Sublimation

Dye sublimation uses a special ink that, when heated, turns into gas without becoming liquid (the "sublimation" part) and bonds at the molecular level with polyester fibers. The design is printed onto transfer paper, placed on the garment, and pressed at high heat.

The result is a print that is literally part of the fabric — there is no ink layer on top, no hand-feel, and the design will not crack, peel, or fade with washing. It is the standard method for jerseys, performance wear, all-over prints, mugs, and hard-surface promotional products.

The big catch: sublimation only works on white or very light polyester. The dye binds to polyester only, and on dark or colored fabrics the result looks washed-out because the underlying color shows through. For polyester athletic wear with full-color graphics, it is unmatched.