On this page
Start from the fabric and the artwork
The right method depends on the fabric, the design and where it sits on the garment. Sublimation suits graphics printed into suitable polyester on a light base. DTF and other heat transfers apply designs, numbers and logos to the surface of the textile. Embroidery can suit club crests and brand marks on an appropriate fabric and construction. The fibre content on a label does not tell you whether a transfer will bond properly or whether an embroidered area will stay comfortable. Voyager Sportswear has in-house sublimation, DTF, heat-transfer and embroidery equipment, alongside cutting and sewing.
Sublimation for custom jersey graphics
Sublimation transfers a printed design from paper into suitable polyester fabric with heat. For custom jerseys, we cut the fabric into garment pieces, print the artwork onto paper, transfer it to those pieces and then sew them. A repeating pattern can instead be printed on the fabric by the metre before cutting.
The method suits integrated backgrounds, gradients, logos and numbers on a suitable light base, and it adds no separate adhesive film. Approve colour and fine detail on the chosen fabric, because a mesh and a smooth knit can show the same file differently. Sublimation cannot print an opaque white logo over dark fabric.
DTF and other heat transfers
DTF uses a printed film and adhesive to transfer a design onto the surface of the textile with heat. Other transfers use cut or printed materials for numbers and logos. The transfer material, fabric finish, stretch, colour and care requirements have to be considered together.
Large solid areas can change how the fabric feels and stretches. Check adhesion, edge lifting, appearance after washing and whether the transfer restricts movement. On dyed or sublimated polyester, the fabric colour can migrate into a transfer. Ask for your intended combination to be evaluated rather than assuming any DTF or transfer material suits every sports fabric.
Embroidery for suitable logos and badges
Embroidery reproduces the design in thread and can suit club crests and brand marks on garments with an appropriate fabric and construction. Small lettering, fine outlines and gradients may need simplifying. Dense or large embroidery adds weight and can stiffen a light fabric.
Review a stitched sample for legibility, puckering, backing and comfort against the skin, and give the finished dimensions and placement. The original logo file alone does not settle these points.
How screen printing differs
Screen printing is a general industry method that deposits ink through a stencil. Spot colours are common, and photographic effects and gradients can also be produced with halftones or process printing. Setup and achievable detail depend on the artwork, inks, mesh and fabric.
Approve a complete application
For each logo or graphic, we need the file, final dimensions, colour reference, placement and quantity. Mark any numbers and the elements that change by size, and ask us to confirm the method against the fabric before you approve the sample.
Check the decorated sample under the intended use and care conditions, and agree the evaluation and acceptance criteria in advance. The name of a method does not carry a universal wash guarantee or performance rating. A late logo change also needs a feasibility and schedule check, even when a separate transfer is being considered.
- printing and branding
- cut-panel and roll-to-roll sublimation
- colour matching from artwork to production
- washing and durability requirements
- request a quote
Questions and answers
How do sublimation, screen printing and embroidery differ on sportswear?
Sublimation transfers a design from printed paper into suitable polyester with heat, screen printing deposits ink through a stencil, and embroidery reproduces the design in thread. Sublimation suits integrated backgrounds, gradients and numbers on a light base and adds no adhesive film. Embroidery can suit club crests and brand marks, though dense or large embroidery adds weight. Voyager Sportswear has in-house sublimation, DTF, heat-transfer and embroidery equipment.
Can sublimation print a white logo on a dark polyester jersey?
Sublimation cannot print an opaque white logo over dark fabric, because the method works on a suitable light polyester base. A white mark on a dark jersey needs another method, such as a transfer or embroidery, confirmed on the fabric in question. On dyed or sublimated polyester the fabric colour can migrate into a transfer, so ask for that combination to be evaluated before you approve the sample.
What should I check before approving DTF transfers on sportswear?
Before approving DTF transfers on sportswear, check adhesion, edge lifting, appearance after washing and whether the transfer restricts movement. DTF uses a printed film and adhesive applied with heat, so the transfer material, fabric finish, stretch, colour and care requirements have to be judged together. Large solid areas can change how the fabric feels and stretches. Ask for your intended combination to be evaluated rather than assuming any DTF material suits every sports fabric.