Sublimation vs Screen Printing for Custom Jerseys
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey
More Great Sports & Uniform Ideas
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey
Sublimation vs Screen Printing for Custom Jerseys
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey
More Great Sports & Uniform Ideas
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey
Sublimation vs Screen Printing for Custom Jerseys
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey
More Great Sports & Uniform Ideas
One bonds into the fabric, one sits on top
For polyester performance jerseys, sublimation. For cotton fan shirts in bulk, screen printing. These two methods get compared as if they're competing options for the same garment, but they mostly aren't — they're suited to different fabrics, and the fabric decides more than the budget does.
Here's what actually separates them, and how to tell which one your order needs.
How Sublimation Works
Sublimation is a digital process that turns solid dye into gas and bonds it into synthetic fibers. The design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top of it.
Print. Your artwork is printed onto transfer paper with disperse dye inks.
Press. The paper meets polyester fabric under a heat press at roughly 180–210°C (Paper Print Services).
Infuse. At that temperature the dye converts straight from solid to gas, penetrates the polyester, and locks into the polymer chains as the fabric cools.
That last step is why the process has a hard fabric requirement. Cotton is cellulose and has no synthetic polymer chains for the dye to bond with, so there is nothing for the gas to lock into (Print Technology). On poly-cotton blends the dye only takes on the polyester share, which is why blends come out looking faded — an effect some people want deliberately, but not what most teams expect (SanMar decoration education).
What you get: unlimited colors at no extra cost, photographic detail and gradients, no added weight or texture because nothing sits on the surface, and a print that cannot crack or peel because there is no separate ink layer to crack.
How Screen Printing Works
Screen printing pushes opaque ink through a mesh stencil onto the surface of the garment.
Make a screen for every color. One stencil per color in the design.
Print. Ink is pulled across the screen with a squeegee onto the fabric.
Layer and cure. Colors go on one at a time with drying between passes, then the ink is heat-cured.
What you get: works on almost any fabric including cotton and cotton blends, prints opaque color onto dark garments, and gets very cheap per unit at high volume once setup is paid for.
What it costs to start: typically $25–50 per screen, per color (AI Separations), with some shops charging around $30 per spot color plus film and color-matching fees (Ray Gun Printing). A five-color design means five screens before a single shirt is printed, which is why the method rewards long runs and simple artwork.
The Polyester Problem Nobody Mentions
This is the part that decides it for team jerseys.
Curing screen printing ink requires heat — commonly around 320°F. That heat reactivates the dye already in polyester fabric, and that dye migrates up into the fresh ink and discolors it. A white print on a red polyester jersey turns pink (Screenprinting.com, Monarch Color).
Printers have real workarounds: low-cure inks that cure at 270–290°F instead of 320°F, and blocker or barrier underbases (Impressions Magazine, French Press Custom). A good shop manages it. But the workaround adds cost and steps, and it exists because the incompatibility is built in.
So the honest framing is this: screen printing is a cotton process that can be adapted to polyester. Sublimation is a polyester process. Athletic jerseys are polyester because that's what wicks and dries. The fabric your team needs is the fabric sublimation was built for.
Why "Light Fabrics Only" Doesn't Mean Light Jerseys
There's no white sublimation ink, and sublimation dyes are translucent, so they can't be printed over a dark garment — the existing color shows through (Inkcolorful, RK T-Shirts).
That sounds like a limit on dark jerseys. It isn't, because of when the color is applied. SPORTY prints all over white polyester, so a navy jersey isn't navy fabric with a print on it — the navy is printed. Any color, any coverage, edge to edge, including black and any dark base you want. The only true constraint is that white and very light areas of your design are the unprinted fabric showing through, which is exactly how you want them produced anyway.
Side by Side
Sublimation | Screen printing | |
|---|---|---|
Fabric | Polyester and poly-rich only | Cotton, blends, polyester with precautions |
Colors | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per color, per screen |
Gradients and photos | Yes | Difficult |
Setup cost | None | $25–50 per screen, per color |
Best order size | Any, including one | Large runs |
Feel on the garment | None — nothing on the surface | A layer you can feel |
Breathability | Unchanged | Reduced where the ink sits |
Failure mode over time | Fades only as the fabric fades | Can crack, peel, or discolor |
Dark garments | Print the dark color onto white fabric | Print opaque ink onto dark fabric |
Which One Your Team Needs
Sublimation, if you're ordering jerseys. Polyester performance fabric, multi-color or gradient artwork, all-over designs, small rosters, and a print that has to survive a full season of washing. That's a description of nearly every youth and rec team order.
Screen printing, if you're ordering cotton. Fan shirts, hoodies, staff tees, fundraiser merch — a simple one or two color logo on cotton, hundreds of units, where the per-piece price after setup is unbeatable and the fabric is what the method was built for.
Most programs end up needing both, for different items. The jerseys are sublimated; the parent shirts in the bleachers are screen printed.
From Sketch to Finished Jersey
Since the title promises it, here's the actual path an order takes:
Sketch or brief. A rough drawing, a reference photo, or just your colors and team name.
Design proof. You get a mockup to approve before anything is produced. Send hex or Pantone values rather than color names — "royal blue" means several different colors depending on who's printing.
Print and press. Artwork goes to transfer, then heat press onto the panels.
Cut and sew. Panels are assembled into the finished garment, which is why all-over designs can run edge to edge and across seams.
Ship. Made in the USA, free shipping over $100.
Order one jersey first and look at it in daylight. There are no minimums, so a test costs one unit.
What This Costs at SPORTY
Youth jerseys are $26 during the current launch special, women's $28, men's $29. No minimums, no design fees, no setup fees, and no per-color charges — a six-color gradient costs exactly what one flat color costs.
Seven cuts are available, including crew, V-neck, drop V and a basketball V-neck in cap-sleeve and short-sleeve versions. Custom text inside the collar is included at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which lasts longer, sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation, on polyester. Because the dye bonds into the fiber instead of sitting on it, there's no ink layer that can crack or peel — it fades only as the fabric itself fades. Screen printed ink is a surface layer and can crack or lift over many wash cycles.
Can you sublimate a cotton jersey?
No. Cotton is cellulose and has no polymer chains for the dye to bond to, so the print washes out (Print Technology). On a poly-cotton blend the dye takes only on the polyester portion, so the design looks faded (SanMar).
Can you sublimate a black jersey?
Yes. The black is printed onto white polyester rather than applied over black fabric. What you can't do is sublimate a design onto an already-dark garment, since the dyes are translucent and there's no white ink.
Does a multi-color design cost more with sublimation?
No. There are no screens and no per-color setup, so color count doesn't affect price. With screen printing each color is a separate screen at roughly $25–50 (AI Separations).
Is screen printing bad on polyester?
Not bad, but harder. Curing heat reactivates the fabric's dye, which bleeds into the ink and discolors it (Screenprinting.com). Low-cure inks and blocker underbases manage it (Impressions Magazine), but it's an added step that sublimation on polyester doesn't require.
Which is cheaper for a 12-player team?
Sublimation. Screen printing's per-unit advantage only appears after setup is spread across a large run, and a dozen jerseys won't absorb multiple screen charges. SPORTY has no minimums, so twelve jerseys cost twelve times the unit price.
Does sublimation make a jersey hotter to wear?
No. Nothing is added to the surface, so the fabric's weight and breathability are unchanged. Screen printed ink forms a layer that reduces breathability where it sits.
Ready to Design Yours
Send a sketch or just your colors and team name and you'll get a mockup back to approve. No minimums, so you can order a single jersey to check it before committing the roster.
jersey design
custom jerseys
sublimation jersey printing
screen printing jersey