In short: FLAVE is an AI on-demand sportswear platform. It turns a plain-language brief into production-ready kit designs, offers branded storefronts, and routes orders to a global network of manufacturers. Sportswear of Tomorrow is a Romania-based B2B sportswear manufacturer and one of those manufacturing partners, producing cut-and-sew sublimated sportswear from one piece. They are separate companies that together take a kit from AI design to European production and global delivery.
Anyone who has ordered custom sportswear knows the old routine: emails back and forth with a designer, and a mockup that doesn’t match what you pictured. Then a minimum order bigger than your team, and a delivery date that slips.
Sportswear of Tomorrow (SoT) and FLAVE are building a different workflow. It connects AI sportswear design, on-demand selling and custom sportswear production into one path, without committing to stock upfront.
Who does what: FLAVE or Sportswear of Tomorrow?
FLAVE is an AI on-demand sportswear platform built specifically for sportswear. It connects brands with manufacturers worldwide.
Sportswear of Tomorrow is a European sportswear manufacturer with its own facility in Aiud, Romania, under Belgian management, producing since 2002. It makes cut-and-sew and sublimated teamwear and brand collections.
SoT is one manufacturing partner in FLAVE’s network. It is the natural choice when a brand wants European cut-and-sew sublimated production. FLAVE is not limited to SoT, and SoT continues to serve its own customers directly. Kevin Van Lancker leads both companies, but they remain distinct.
| FLAVE | Sportswear of Tomorrow | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI on-demand sportswear platform | European sportswear manufacturer (B2B) |
| Where production happens | Network of manufacturing partners worldwide | Own facility in Romania, EU |
| Core strength | Prompt-to-production-file design, storefronts, routing | Cut-and-sew, calibrated sublimation, MOQ from 1, recycled fabrics |
For a one-page overview, see Sportswear of Tomorrow & FLAVE.
How does AI sportswear design work on FLAVE?
The user writes a plain-language brief covering the sport, colours, style and inspiration. According to FLAVE, its AI then generates four complete design options in under 45 seconds. Each option is built on the correct panel templates and exported as production-ready SVG and PDF files (flave.eu). Users can refine colours and layouts and see the changes on photorealistic mockups straight away.
The key difference from general image generators is production readiness. Many teamwear businesses receive designs that customers created with general-purpose AI tools. These look impressive, but their panels, seams and proportions don’t match any real garment. Trade publication WTiN describes FLAVE’s design studio as generating designs directly for production, with “no design experience” needed (WTiN).
Preparing your own artwork instead? See SoT’s guide on how to prepare artwork and tech packs.
How do brands sell before they produce?
FLAVE offers brand storefronts: branded on-demand webshops where customers order directly, and each product is produced once it has been sold (flave.eu). FLAVE also describes an AI marketing engine that generates product descriptions and social content alongside each design.
For a club, that might be a members’ shop that stays open all season. For a brand, it could be a limited drop. In both cases, the order comes before production.
How is an order routed to the right factory?
FLAVE works as a network. The company says it works with more than 300 production sites across Europe and Asia (flave.eu; WTiN).
In a public update, Kevin Van Lancker described going from a design prompt to production files, and producing sportswear through FLAVE in Europe, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and Bangladesh (LinkedIn).
Producing closer to the end customer can shorten transport and simplify duties. That matters as trade conditions shift: McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2026 notes that US tariffs “have redrawn trade maps” and pushed brands to rethink sourcing (McKinsey).
What does a European sportswear manufacturer like SoT add?
When the best fit is Made in EU cut-and-sew sublimated sportswear, the order can go to Sportswear of Tomorrow.
- Low minimums. Teamwear and on-demand orders from one piece, unless stated otherwise. Volume discounts apply to larger collection runs, confirmed in your quote.
- Predictable lead times. Typically 2.5 to 4 weeks from artwork approval.
- Technical range. SoT makes:
- cycling jerseys, bib shorts and long tights
- triathlon apparel and aero/skating suits
- running and activewear
- soccer, basketball, padel and tennis apparel
- rashguards and swimwear
- Sustainable materials. Recycled polyester as standard, including rashguards made from recycled ocean-waste fabric with UPF 50+ (fabrics and sublimation).
- Consistency. A calibrated sublimation workflow. On-time delivery matters in this industry, and production takes 2.5–4 weeks from artwork approval (sportswearoftomorrow.com).
- Private label. Your brand on the garment (private label & OEM).
European production is a real differentiator. Brands talk about nearshoring more than they do it. McKinsey’s analysis shows the nearshore share of EU apparel imports fell from 29% in 2019 to 25% in 2023 (McKinsey). A European factory that accepts single-piece orders is still unusual.
If a product needs something SoT doesn’t make, such as a seamless construction, FLAVE’s wider network can offer another route.
How is this different from print on demand sportswear?
Classic print on demand sportswear platforms mostly decorate stock blank garments using DTG, DTF or embroidery. They work well for tees and hoodies, but offer little design freedom for fitted performance kit.
The SoT + FLAVE model is cut-and-sew on demand. Full-panel sublimated designs are printed, then cut and sewn to order on real sportswear patterns. The on-demand logic is the same. The technical result is closer to what athletes actually compete in.
How are finished orders delivered globally?
Once produced, garments ship to the brand, the club or directly to the end customer, depending on how the storefront is set up. Because production is spread across a network, global scale doesn’t mean one giant warehouse. It means many factories, each producing what has been sold and shipping it to where it’s needed.
Why an ecosystem, and not a single company?
- Software and factories scale differently. A platform can serve thousands of brands at once. A factory has physical capacity and specific skills.
- Brands get choice. FLAVE users aren’t locked into one factory, and SoT customers aren’t forced onto a platform.
- The network gets stronger over time. More manufacturers make the platform more useful to brands, and more brands make it more attractive to manufacturers.
Read why this matters for sustainability in On-Demand Sportswear Manufacturing: Why Overproduction Is Ending. For what it means in practice for smaller players, see Custom Sportswear with No Minimum Order.
Frequently asked questions
What is FLAVE?
FLAVE is an AI on-demand sportswear platform. According to the company, it generates production-ready sportswear designs from text prompts in under 45 seconds. It also offers branded storefronts and connects orders to a global network of manufacturing partners.
Is Sportswear of Tomorrow the same company as FLAVE?
No. They are separate companies led by the same founder. Sportswear of Tomorrow is a Romania-based B2B sportswear manufacturer and one of the manufacturing partners in FLAVE’s network.
Will every FLAVE order be produced at Sportswear of Tomorrow?
No. FLAVE works with many manufacturers. SoT produces when it is the right match, typically for European cut-and-sew sublimated sportswear.
Can AI-generated sportswear designs be produced directly?
Only if they are built on real garment templates. Designs from general image generators usually need to be rebuilt. FLAVE says its AI outputs production-ready panel files, and SoT’s artwork guide explains what factories need.
What sportswear can Sportswear of Tomorrow manufacture?
Sublimated cut-and-sew sportswear. This includes:
- cycling jerseys, bib shorts and tights
- triathlon suits and aero or skating suits
- running and activewear
- soccer, basketball, padel and tennis kits
- rashguards and swimwear
Can I work with Sportswear of Tomorrow without using FLAVE?
Yes. You can request quotes and samples from SoT directly, as always. FLAVE is an optional route for brands that want AI design, storefronts and network production.
Ready to produce in Europe? Contact Sportswear of Tomorrow. Want to design with AI and explore global on-demand production? Explore FLAVE.
