# Team Jerseys using Dye Sublimation



## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

Just finished my first team jerseys using dye sub transfers from picture your passion. This was very tough getting the pressure just right so as not to distort the fabric of the shirt.

I used a Sport-Tek Dry Zone Raglan 100% poly shirt - which I like. i'm using a 16x20 press and when I would stretch the shirt over the platen the shirt would be distorted at the back of the press due to the platen supports. When super-heated for 40 sec. this would hold the new shape and pucker. The prints looked great though.

I had gotten some good advice about printing the transfer larger than my platen to avoid the paper edge being cooked into the fabric, so no problem with the edges.

My fix was to put the Vapor Foam inside the shirt and then lay the shirt loose onto the platen. Critical that the shirt was truly flat top and bottom as any wrinkles are forever. This process was a monster and not fast, but yielded some great looking shirts.

I printed a crest on the sleeve that was on a smaller transfer (2" around the art) and it worked fine with light pressure and the foam under it. On larger prints i've had trouble when trying to prevent the paper edge - which i fixed with lighter pressure - but that caused missing areas in the print. Seems to work fine on smaller prints though, sleeves and chest logos.

This has been quite a process, but the results are so exciting it's hard not to keep trying.

And, by the way, even though we didn't win our first game, we did look good!


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## JaeAmera (Dec 25, 2006)

Nice job....The more you do the process the faster you will get.

Jae


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## OStrich (Oct 30, 2009)

Hey man you keep talking about this picture your passion or what not, but they don't have a site do they?? How can I get ahold of them??? Your work looks good and I am looking to have some sport tek done as well. I'm also wondering about the quality if I were to go with a dark jersey...any thoughts?

Thanks and keep it up


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## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

Of course! Customize Your Passion on T-Shirts, Banners, Coasters. Limited By Your Imagination. Shout out to Dave or Jason. 

Remember the dye sublimation only darkens a garment, so if you start with a red shirt and print a black and white logo it will be a black and red logo when you're done. 

The best way to get dark garments is do do cut and sew. We're working on jerseys for a fishing team right now. The artwork is laid out on a large piece of fabric, I can do white logos on black bkgd. all day. Then they cut the pieces out and sew them into a shirt, for us long sleeves. Cost is obviously more than just a transfer (around $30) but the effect is super-awesome. Paintball jerseys started this style and then motocross. 

I love it because you can do most anything you can imagine. Keep your images above 200dpi and CMYK. A truly blank canvas without the restrictions of screen printing. Good luck and shout if I can help.


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## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

Of course! Customize Your Passion on T-Shirts, Banners, Coasters. Limited By Your Imagination. Shout out to Dave or Jason. 

Remember the dye sublimation only darkens a garment, so if you start with a red shirt and print a black and white logo it will be a black and red logo when you're done. 

The best way to get dark garments is do do cut and sew. We're working on jerseys for a fishing team right now. The artwork is laid out on a large piece of fabric, I can do white logos on black bkgd. all day. Then they cut the pieces out and sew them into a shirt, for us long sleeves. Cost is obviously more than just a transfer (around $30) but the effect is super-awesome. Paintball jerseys started this style and then motocross. 

I love it because you can do most anything you can imagine. Keep your images above 200dpi and CMYK. A truly blank canvas without the restrictions of screen printing. Good luck and shout if I can help.


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## OStrich (Oct 30, 2009)

Tony-

Thanks for the info! I sent them an email but am still waiting to hear back from them. Any contact info per chance?

In terms of substrate, I see here that you went with Sport tek. But I was wondering, based on your experience, what you think is a higher quality branded product: Sport tek by port authority or Vapor apparel. 

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.


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## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

This is a tough question for me. I really like Vapor Micro for long-sleeve performance wear kind of stuff. But it seems really sheer/silky compared to a traditional cotton t-shirt. I like the Sport-Tek, a fraction thicker a little more substance, but I don't like the garment construction. They don't do the seams on the top of the shoulders, they have the panel that starts at the neck and becomes the sleeve. This isn't very flattering to my "adonis-like" figure. If I had my way if it were for comfort or durability I would go thicker than what I have found so far, and if it's performance wear, then I love the Vapor Micro. Just a note, SK printed some "all-over" prints for us on the A4 shirts and I couldn't believe how thin that fabric was (the print shirt combo was stunning though, the print almost looked metallic with the reflections). I'm just too rough on these. I have a polyester polo (with the grafitti) and every time I rub up against something the shirt get's damaged. Not so tough in my experience. 

We're getting ready to "cut & sew" some long sleeves with yet a different fabric and i'll report back on what we find.


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## RedVictorian (Nov 7, 2009)

hi guys... would anyone know of a brand and model to buy for direct to garment dye sub printing? 

i think transfers are great but we are looking into saving manpower so would prefer direct printing.

problem is, we don't know which brand and model to buy? 
we'd like to print on the entire jersey like the ones made by Vapor Apparel


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

OStrich

Please re e-mail me at [email protected]

Sorry I did not get the first one.


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## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

Red, I don't know if that even exists. Dye Sublimation is the process of the ink becoming a gas and DTG sprays ink directly on a garment, I haven't heard of these two meeting in one machine. It would be cool, i'd probably buy one. Anyone else heard of this?


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## RedVictorian (Nov 7, 2009)

Tony_Sunshine said:


> Red, I don't know if that even exists. Dye Sublimation is the process of the ink becoming a gas and DTG sprays ink directly on a garment, I haven't heard of these two meeting in one machine. It would be cool, i'd probably buy one. Anyone else heard of this?


Hey Tony... actually, there are quite a few direct to fabric dye sub printers but I just don't know which one to buy....
We just think it's great to get some idea from someone who already has one and using it for polyester jerseys...
Roland / Mimaki / Mutoh are selling such printers but I don't know which manufacturer has the best direct dye sub printer.


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## Tony_Sunshine (Dec 10, 2009)

Red, thanks for that! I can't wait to learn more about these.


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