Dye sublimation printing for edge-to-edge colour

Your design is printed onto transfer paper, then pressed onto the item with heat. Because the dye bonds with the material, the print has no raised layer: it will not peel or crack, and it keeps its feel. The catch is the material, since sublimation needs polyester or a polyester-coated surface and works best on white or very light bases.

That makes it ideal for sports shirts, cycling tops, team jerseys, swimwear fabrics, vests, jackets, scatter cushions and pillow covers, and printed fabric panels. For cotton garments, DTG or DTF are usually the better answer.

• T-shirts and vests in polyester, for teams, events and corporate wear
• Sportswear and cycling shirts with full-colour or all-over designs
• Jackets where the fabric and lining suit sublimation
• Cushions and pillows for home, hospitality and gifting
• Fabrics for decor and craft projects

Support for specific products depends on stock and what suits the process, so confirm on the quote. Garment colour matters: sublimation will not show on dark fabric, so choose white or light polyester bases for true colour.

Sublimation is unforgiving about resolution because every colour is visible across the whole piece. Supply artwork at around 300 dpi at final size, in RGB or CMYK, as PDF, PNG, TIFF or vector files.

• For all-over prints, send the design on a template or tell us the garment size so we can lay it out.
• Add bleed past the edges where the design runs to a seam.
• Keep logos and names away from seams and folds.

If you have team names and numbers, send them as a list with sizes. We can help turn rough ideas into a print-ready layout, quoted separately.

Sublimation is a heat-press process with no screens or long curing, which is why it can sometimes be turned around quickly for urgent jobs. A same-day result is possible only subject to capacity, job size, approved artwork, payment and a confirmed deadline, and we will tell you straight on the quote whether your timing is realistic.

To give an urgent job the best chance, send final artwork early in the day, confirm garment sizes and quantities, and keep to polyester or light-coloured items. Call or WhatsApp us before heading to the Rivonia shop so we can confirm that your order is ready to collect.