-style programs, the open-hole mesh runs cooler.

Which wholesale shorts work best for team uniform programs?

For decoration durability, the Sport-Tek PosiCharge line (ST355, ST349, ST510, ST575) and Badger Pro Mesh (7207, 7219) are the standard picks. PosiCharge keeps screen-printed and heat-transferred logos sharp through repeated washing, and Badger Pro Mesh is a recognized standard in team sports. For matched adult-and-youth sets, the Sport-Tek YST355 and YST355P run alongside the adult ST355 family in the same colorways. For basketball-style cuts, the ST510, ST5100, and ST901 cover the silhouette range.

What wholesale fleece shorts work best for lifestyle merch?

The Bella+Canvas 3724 Sponge Fleece Short is the strongest pick for retail-quality lifestyle merch and the only one in the catalog that pairs cleanly into a complete coordinated Sponge Fleece set with Bella's hoodies and joggers. The Independent Trading Co. PRM50STPD Pigment-Dyed Fleece Short is the right pick for garment-dyed brand programs. The Comfort Colors 1468 Lightweight Sweatshort pairs into the Comfort Colors aesthetic family with their tee and hoodie line. The District DT6108 V.I.T. covers the budget end of the cotton-face fleece short category for decoration programs that want price accessibility without giving up the cotton print substrate.

Does Bulkthreads carry shorts made from recycled materials?

Yes. Sport-Tek's recycled polyester line (ST442, ST447, LST442, LST447) uses 100% recycled poly with PosiCharge color-lock for athletic and team programs. TriDri's training and performance line (TD046, TD049, TD052, TD062, TD535) uses recycled polyester or recycled polyester/elastane blends with OEKO-TEX, OCS, GRS, and RCS facility certifications, suited to programs where documented sustainability sourcing is part of the brief.

Which women's bike shorts should I order?

For fitness and athletic bike-short programs, the Bella+Canvas 0814 is the better pick: nylon/spandex compression fit, four-way stretch, antimicrobial treatment, and no side seams (which makes it a clean print surface for decorated fitness apparel). For lifestyle and athleisure programs where the bike short is more about the silhouette than performance, the District DT7509 cotton/spandex blend is the right fabric tier. The two are aimed at different end-users.

Do wholesale shorts orders at Bulkthreads qualify for volume discounts?

Yes. Automatic volume discounts apply at checkout across all shorts styles (no codes required). All orders ship same day and typically arrive in 1 to 3 business days, with free returns on every order.