Short answer: sublimation printing uses special dyes that, under heat and pressure, turn into a gas and bond with polyester fibres. Designs are printed onto transfer paper, then transferred to fabric or garments in a heat press or roller calender. Because the dye goes into the fibre rather than sitting on top, the print has almost no hand and does not crack. The trade-off is that it works properly only on polyester or high-polyester fabrics, usually in white or light colours.
For a general introduction to sublimation see what sublimation printing services are; for tees specifically, sublimation T-shirt printing. This page is about how the service runs inside an OEM garment order.
Three ways sublimation is used in OEM production
| Route | How it works | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roll-to-roll fabric printing | Fabric printed by the metre, then cut and sewn | Repeat patterns, large runs | Pattern matching at seams; print waste on unused fabric |
| Cut-panel (all-over print) | Each pattern piece printed in position, then cut and sewn | Engineered designs that flow across seams; teamwear | Panel alignment; shrinkage after pressing |
| Garment or spot print | Finished garment pressed with a transfer | Logos and placement prints on finished tees | White creases or untransferred areas near seams |
How the service runs, step by step
- Artwork: supplied at full size and resolution, with colour references. For all-over print, artwork is laid onto each pattern piece and size.
- Colour proofing: a strike-off on the production fabric. Screen colours do not reproduce exactly; approve the physical strike-off, not the file.
- Printing: the design is printed in reverse on sublimation transfer paper with sublimation inks.
- Transfer: paper and fabric are pressed together with heat and pressure for a set time, following the ink and paper supplier’s settings for the fabric.
- Cutting and sewing: printed panels or fabric are cut and sewn; garments may be checked for print alignment at seams.
- Inspection: shade against the strike-off, print position, alignment, ghosting and white areas.
Fabric limits
- Polyester is required. Sublimation dyes bond with polyester. Cotton does not take them; cotton-poly blends give a faded, vintage-looking result in proportion to the cotton content.
- White or light grounds. Sublimation inks are transparent and do not print white, so dark fabrics do not work.
- Heat sensitivity. Some fabrics, elastane-rich knits and trims can shrink, glaze or change hand under the transfer heat. Test on the production fabric.
- Dye migration. Sublimation dyes in a polyester garment can migrate into heat-applied logos or light trims later. Test the combination.
For choosing between sublimation and screen print by fibre, see sublimation or screen print.
What to approve and test
| Check | Example method |
|---|---|
| Colour fastness to washing | ISO 105-C06 |
| Colour fastness to rubbing | ISO 105-X12 |
| Colour fastness to perspiration (sportswear) | ISO 105-E04 |
| Dimensional change after the transfer and washing | AATCC TM135 or ISO 6330 with ISO 5077 |
Approve a strike-off and a sewn sample, not just a printed panel, and keep the approved sample as the bulk reference. See sample approval.
How flock printing differs
Flock printing is a different process, not a type of sublimation. In flock, short fibres (commonly nylon or viscose) are bonded to the fabric with an adhesive, usually as a heat transfer, leaving a raised, velvety surface. The table shows the main differences; this page does not cover flock in depth.
| Sublimation | Flock | |
|---|---|---|
| How it bonds | Dye goes into polyester fibres | Fibres glued on top with adhesive |
| Feel | No raised surface | Raised, soft, velvet-like |
| Fabrics | Polyester or high-polyester, light colours | Many fabrics including cotton and dark colours, depending on the adhesive |
| Typical uses | All-over prints, teamwear, performance tops | Logos, numbers, lettering, accents |
| Points to test | Shade, migration, heat effect on fabric | Adhesion and abrasion after washing |
Fact, advice and uncertainty
Fact: sublimation requires polyester and does not print white; flock is an adhesive-bonded fibre surface. Advice: approve a physical strike-off on the production fabric and test the sewn garment after washing. Uncertainty: transfer settings depend on ink, paper and fabric; follow the supplier’s settings and validate them on your fabric.
Knitwear Base produces knit garments with sublimation and other decoration. For other methods see T-shirt decoration approval, or contact us through the contact page.
Sources and further reading
- ISO 105-C06:2010, Colour fastness to domestic and commercial laundering
- ISO 105-X12:2016, Colour fastness to rubbing
- ISO 105-E04:2013, Colour fastness to perspiration
- AATCC TM135, Dimensional Changes of Fabrics after Home Laundering
- ISO 6330:2021, Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
- ISO 5077:2007, Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying
Rules and standards are summarised from their official pages for general guidance; this is not legal advice. Check the current version and the requirements of your own market before you rely on them.
