Decoration Services

Custom Activewear Printing & Embroidery — Six Methods, All In-House

Sublimation · DTG · Screen Print · Silicone · Embroidery · Heat Transfer — combinable on the same PO, no separate MOQ per method. One facility, one QC lane, one production schedule.

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6 methods · 4 sublimation lines · combinable on same PO · OEKO-TEX tested inks

In-house custom print and embroidery production line
DECORATION ROUTING

A decoration decision made too late can change hand feel, wash performance and production timing. This page separates each method by fabric base, logo size, color count and whether the garment needs roster-level personalization.

  • Sublimation artwork is checked against panel layout and seam bleed before cutting.
  • Embroidery, silicone and heat-transfer placements are approved on the sample or placement sheet.
  • Wash and stretch risk is reviewed before combining multiple decoration methods on one PO.
Sublimated activewear team artwork and roster placement guide
Roster, sponsor placement and panel artwork checked before sublimation or heat transfer.
Sublimated team jersey decoration example

Full-bleed graphics

Best for polyester team kits and panels where color must run edge to edge.

Fabric swatches checked before activewear decoration method selection

Fabric compatibility

Base fabric decides whether DTG, screen, silicone, sublimation or heat transfer is the safer method.

Finished decorated activewear checked before shipment

Final inspection

Placement, color, surface defects and garment measurements are checked before packing.

Decoration Methods

Six decoration methods — pick one, stack two, or let us match

Each method below runs on dedicated equipment inside the same facility. Combine sublimation base print with embroidered chest logo on the same PO — no split shipments, no separate MOQ per decoration.

Sublimation decoration

Sublimation

Full-bleed, edge-to-edge print with unlimited colors. Ink bonds into polyester fiber — zero hand feel, zero cracking, wash-permanent. Best for all-over jerseys, leggings, training tops where color coverage runs seam to seam.

  • Fabric: polyester / poly-blend (65%+ poly)
  • Hand feel: none — ink is inside the fiber
  • Colors: unlimited
  • Durability: 50+ wash cycles, no fade
DTG (Direct-to-Garment) decoration

DTG (Direct-to-Garment)

Photo-quality inkjet printing directly onto fabric. Handles gradients, halftones, and photographic artwork on cotton and cotton-blend garments. Best for small-run tees, hoodies, sweatpants where artwork detail matters more than coverage area.

  • Fabric: cotton / cotton-blend (50%+ cotton)
  • Hand feel: soft, barely perceptible
  • Colors: unlimited (CMYK process)
  • Durability: 40+ cycles with pre-treatment
Screen Print decoration

Screen Print

High-volume Pantone-matched spot color printing. Each color gets its own screen — cost-efficient at scale when artwork uses 1-8 flat colors. Best for bulk branded tees, uniform runs, promotional apparel with logo and wordmark.

  • Fabric: all (cotton, poly, blends, nylon)
  • Hand feel: slight film on surface
  • Colors: 1-8 spot colors per design
  • Durability: 60+ wash cycles
Silicone Print decoration

Silicone Print

Raised, textured print with a rubberized, tactile feel. Stretches with the garment without cracking. Best for logos on compression wear, sports bras, leggings where the decoration must move with four-way stretch.

  • Fabric: all stretch (lycra, nylon-spandex, poly-spandex)
  • Hand feel: raised, smooth, rubbery
  • Colors: 1-6 colors
  • Durability: 50+ cycles, flex-resistant
Embroidery (Flat & 3D) decoration

Embroidery (Flat & 3D)

Thread-stitched decoration up to 12 colors and 15,000 stitch count per placement. Flat embroidery for logos, 3D puff for raised lettering. Best for chest logos, sleeve badges, cap fronts, polo collars — wherever thread texture reads as high-perceived-value.

  • Fabric: all (woven & knit, ≥ 150 GSM recommended)
  • Stitch count: up to 15,000 per placement
  • Colors: up to 12 thread colors
  • Durability: outlasts the garment
Heat Transfer (Vinyl / Flex) decoration

Heat Transfer (Vinyl / Flex)

Pre-cut vinyl or flex film heat-pressed onto fabric. Per-piece personalization — individual names, numbers, sponsor blocks. Best for team jerseys, event tees, roster-driven orders where every piece carries different text.

  • Fabric: all (cotton, poly, blends)
  • Hand feel: thin film, smooth edge
  • Colors: 1-3 colors per transfer
  • Durability: 40+ wash cycles
Selection Guide

Which method fits your garment?

Match your fabric, artwork type, and order volume to the right decoration. Not sure? Send your artwork files and we will recommend.

Method Fabric Compatibility Best For Hand Feel Color Range MOQ Impact Combinable?
Sublimation Polyester / poly-blend (65%+) All-over jerseys, leggings None (in-fiber) Unlimited No extra MOQ Yes — base layer
DTG Cotton / cotton-blend (50%+) Photo artwork, small runs Soft, minimal Unlimited (CMYK) No extra MOQ Yes
Screen Print All fabrics Bulk logo runs, 1-8 colors Slight surface film 1-8 spot (Pantone) No extra MOQ Yes
Silicone Stretch fabrics Logos on compression wear Raised, rubbery 1-6 colors No extra MOQ Yes — overlay
Embroidery Woven & knit ≥ 150 GSM Chest logos, badges Thread texture Up to 12 threads No extra MOQ Yes — accent
Heat Transfer All fabrics Names, numbers, per-piece Thin film 1-3 per transfer No extra MOQ Yes — personalization layer

Combine sublimation base + embroidered chest logo + heat-transfer back name on the same jersey. One PO, one production schedule.

File Preparation

Artwork specs by method — send files production-ready

Match your file format to the method. Artwork that arrives production-ready skips the pre-press cycle and saves 2-3 days on your timeline.

In-house print workshop running production decoration

  • Sublimation

    Vector (AI / EPS) or 300 DPI raster (PSD / TIFF). CMYK color mode. Full-bleed artwork must include 3 mm bleed past seam lines. Pantone reference for critical brand colors.

  • DTG (Direct-to-Garment)

    300 DPI raster (PNG preferred, transparent background). RGB color mode — our RIP software handles conversion. File size matches actual print dimensions at 1:1 scale.

  • Screen Print

    Vector (AI / EPS) with spot colors mapped to Pantone codes. Separate layer per color. Maximum 8 colors per placement. Trap lines 0.25pt minimum.

  • Silicone Print

    Vector (AI / EPS) with closed paths. No gradients — silicone prints in solid fills only. Minimum line width 1 mm. Each color on its own layer.

  • Embroidery

    Vector (AI / EPS) for digitizing. We convert to DST / EMB stitch file in-house. Minimum detail size: 1.5 mm line, 3 mm text height. Provide thread color references (Madeira or Pantone).

  • Heat Transfer

    Vector (AI / EPS) for cut paths. Mirror-image export not needed — we handle pre-press flip. Per-piece variable data: supply CSV with columns for name, number, and placement.

Not sure about your file? Send what you have — our pre-press team reviews within 24 hours

6 Methods in-house
0 Extra MOQ per decoration
In-House All methods, same facility
Combinable Stack methods on one PO