A sublimated jersey is printed on paper first. A heat press then moves the ink into the fabric, and only after that is it cut and sewn.
How Custom Sublimated Jerseys Are Made: From 3D Design to Finished Jersey
Most pages about how custom sublimated jerseys are made explain sublimation in general and stop there. This guide follows a real order through our factory in Mabalacat, Pampanga, in the Philippines, from the design you build on screen to the finished garment that gets packed for shipping. It's for team managers, coaches and sportswear brands who want to know what happens to their design before they place an order.
Key takeaways
Design your own custom jersey in 3D
What makes a jersey "sublimated"
Sublimation is a way of dyeing polyester fabric with heat. The ink is printed onto transfer paper, and under heat and pressure it turns into a gas, bonds with the polyester fibers and sets as it cools. Nothing sits on top of the fabric. That's the difference from a screen print or a heat-transfer vinyl, which add a layer to the surface that can crack or peel over time.
For a team, this has three practical results. The design can cover the whole jersey: gradients, photos and patterns that run across seams print just like solid colors. The jersey still breathes and feels like plain fabric, because there is no printed layer on top. And colors stay bright with normal wear.
Step one: design the jersey in 3D
Ordering custom sportswear used to mean days of messages. Customers sent screenshots of styles they liked, and a designer went back and forth until it looked right. We built Kit Designer to cut that out.
You start from a ready-made design, for example one of our basketball, soccer or volleyball jerseys. Then you change the colors, add your logo and text, and spin the 3D model to see every panel from every side. Designing is free. You pay only when you decide to order, and you choose the quantities and sizes for one player or a whole team.
Start designing for freeStep two: what happens after you press submit
When you submit, your design goes to our own factory, not to a middleman. Here's what each department does. The video below follows a rash guard through the same departments that make our jerseys.
Inside the factory: how our sublimated sportswear is made
Inside the factory, department by department
The file check
Before anything is printed, a graphic designer opens your file and checks that it's ready for production. Problems are much cheaper to fix on screen than on fabric.
Printing on sublimation paper
The printing department prints your artwork onto special sublimation paper. The printed paper comes off the printer as a long roll, ready for the heat press.
The rotary heat press
This is where the design becomes part of the fabric. The fabric is laid on the printed paper, and the two run together through a rotary heat press, a heated roller. The heat releases the ink from the paper and fuses it into the polyester fibers.
Laser cutting
The printed fabric goes to a dual-head laser cutter, which follows the outline of every panel of the jersey. Because the panels are cut after printing, the design runs all the way to the edge of each piece.
Sewing
The cut panels are bundled and taken to the sewing department. Putting a jersey together takes several operations on different machines, each handled by a different operator.
Quality assurance
Finished garments go to quality assurance for final touch-ups and an inspection before they're packed for shipping. By this point, more than ten people have worked on each piece.
Pressing a finished jersey vs. printing before cut-and-sew
Not every "sublimated" jersey is made the same way. Some suppliers press a design onto a jersey that's already sewn. Others, like us, print the fabric first and then cut and sew it.
If you want a design that wraps around the sides, sleeves and collar, ask your supplier which method it uses.
Design a full-coverage jerseyTwo ways to make a sublimated jersey
- When the design is applied. Pressed: after the jersey is sewn. Printed before cut-and-sew (our method): before the panels are cut.
- Coverage. Pressed: limited to the area the press can reach. Our method: edge to edge on every panel.
- Seams and sleeves. Pressed: hard to cover evenly once the jersey is sewn. Our method: printed like the rest of the panel.
How long it takes and what it costs
Most orders arrive about three weeks after printing starts, and there's no minimum order: one jersey is fine. Prices are shown on every design before you order. On the day this guide was published, jersey designs started at $44 for men's V-neck basketball jerseys, $45 for women's long-sleeve volleyball jerseys and pro esports jerseys, and $49 for men's soccer jerseys. Check the design you pick for the current price.
Because Kit Designer and the factory are one team, there's no reseller between you and the people making your kit. If something needs changing, you talk to them directly.
Read about our factoryFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between sublimated and screen-printed jerseys?
Sublimation dyes the design into polyester fibers with heat, so there's no layer on top of the fabric. Screen printing lays ink on the surface. A sublimated design won't crack or peel with normal wear and can cover the whole jersey.
How long does a custom sublimated jersey order take?
Most Kit Designer orders arrive about three weeks after printing starts.
Do I need design skills to make a custom jersey?
No. You start from a ready-made design and change the colors, logo and text in the 3D designer. The preview shows the finished jersey from every angle before you order.
Does it cost anything to design a jersey?
No. The 3D designer is free to use, and you pay only when you place an order.
Is there a minimum order for custom jerseys?
No. You can order a single jersey or a full team set, and you choose the quantity and sizes when you order.
Where are Kit Designer jerseys made?
In our own factory in Pampanga, in the Philippines, where we've made sportswear for over ten years. Printing, pressing, cutting, sewing and the final check all happen in-house.
About the author
David James is the CEO of Custom Imprint Design Corporation, the factory behind Kit Designer. He built the Kit Designer 3D tool so that teams and brands could design their own sportswear without days of revisions.
David James on LinkedInReady to see your own design on a 3D model?
Open the Kit Designer 3D designer and start from any jersey design. Designing is free, and there's no minimum order.
Open the 3D designer