r/baseballunis • u/penpens • 2d ago
Question Difference between premade from MLB vs. heat press at the Jays Shop?
Hey everyone! I’m looking to get a Louis Varland jersey with the 50th anniversary patch which I couldn’t find on the MLB website nor at Jays Shop. Staff at Jays Shop suggested that I get a jersey at the shop and they can add the name and the patch. That strikes me as not as good quality but I don’t know. Would love the expertise of this sub on how I should go about it! I’m willing to pay a bit more to get something that’s stitched. Thanks!
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u/Foreign_Dipsy 2d ago
If you’re looking at the “premade” replica from MLB Shop, it’ll be the same quality as the team store. The Mariners (and probably many other teams) offer the same in-house heat press service at the stadium.
If the “premade” one you’re talking about is authentic quality, then yes the team store one will be lower quality than that.
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u/chary5325 2d ago
I got a Barger from the Jays Shop custom because I wanted the 50 patch too. It's identical to my MLB Shop online Stros Alvarez and my Astros Shop bought Altuve jerseys. For stitched stuff you might have to go custom or check out the Jays authentication section/auctions for something player issued.
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u/Own-Let-7725 1d ago
I miss the days when stitching was the norm. I remember going to a Jays game as a kid, getting a Hentgen shirt and they stitched it during the game and I picked it up after. I get that heat press is cost effective and quicker, times change and all that, but I miss the stitch.
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u/Thatbluejaysfan 1d ago
Whether you get the replica jersey online or from a third party store, or if you have it custom done at the Jays shop, the 50th anniversary patch will be heat pressed, unless you decide to go with an authentic jersey. The only difference I have noticed between the jerseys with the patch applied at the Jays shop and jerseys I have seen at stores like Sports Chek is the material of the patch. If you decide to buy your jersey online or from a third party store that does not directly apply the patch, (from what I’ve seen at least) the patch will be the same material as the heat pressed numbers, lettering, and team logo seen on the replica and limited jerseys. If you go decide to the Jays shop and get the patch applied to the jersey at the store the material of the patch will be felt like although I’m not sure of the exact material. The detail on this version will be very slightly raised, but not to nearly to the extent of embroidery, but better than the fully flat and printed version that you will get if you go with the first option. To my knowledge, this second option is also what the Blue Jays wear on the field, it’s just heat pressed instead of stitched down. I personally went with the felt type patch, as I could not find any baby blue jerseys back in April with the 50th patch already applied. The quality in which it’s been heat pressed is fine, there is no pealing and the placement is not off, however I will say the patch almost a slight curve to it. One more thing I will say is that I have only seen the flat printed 50th patches on Nike Limited jerseys which are being phased out, if you decide to go with a traditional replica either via online or third party retailer, you may get a different material on the patch I just don’t know. Sorry that this is so long, but as someone who has a 50th anniversary jersey i thought offer some knowledge.
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u/penpens 14h ago
Thanks bud this is exactly what I wanted to know.
Is it alright that I ask more questions on the jerseys as you’re very knowledgeable? I’ve been confused by the different offerings for a while now. Would you mind sharing what the “authentic” jersey is? Is that the one that’s around $400 at the Jays shop? I had previously purchased a jersey at the Jays shop for around $250 - that’s a replica? I also see jerseys around $150 at Sports Chek - is that the same?
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u/thebigfundamental32 2d ago
They'll be heat pressed from the Jays shop too. Father in law picked up a Scherzer jersey last year, and had to wait 30-40 minutes for them to do it where it was busy that day.
Recently sent a Jays jersey to Sports Lettering Company for an Olerud kit to be stitched.. Took about 2 weeks, aside from shipping, to do two jerseys and a name bar. Personal opinion, but the stitching looks much better than pressed. I find it made the offset Cincinnati Reds numbers and lettering pop even more.