Dye Sublimation - Garment Printing

Sublimation Printing

Vibrant. Durable. Built to Perform. Sublimation printing brings your designs to life in full colour with unbeatable clarity and fade-resistant results. Perfect for performance wear, sports kits, and eye-catching promotional gear— this is printing that lasts as long as your hustle.

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What is Sublimation Printing?

Sublimation printing is the process of putting your designs onto a special transfer paper, which is then heat-pressed over the top of the garment and the design is transferred onto the product. Under high heat, the ink on the transfer paper turns into gas and penetrates the fabric, bonding directly with the fibres. This results in a high-quality, full-colour print that’s soft to the touch, long-lasting, and resistant to cracking or fading—perfect for creating bold, all-over designs on polyester garments and activewear.

Why choose Sublimation Printing?

Sublimation printing only works on 100% white polyester garments making it the perfect printing technique for personalised t-shirts, running tops, custom vests, and any other polyester sports clothing that requires a soft print finish. It is also a popular option for custom printed boxers and personalised socks.

With no minimum order quantity and prices from around £6.95 per shirt, you can create your fashion brand and start making a profit from your personalised clothing design.

Special Considerations for Dye Sublimation:

Black Colour Print

Please be aware that a true black can not be achieved with dye sublimation as the t shirts can only absorb a certain amount of ink. Therefore, black can often not be as saturated as some other colours and may appear off-black.

Care

Printed clothing requires a bit of extra care to keep it looking its best. To help maintain both the fabric and the print, it's best to wash the garment inside out using cold water.

Printing Marks

Potential white crease marks in the print: Due to the printing process for dye sublimation, it is possible that the print leaves white marks and imperfections where there are creases. These white marks are commonly found around the armpit area. The garment must be made of white polyester for standard dye sublimation.

Printed Position

Dye sublimation is primarily suited to all over randomly placed designs, not position specific designs but please contact us if you have any doubts but please ensure you understand the potential print creases and our terms and conditions related to this found here, under the Dye Sublimation.

Advantages of Sublimation Printing

1. Photo-Quality Results

Dye sublimation delivers sharp, high-resolution prints with smooth gradients. It's ideal for photographic images, detailed graphics, and complex colour blends.

2. No Texture or Cracking

The ink becomes part of the fabric rather than sitting on top, resulting in a print that doesn’t peel, crack, or fade. The finish is soft to the touch and long-lasting.

3. Perfect for All-Over Printing

It allows full-coverage printing across entire garments or products, making it a go-to for sportswear, promotional apparel, and large surface designs.

4. Great for On-Demand and Short Runs

There are no setup screens or minimums, so it’s efficient and affordable for one-offs or small batches — perfect for personalisation and print-on-demand.

5. Fast Production

Once the design is ready, the process is fast and consistent. Ideal for e-commerce and dropshipping operations needing speed and scalability.

Disadvantages of Sublimation Printing

1. Only Works on Polyester or Polymer-Coated Surfaces

Dye sublimation only bonds properly with polyester or specially coated substrates. It is not suitable for natural fabrics like cotton or linen.

2. Limited to Light-Coloured Materials

The process doesn’t print white, and colours won’t show accurately on dark or black backgrounds. It performs best on white or light-coloured surfaces.

3. Possible marks

Due to the printing process for dye sublimation, it is possible that the print leaves white marks where there are creases. These white marks are commonly found around the armpit area.

4. Less Cost-Efficient for Large Runs

While excellent for short runs, sublimation becomes less cost-effective for large-scale bulk production compared to screen printing.