In summary
A sublimated jersey has its design dyed into the polyester fabric instead of printed on top of it. That is why the artwork can cover the whole shirt, can’t crack or peel, and doesn’t cost more when you add colors.
- Sublimation turns printed dye into a gas with heat, and the gas bonds with the polyester fibers.
- The whole garment is the canvas. Gradients, patterns and photos cost the same as a one-color crest.
- It only works on polyester-rich fabric, and white in a design is simply unprinted fabric.
- Manta Squadron sublimated jerseys start from 40 € including VAT, with a minimum of 10 per design.
On this page
How sublimated jerseys are made
Benefits of sublimated jerseys
Do sublimated jerseys cost more?
How to care for sublimated jerseys
If you have looked at team kit in the last few years, almost every club jersey with an all-over pattern or a color fade is sublimated. The word gets used a lot by suppliers and rarely explained. This guide covers what sublimation actually is, what it does well, where it has limits, and what that means when your team orders a set.
What are sublimated jerseys?
A sublimated jersey is a polyester shirt where the design has been dyed into the fabric itself. There is no layer of ink sitting on the surface. Run your hand over a sublimated jersey and the printed areas feel exactly like the unprinted ones.
You will also see the terms dye sublimation jerseys, sublimation printed jerseys and fully sublimated jerseys. They all describe the same process. “Fully sublimated” just means the design covers the whole garment rather than a single panel or logo area.
That is the practical takeaway. If a supplier says a jersey is sublimated, the color is part of the fabric, and you are free to design across the whole shirt.
How sublimated jerseys are made
The process is simple to describe, and it explains almost every strength and limit of sublimated kit.
- Print. The finished artwork is printed in mirror image onto transfer paper with sublimation dye.
- Press. The paper is laid on the fabric in a heat press. The heat turns the dye into a gas.
- Bond. The gas enters the polyester fibers and sets as it cools. The color is now inside the fiber.
- Cut and sew. For fully sublimated kit, the fabric panels are printed first and then cut and sewn into the garment.
Because the dye bonds with the fiber rather than coating it, the fabric keeps its original feel and stretch. Manta Squadron prints with OEKO-TEX certified disperse inks. You can read what the certification covers on the OEKO-TEX website.
The gradient in the photo above is a good example. A smooth fade through a dozen colors would be difficult or expensive with ink printing. With sublimation it is just another image.
Benefits of sublimated jerseys
For team sports, and ultimate in particular, sublimation solves the problems that matter most over a season.
No print layer to crack or peel
Surface prints can crack, peel or flake as a jersey is stretched, washed and worn. A sublimated design has no separate layer, so there is nothing to lift off the fabric. How long a jersey looks its best still depends on use and care, but the design itself doesn’t wear away like a surface print.
Unlimited colors and all-over designs
Sublimation transfers the whole design as one full-color image. There are no separate screens per color, so ten colors cost the same as one. Patterns can run across the front, back and sleeves. Our guide to what makes a great-looking ultimate jersey shows how teams use that freedom well.
Light, breathable fabric
A sublimated design adds no weight and no stiff patches. The jersey breathes and moves the same everywhere, including under a large back number. For a sport built on sprints, cuts and layouts, that matters more than it sounds.
If you are comparing methods, our sublimation vs screen printing comparison goes through durability, fabric and cost side by side.
Wondering what your design would look like sublimated?
Send us your logo and colors and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
What sublimation can’t do
Sublimation is not the right answer for every garment. Knowing the limits helps you plan the design properly.
- It needs polyester.The dye bonds with polyester fibers. It won’t take on cotton, which is why sublimated sportswear is made from technical polyester or polyester-rich blends.
- White is the fabric, not ink.Sublimation dye is transparent and is printed onto white fabric. Any white area in your design is simply unprinted. You can’t print white onto a dark area.
- Screen colors aren’t fabric colors.Colors on a monitor are made of light. Colors on polyester are dye. Very bright neons and some exact brand shades can look different once printed, which is why you check a proof and send hex codes rather than color names.
- Seams need a little planning.Panels are printed before they are sewn, so keep numbers, names and logos away from seams and edges where a small shift would be visible.
None of these are reasons to avoid sublimation for a team jersey. They are reasons to design with the process in mind from the start.
Do sublimated jerseys cost more?
Not in the way most teams expect. With ink printing, every extra color adds a screen and a production step. With sublimation, the price is set by the garment, not the artwork. A plain jersey and a jersey covered in a detailed illustration cost the same.
| Sublimated item | Starting price (incl. VAT) | Minimum per design |
|---|---|---|
| Jersey | from 40 € | 10 |
| Tank top | from 35 € | 10 |
| Shorts | from 30 € | 10 |
Shipping and handling are added separately. The practical takeaway is that you should design the jersey your team actually wants. Simplifying the artwork to save money doesn’t save anything with sublimation.
How to care for sublimated jerseys
Care is short because there is no print layer to protect. Manta Squadron’s instruction for all sublimated pieces is two things: machine wash at 30 °C and don’t iron.
That is it. Our sublimated kit care guide explains why the list is so short and what to do with kit during a tournament weekend.
Ordering sublimated team jerseys
Every Manta Squadron jersey, tank top and pair of shorts is fully sublimated, so there is no separate option to choose. Here is how an order works in practice.
- Minimum 10 pieces per item and design. A light and a dark jersey are two designs. Loose and Fitted cuts can be mixed freely within one design.
- Design your own or get help. Fitting a ready design to our template is free. A new design has a 100 € deposit that is deducted from the kit order.
- Approve a proof. You see the design on the actual kit shapes before anything is printed.
- 28 days of production from payment, then shipping to one address in Spain, the EU or beyond.
Our guide to ordering your club’s first kit walks through the full timeline, and the custom jersey design guide covers how to prepare the artwork.
Sublimation gives you a blank canvas, a light jersey and a design that lasts as long as the fabric. The only real decision left is what to put on it.
Frequently asked questions
What does sublimated mean on a jersey?
It means the design is dyed into the polyester fabric with heat rather than printed on top. The color becomes part of the fiber, so there is no surface layer and the printed areas feel the same as the rest of the jersey.
Is a sublimated jersey the same as a dye sublimation jersey?
Yes. Sublimated, dye sublimation and sublimation printed all describe the same process. Fully sublimated means the design covers the whole garment.
Do sublimated jerseys crack or peel?
No. There is no separate print layer to crack or peel, because the dye is inside the polyester fibers. How long a jersey looks its best still depends on how it is worn, washed and stored.
Do sublimated jerseys fade?
The design doesn’t wear away like a surface print. Color longevity still depends on use and care. For Manta Squadron kit, machine wash at 30 °C and don’t iron.
Can you sublimate on cotton?
No. Sublimation dye bonds with polyester fibers, so it needs polyester or a polyester-rich blend. That is why sublimated sportswear is made from technical polyester.
Can sublimated jerseys have white designs on dark colors?
Not as printed white. Sublimation dye is transparent and printed onto white fabric, so white areas are unprinted fabric. A white number on a dark jersey is made by printing the dark color around it.
Are sublimated jerseys more expensive?
Not because of the design. The price doesn’t change with the number of colors. Manta Squadron sublimated jerseys start from 40 € including VAT, with shipping added separately.
What is the minimum order for sublimated jerseys?
Manta Squadron’s minimum is 10 pieces per item type and design. Cuts and sizes can be mixed within one design.
