What Is Dye Sublimation?
Dye sublimation is a printing process that uses heat to turn special ink into a gas, which bonds with polyester fibers and becomes part of the fabric. The design ends up inside the fibers, so you can't feel it, and it won't crack or peel as the fabric stretches. That's why most rashguards and fight shorts use it. It only works on polyester or high-polyester blends, and it works best on white or light fabric.
How does dye sublimation work?
The process has a few steps, and heat does most of the work.
First, a printer puts the design onto special transfer paper using sublimation ink. The design prints as a mirror image, because it gets flipped when it meets the fabric.
Next, the paper goes against the fabric in a heat press. The press applies high heat and firm pressure for a short time. The heat opens up the polyester fibers, and the ink turns from a solid straight into a gas without becoming a liquid first. Chemists call that jump from solid to gas sublimation, which is where the process gets its name.
The gas soaks into the open fibers. When the fabric cools, the fibers close back up around the dye and lock it in place. The paper comes away, and the design is now part of the fabric.
Many sportswear makers print the full roll of fabric this way before they cut and sew it. That's how a design can run edge to edge across a shirt and wrap around the seams.
Why does dye sublimation only work on polyester?
The dye bonds with synthetic fibers like polyester. Cotton fibers don't open up under heat the same way, so the ink sits on the surface and washes out.
That's also why sublimation suits training gear so well. Rashguards and fight shorts are already made from polyester blends because polyester dries fast and holds its shape. The fabric that works best for grappling is also the fabric that takes sublimation best.
What is a sublimated rashguard?
A sublimated rashguard is a rashguard whose design was dyed into the fabric with this process. The color goes all the way into the fibers, so the design stretches with the shirt. When you reach for an underhook or bridge out of bottom side control, the design moves with you and stays smooth.
You can usually tell a sublimated rashguard by touch. Run your hand across the design and the fabric feels the same as the rest of the shirt, with no raised or rubbery layer.
How is dye sublimation different from screen printing?
Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto the fabric, one color at a time. The ink dries on top of the fibers as a thin layer. It's a great method for cotton tees, and it gives bold, solid color.
On a rashguard, that top layer becomes a weak spot. A rashguard stretches hard every round, and a printed layer can't stretch as far as the fabric under it. Over time the ink cracks, and the cracks spread with each wash.
How is dye sublimation different from DTF and heat transfer?
DTF stands for direct-to-film. A printer puts the design on a sheet of film, the printer adds an adhesive powder, and a heat press bonds the design to the garment. Heat transfer vinyl works in a similar way, with a cut sheet of vinyl pressed onto the shirt.
Both methods leave a layer that sits on top of the fabric. They work on cotton and dark colors, which sublimation can't do. On stretchy training gear, though, that layer can peel at the edges, especially when grips and the mat pull at it every session.
Are there downsides to dye sublimation?
Sublimation has a few limits worth knowing.
It needs polyester, so it won't work on a cotton tee or hoodie. It also needs a white or light base, because the dye can't print white or cover a dark fabric. Designs on a black sublimated shirt are usually printed with the black as part of the design.
Sometimes you'll see a thin white line in a fold or at a seam where the fabric creased in the heat press. That's a normal part of the process and doesn't affect how the gear performs.
High heat over time can also dull sublimated color, so the dryer is the main thing to avoid.
How do you care for sublimated gear?
Care for sublimated gear the same way you care for any rashguard. Wash it cold and inside out after every session. Skip bleach and fabric softener, which break down the stretch. Hang it to dry instead of using the dryer.
For the full routine, including how to get the smell out, read How to Wash a Rashguard So It Lasts.
Which Pressure Point gear is dye-sublimated?
All of our rashguards and fight shorts are dye-sublimated. The design is dyed into the fabric, so it won't crack or peel, and it holds up wash after wash.
- The Kuzushi Pulse Rashguard ($45) is a short sleeve rashguard in a breathable poly-knit fabric. A heartbeat line runs across the chest and breaks open into a jiu-jitsu throw. It comes in men's S to XL and women's S to L.
- The Positional Pressure Long Sleeve Rashguard ($45) is unisex and made from 80% polyester and 20% spandex. Pressure points appear where contact was made and fade as you recover. It comes in S to XL.
- The Kuzushi Fight Shorts ($45) run the sequence of a throw down the left leg, frame by frame.
- The Pressure Fight Shorts ($45) carry the Pressure Point Snake on the front thigh and bold Pressure text along the back hem.
The Kuzushi Kit ($80) pairs the Pulse Rashguard with the matching Kuzushi Fight Shorts.
Pressure is a privilege, so put it on.
