A custom rash guard starts as a design in Kit Designer, then gets checked by one of our graphic designers before anything is printed.
How Custom Rash Guards Are Made, From the 3D Designer to the Finished Rash Guard
If you've ordered custom rash guards for a BJJ gym, a no-gi team or an MMA brand, you've probably wondered what happens after you hit submit. I filmed one rash guard going through our factory, from the design on screen to the finished top, so you can see how custom rash guards are made, step by step, by the people who make them.
Key takeaways
How custom rash guards are made, inside our factory
Why rash guards are sublimated
A rash guard fits close and gets gripped and stretched in training. A print that sits on top of the fabric, like screen printing or heat-transfer vinyl, can crack or peel under that. With sublimation, heat turns the ink into a gas that bonds with the polyester fibers, so the design becomes part of the fabric.
It also lets the design go well past a chest logo. Colors, patterns and gradients can cover the sleeves, sides and back, because every panel is printed before it's cut and sewn.
Step 1: designing the rash guard in Kit Designer
The rash guard in the video started in Kit Designer, our free 3D designer. You pick a style, choose a ready-made design, change the colors, add your gym's logo and text, and turn the model around to check the front, back and sleeves. When it looks right, you submit it.
We make five rash guard styles: men's short sleeve, men's short sleeve with side panels, men's long sleeve, women's short sleeve and women's long sleeve. You can see them all on the rash guards page.
Ordering for a whole gym or team? Our custom team jersey order checklist works for rash guards too: colors, logo files, names, sizes and the date you need them by.
Step 2: from the file to the fabric
The file check
Once you submit, one of our graphic designers opens the file and makes sure everything is correct before it goes to print. Anything that isn't right gets fixed on screen, while it's still easy to change.
Printing on sublimation paper
The printing department prints the design onto special sublimation paper. Each panel of the rash guard comes out flat, side by side, and the paper goes straight onto a roll for the heat press.
The rotary heat press
In the heat press department, the fabric is laid on top of the roll of printed paper and the two are pushed through a rotary heat press. This is where the ink leaves the paper and goes into the fabric.
Step 3: cutting the panels
This is my favorite part. The printed fabric goes to a dual-head laser cutter, which follows the outline of each piece of the rash guard. You can see every panel laid out on the cutter's screen.
When the cutter is done, the team pulls the pieces out of the fabric and bundles them for the sewing department.
Step 4: sewing and the final check
Sewing a rash guard takes several operations, done by several operators on different machines. When the sewing is complete, it goes to quality assurance, where the team does the final touch-ups and makes sure it's ready to ship.
From concept to completion, the rash guard in the video passed through more than ten pairs of hands.
The same departments make our jerseys. If you're ordering team jerseys as well, our guide on how custom sublimated jerseys are made follows a jersey order and compares printing before cut-and-sew with pressing a finished jersey.
Start designing your rash guardHow long it takes and how to order
Most orders arrive about three weeks after printing starts, so count back from your tournament, grading or launch date. There's no minimum order: you can order one rash guard to check the fit and print before ordering for the whole gym.
Kit Designer and the factory are one team, with no reseller in between. You can read more about our factory, or send us a question before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How are custom rash guards made?
The design is printed onto sublimation paper, and a rotary heat press transfers the ink into the fabric. A laser cutter then cuts each panel, and the panels are sewn together and checked by quality assurance. At our factory, more than ten people work on each rash guard.
Will the print on a sublimated rash guard crack or peel?
No. Sublimation dyes the design into the polyester fibers instead of laying ink on top, so there's no layer to crack or peel with normal wear. That's why it suits a top that gets stretched and gripped in training.
Can I design my own rash guard without design skills?
Yes. In Kit Designer you start from a ready-made design and change the colors, logo and text, then check the 3D model from every side. Designing is free, and you pay only when you order.
Which rash guard styles can I customize?
Five: men's short sleeve, men's short sleeve with side panels, men's long sleeve, women's short sleeve and women's long sleeve. Each one is designed in the same 3D designer.
Is there a minimum order for custom rash guards?
No. You can order a single rash guard or one for every member of your gym. You choose the quantities and sizes when you order.
How long does a custom rash guard order take?
Most orders arrive about three weeks after printing starts. Plan back from the date you need them, such as a tournament or a gym launch, and leave time for your own design approval.
Ready to make your own?
Design your rash guard in 3D for free, or ask the factory a question.