Bradford City Football Team Remembers 56 Lost with Custom Team Uniforms

Image source: Telegraph.co.uk[/caption]  

If you were to ask people what the point of custom embroidered clothing is, most people would probably say, "To advertise a business." For the most part, they'd be right. Uniforms are an effective way to spread the word about a company, but that's just one possible use. Some people also use custom clothing to honor the memory of those who have been lost.  

We saw hundreds of custom shirts after the tragedy of the Sandy Hook shooting. T-shirts gave people a way to express their support for the victims and their families. There will be a similar tribute on Sunday in England 28 years ago, the sport of football (as in European football) witnessed the worst fire tragedy in history as a terrible blaze overtook the Bradford City football club stadium. Tragically, 56 people died and at least 265 others were injured in the chaos. The townspeople later erected memorials in honor of the fallen, such as this one in Bradford City Center. 

Image source: Wikipedia.org[/caption]  

Continuing a long tradition of solemn remembrance, Bradford City players will warm up in special tracksuits that bear the number 56 before their Capital One Cup final against Swansea on Friday.  Phil Parkinson, the team's manager, told reporters,"This is the day to remember those people. We’ll make sure we do that and it’s important to this city. Because Bradford has gone down the divisions, there is a feeling that those people might have been forgotten outside the city, so we want to do everything we can." 

These custom tracksuits may be a simple gesture, but they will do wonders to remind people of the tragedy of the Bradford City stadium fire. Honorary gestures don't need to be gigantic or expensive. There's a reason why "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers and Livestrong bracelets are so popular -- it's the meaning behind the gesture that matters, not the price tag.

Custom embroidered clothing is an excellent way for private groups or a business to send a powerful message to a community. It's important to keep in mind that not everything is about advertising. Sure, getting your name out there is great and all, but when tragedy strikes, people remember those who step up and offer the community the support that it so desperately needs.  

Sell custom shirts and donate the profits to the families of the victims. Hand out hats, wristbands, and shirts to anybody who wants to be able to give their support. Replace your company uniforms with shirts to honor those who were lost. No matter how you choose to do it, remembering a tragedy with solemn respect can help to solidify your company's position as a pillar of the community.