If you need full-coverage color, all-over designs, or custom athletic uniforms that look like they were made for a professional team — sublimation is your answer. Sublimation ink bonds directly into the fibers of the fabric, becoming a permanent part of the garment itself. The result is vibrant, edge-to-edge color that doesn't crack, peel, or fade.
At Personal Graphics, we offer sublimation two ways: in-house printing for smaller projects and light-colored garments, and through our partnership with Champro for full custom uniform orders where you can design your own apparel online and have it fulfilled through us.
What Is Sublimation Printing?
Sublimation uses heat and pressure to convert solid dye into a gas that penetrates deep into polyester fabric fibers. When the garment cools, the fibers close around the dye, locking it permanently into the material. Because the ink is in the fabric — not on top of it — sublimated prints are soft to the touch, have no added texture or weight, and won't degrade the way surface-applied prints can over time.
This process allows full-color, edge-to-edge designs with unlimited colors, gradients, and photographic detail — all in a single production step regardless of color count.
Why Sublimation Might Be the Right Choice for Your Project
Sublimation is the best fit when one or more of the following apply:
- You want full-coverage, all-over color across the entire garment
- You're ordering custom athletic uniforms, jerseys, or performance apparel
- Your design includes photographic detail, gradients, or unlimited colors
- You want names, numbers, and logos all incorporated into a single custom garment
- You're working with white or light-colored polyester or performance fabric
- You want a print that is completely soft to the touch with no surface texture
If you need to print on cotton, dark garments, or need a simple logo on a standard t-shirt, other methods like DTF or screen printing will serve you better. Our team can help you choose.
Two Ways to Get Sublimation Through Personal Graphics
IN-HOUSE SUBLIMATION
For smaller orders and standard projects, we offer in-house sublimation. This is best for white and light grey garments on polyester or polyester-blend fabrics.
- Maximum print area: 8.5 inches wide by 14 inches tall
- Best for: white or light grey garments
- Fabric requirement: polyester or high-polyester blend
- No minimum order quantity
- Faster turnaround than the Champro partnership
THE CHAMPRO PARTNERSHIP — DESIGN YOUR OWN ONLINE
For larger uniform orders, full-coverage athletic apparel, and custom team gear, Personal Graphics partners with Champro — a professional supplier with an extensive catalog of performance garments.
Through Champro, customers can browse garment styles, select options, and use online design tools to build their custom uniforms from scratch. Once the design is finalized, the order is forwarded to Personal Graphics for processing and fulfillment.
This gives you access to professional-grade athletic apparel — jerseys, uniforms, performance wear — with the convenience of designing online and the reliability of a local team managing your order.
Ideal for: youth sports leagues, travel teams, school athletics, drill teams, competitive organizations, and any group that needs full custom uniforms.
How In-House Sublimation Works
- Artwork is prepared at high resolution or in vector format
- The design is printed onto sublimation transfer paper using sublimation inks
- The transfer is heat-pressed against the garment under high heat and pressure
- The ink converts to a gas and bonds permanently into the polyester fibers
- When cooled, the garment is complete — no surface texture, no peeling, no fading
Fabric and Garment Requirements
Sublimation requires polyester or polyester-blend fabric. On 100% cotton or low-polyester garments, the ink will not bond correctly and the result will appear faded or washed out.
For in-house production, garments must be white or light grey. Sublimation ink is transparent — it relies on the light base of the fabric to show through correctly. Dark garments are not compatible with in-house sublimation.
For Champro orders, garments are selected from the Champro catalog and are pre-designed for sublimation production.
Artwork Requirements
- Full color, unlimited colors, gradients, and photographic detail are all fully supported
- Best format: vector file or high-resolution raster at 300 DPI minimum
- Designs should be prepared at the intended print size
- For Champro orders, design is built directly in Champro's online design tool
Artwork & Design Services
Need help getting your artwork print-ready? Our in-house design team handles file cleanup, logo vectorization, logo recreation, and custom artwork builds. The first 20 minutes are included with every order at no extra charge — minor adjustments are usually covered. For larger projects such as full logo recreation, complex artwork builds, or custom design work, billing is $55/hr with a $17.50 minimum. Learn more about our Artwork & Design Services →
Pricing & Production Details
- No screen setup fees
- No minimum order for in-house sublimation
- Design/artwork: $55/hr, $17.50 minimum, first 20 minutes included
- Production turnaround: 7–14 business days for in-house orders
- Champro orders: timeline varies by order size and product availability — confirmed at quoting
- Rush options may be available for in-house orders
Frequently Asked Questions
Does sublimation work on cotton shirts?
No. Sublimation requires polyester or polyester-blend fabric to bond correctly. On cotton, the ink will not adhere and the print will look faded or washed out. DTF printing is the better option for cotton garments.
Can sublimation print on dark-colored garments?
For in-house sublimation, only white and light grey garments are compatible. Sublimation ink is transparent and relies on the light fabric base. For dark garments with full-color designs, DTF printing is the right choice.
What's the difference between in-house sublimation and the Champro partnership?
In-house sublimation is best for smaller orders and standard garments with a single print location (max 8.5x14 inches). The Champro partnership is for larger, full-coverage uniform orders where the entire garment is custom designed from top to bottom. Both are fulfilled through Personal Graphics.
How do I order through Champro?
Our team will guide you to the Champro platform, where you can browse products and build your design online. Once you're happy with the design, forward the order to us and we handle the rest.
Does sublimation print feel different than regular printing?
Sublimation prints are completely smooth and soft to the touch because the ink is in the fabric, not on top of it. There is no surface texture, no added weight, and no risk of cracking or peeling.
How durable is sublimation printing?
Sublimation is one of the most durable decoration methods available. Because the dye bonds at the fiber level, it won't fade, crack, or peel under normal washing and use conditions.
Why Order From Personal Graphics
Whether you're ordering in-house sublimation or processing a Champro uniform order through us, you're working with a local team that manages your project from start to finish. We review artwork, confirm orders, and make sure everything is correct before production begins. Our goal is always to make the process straightforward and deliver results you're proud to wear.
Ready to Get Started?
Submit a quote request through our website and let our team know whether you're looking for in-house sublimation or full custom uniforms through Champro. We'll walk you through the options and get your project moving.
Get a quote today and let's build something great.
Two Ways to Get Started
1. Work With an Expert
Most customers choose this option because they want guidance and advice. We help you select the right products, confirm placement and artwork, and manage everything from start to finish.
2. Browse & Design Online
If you prefer to handle it yourself, you can browse products, upload your artwork, and submit your order online at any time.
