Custom Cut & Sew athletic jerseys and fashion dresses are becoming more popular in the decoration industry because of the great color vibrancy and zero feel of the print since it is being dyed into the fabric and not printed on top. Not only do cut and sew printed products have great colors and feel, but the material is also always moisture wicking and extremely light compared to cotton. Cut & sew garment dyeing gives an apparel decorator the ability to decorate an entire garment, rather than just one or two printable areas. Many polyester, moisture-wicking, and other sports apparel products are now made this way. Many soccer, baseball, wrestling, cycling, track, and other sports are products are first printed using sublimation printers and then each garment is sewn together. While this decoration method offers great customization options it is typically expensive, has a long turnaround time, and is best used for larger orders rather than single garments.
The Decoration Process
First a wide roll of polyester fabric is printed using a roll heat press and a large printed sublimation transfer sheet/roll. The roll of fabric is heat pressed with the heat transfer turning the polyester fabric from white to whatever print is being transferred. Once the fabric has been printed it is then cut either by hand or a laser cutter and then sewn together by a seamstress.
Customizable Products
Cut and sew sublimation is only applicable to 100% polyester garments. It is commonly used for softball and baseball jerseys. Additionally, most dresses are made using this process. It is great for clothing worn in hot climates as it is light and wicks away moisture.
