What Are the Best Shirts for Sublimation Printing?

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Compare color, fit, feel, and care for the best shirts for sublimation!

I love making sublimation T-shirts because the colorful designs become part of the fabric &#; no peeling or wrinkling in sight! And you can easily add color using different techniques, even sublimation tie-dye! But if you don&#;t use the right shirt, your project might have faded colors or lose its vibrancy in the wash. With so many options available, how do you pick the best shirts for sublimation? I tested out some of the most popular shirts available to see how they compare to save you time and money!

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See the full step-by-step video tutorial on the best shirts for sublimation and how to make your own:

I asked for your input (thank you everyone who voted and shared ideas!) and picked the most popular results. The contenders are a good mix of 100% polyester shirts and blended options! We tested white shirts for now, but there are great techniques to try on dark shirts, too!

To test lots of vibrant colors, I printed several identical sublimation prints of my Subliflower. There are variables in the printing process, so use high quality sublimation paper and ink with your printer.

Then, I sublimated the design on to two of each T-shirt contenders. I put one of each pair through a first wash and dry cycle following the manufacturers&#; instructions, and kept one unwashed for comparison. All of these shirts are supposed to be washed in cool water and tumbled dry with low heat, but always check your shirt tag in case the garment needs different care.

I&#;m considering several performance metrics in my test:

Color, or how well the vibrancy of the design transferred to the shirt initially.

Fit, to gauge whether or not the shirt shrunk or held its shape after washing and drying.

Feel, the texture of the fabric before and after washing. And really whether or not I&#;d want to wear it!

And Care, to see how each shirt fared after being washed and dried. This category is really important, and the results surprised me a bit!

Hanes Sport Cool Dri Performance T-shirt

Right from the start, the Hanes Cool Dri  shirts felt super slick, which I really don&#;t enjoy for T-shirts. It totally makes sense since the shirts are 100% polyester, but they&#;re almost shiny.

After I sublimated the design, the Hanes shirt looked great! The ink showed up so well! But then I noticed a distinct indent where the sublimation paper left a mark all around the design. I did another test with feathered edges around the transfer, but the mark was still there even after washing and drying, which is pretty disappointing.

Washing and drying didn&#;t seem to change the feel, fit, or vibrancy, so it still looked good. The indent is still visible, but dropping the temperature and time a bit helped on a third test. Check out the video for the details!

Overall, I&#;d give the Hanes Cool Dri shirt 3/4 hearts. If you don&#;t mind the feel of polyester and conquer the indent, it will probably be a 4/4!

Joe&#;s Dri-Equip T-shirt

The Joe&#;s T-shirt felt similar to the Hanes, definitely a good gym shirt with great moisture-wicking capability. But not great texture if you&#;re more of a cotton fan. I just really don&#;t like the polyester feel!

And again, just like Hanes, the Joes shirt shines for color transfer but the paper indent was clear even after feathering and a trip through the washer and dryer.

This shirt didn&#;t change at all during the wash and dry, so this is a good option for shirts that will get a lot of wear and tear. But with the indent still there, it&#;s not my favorite.

I&#;d give the Joe&#;s T-shirt top marks for Fit and Care, but the feel and indent bring it down to 3/4 stars.

Gildan Performance T-shirt

I was pretty excited to try the Gildan shirts, because they&#;re thicker than the other ployester shirts and feel less slick. It almost tricked me into thinking it had cotton in the mix!

And then, I lifted the press and there was no paper indent! The fabric took the sublimation design beautifully and bounced right back!

However, the colors faded a tiny bit after the wash and dry test, so the Gildan didn&#;t perform quite as well as the Hanes or Joe&#;s shirts for Care. It did keep its size and shape, and felt pretty nice compared to the scratchier polyester options.

So since sublimation is all about color, I&#;d give the Gildan 3.5/4 stars, but I&#;d probably pick it over the other two options for the better feel.

Bella + Canvas Triblend

A lot of you asked for tests on blended shirts, especially the popular Bella + Canvas triblend. These aren&#;t marketed as athletic or performance T-shirts and have a different fit than the others.

Sadly, the &#;triblend&#; part of these shirts is definitely noticeable when picking the best shirts for sublimation. The 50% polyester is just not enough to capture sublimation dyes as well as the other options. That&#;s why I recommend sticking to at least 65% poly blend shirts &#; that 15% is surprisingly important in sublimation! Right after pressing, the design just wasn&#;t as vibrant as on the other shirts.

Washing and drying didn&#;t make the design fade much more, but the Bella + Canvas shirt did shrink a bit. That&#;s unfortunate since they already run pretty small. Definitely order a size up, especially if you want to wear a tank underneath these thin shirts.

BUT, these are my favorite in the Feel category because of the cotton content. They&#;re soft right from the package and get even nicer soft cotton feel after a wash. Bella + Canvas gets a 2/4 overall for sublimation, but if you&#;re going for a vintage look or prefer cotton shirts, give them a try!

Cricut V-neck T-shirt

Overall, my pick for the best shirt for sublimation is the Cricut T-shirt (v-neck or crew neck)! Even though it&#;s 95%polyester and 5% spandex, it feels almost like a cotton blend. It also feels more substantial than the other shirts and doesn&#;t show the transfer paper&#;s indent. The fabric takes sublimation ink beautifully since Cricut designed these shirts to work with Infusible Ink, which is a sublimation technique.

After a wash and dry, the Cricut shirt looks almost exactly the same. It didn&#;t shrink or lose color, and it&#;s actually a bit softer, and I bet these will last a long time. So they have the best results AND they&#;re the least expensive option on my list! That&#;s why I&#;d give the Cricut shirt 4/4 and pick it as one of the best shirts for sublimation! And since Cricut offers these shirts in many styles and sizes, they&#;d work well for sports teams with custom designs.

Ready to make your own sublimation shirts? This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won&#;t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

Materials & Tools to Sublimate a T-Shirt

How to Make the Best Sublimation Shirts

Answers to Your Questions About The Best Shirts For Sublimation

Q: What is the best shirt to sublimate on?

A: Using a high quality t-shirt with a very high polyester content for your sublimation process will give you the best results. best sublimation T-shirts

Q: Can you sublimate 65 polyester 35 cotton?

A: A 65/35  blend is a great option  for some of the best sublimation T-shirts! They don&#;t feel quite as nice as my favorite shirt (that would require more cotton) but they still take sublimation dye well.

Q: Can I sublimate on 50 polyester and 50 cotton?

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A: I haven&#;t gotten the best result with shirts that have less than 65% polyester.  They are not the best shirts for sublimation!

Q: Can you sublimation 60% cotton 40% polyester?

A: I don&#;t think 40% polyester fabric will work very well for sublimation, it&#;s not enough to retain the dye.

Q: Are Gildan shirts good for sublimation?

A: Gildan offers shirts in many types of fabric, so it&#;s important to check for adequate polyester content. But with so many options, you&#;re like to find a light color you&#;ll like, which helps sublimation designs look true!

Q: Can you sublimate on a 100 cotton tshirt?

A: If you (like me!) really prefer natural fibers like a 100% cotton T-shirt, try my DTF printing method!

Q: What color t-shirts are good for sublimation?

A: A white shirt is the best option for dye sublimation printing because any color on the surface will impact the finished result.

Q: What is the best fabric for heat sublimation?

A: Sublimation transfers best on 100% polyester, but the best materials will have at least 65% polyester.

Q: Can you sublimate on black t-shirts?

A: If you prefer dark colors or black shirts, you can try DTF printing, sublimating on vinyl, or screen printing!

Q: What do I need to start sublimation?

A: You really just need a suitable printer (not an inkjet printer) with compatible ink, paper, and a heat source! I have tips on selecting the best sublimation printer for your preferences and getting started in Sublimation Startup!

Get my free PNG files to make the best sublimation shirts!

I&#;d love to see the sublimation shirts YOU make with this tutorial! Please share a photo in our Facebook group or tag me on social media with #jennifermaker.

Love,

If you are just starting out in sublimation or already have a running business, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your business is running smoothly and avoid potential problems.

1. Get the Right Equipment

Sublimation is an attractive opportunity because it can be easy and fairly cheap to set up. The only equipment that is needed includes a printer, sublimation ink, sublimation paper and a good heat press.

The Sawgrass System is an all around perfect package for those who are brand new to sublimation. The system is easy to set up, is good for small and large volume jobs, and you will get very active customer support through Sawgrass on both the printer and inks. The ink has low water content and is formulated like a gel to prevent drying and clogging, and the printers have automatic self-maintenance as long as they are left on which keeps the nozzles clean at all times. Depending on your needs, the Sawgrass System comes with either an SG500 or SG printer.

The Epson F570 is the next step up and offers printing capabilities of up to 24" Wide. This printer allows you to print rolls and sheets, making production on small items even easier! 

In addition to a quality printer, a good heat press is a must. Consistent pressure and temperature are factors that can make or break your sublimation process. We recommend swing-away presses, which can accommodate thicker objects and overall provide more even pressure over time. Clamshell presses are more budget-friendly and good choice for thinner objects and garments but not as good for thicker glass or ceramic items.

2. Have These Sublimation Accessories on Hand

To get the workflow going, we recommend the following accessories for sublimation printing:

Heat gloves &#; protect your hands from burning when handling items.

Thermal tape + tape dispenser &#; use this heat resistant tape to secure your paper on items and prevent shifting or moving which can ruin the transfer. A tape dispenser cuts down on the production process by always keeping your tape ready for use.

Spray adhesive &#; another method to keep paper in place. Recommended for garments and fabrics.

Teflon sheets &#; protect your lower heat platen with this water proof Teflon that can be easily wiped off and cleaned. A Teflon sheet can also be placed on top of a transfer as extra protection.

Silicone sheets &#; The thinner and more temporary alternative of Teflon, these can also be used on the bottom platen as well as placed on top of the transfer, to catch any escaping ink from staining the heat press or prevent dirt from accidentally transferring on the substrate.

Heat transfer pillows &#; The life savers when it comes to pressing certain hard surface items, garment with seams or zippers, or raising an area of a T-shirt to prevent the dreaded indentations the paper edge can leave due to the pressure. We always keep a few of these close by.

Sublimation heating pad &#; A good accessory to have if you are pressing multiple ceramic or metal items. Works like magic by distributing the heat evenly throughout the whole surface area.

3. Plan Ahead, Stay Stocked on Sublimation Blanks

Sublimation can be tricky at times. New problems arise, mistakes happen, and items go out of stock at the last minute. If there is a large order due in a month, always plan ahead and factor in possible time for testing and trial and error, extra blanks that may end up being a waste, ordering as early as possible, etc. Holidays are especially risky because items can be in stock one day and backordered for weeks following that.

4. Know Your Design Software

Basic design software knowledge goes a long way with sublimation, and when we say design software, we are talking about Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw and similar programs. At the minimum, you will need to know how to crop and re-size images to fit a specific item. But don't worry! There are loads of online tutorials and guides to get you ramped up quickly.

At Coastal, one of our favorite sites is Tutsplus, which offers tons of tutorials on Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator as well as wider topics on graphic design, photography and even business. Another popular site is Lynda, which requires a sign up but offers a free trial. A simple YouTube "How-to" search is an alternative way to find many instructional videos on various design programs.

If you have a Sawgrass Virtuoso printer, you may know that you can use their online design software, CreativeStudio. CreativeStudio is free with your Sawgrass printer, and it is made with the non-graphic designer in mind. It is incredibly easy to pick up and get started creating designs for sublimation. Plus, it comes with hundreds of pre-made free designs for you to print.

5. Watch How Other People Do It

It is no secret that people have the tendency to come up with their own way to sublimate an item, but it is also a good idea to keep up with current videos and blogs on what is new in sublimation or how to press an item. You may catch something in that process that is easier or results in a better transfer than what you might be used to doing. Or if you are brand new, then a little bit of research goes a long way.

Visit our Youtube channel to see a full list of our sublimation videos on various topics.

6. Heat, Pressure and Moisture

If you are running into problems with the final transfer being faded, burned, too light or spotty, check the three most important things: heat, pressure or moisture.

Too much or too little heat are usually problematic and result in over pressing or under pressing of the substrate. Uneven heating on the press is also an issue and results in spottiness where parts of the substrate sublimate properly but other parts don&#;t. It is a good idea to invest in temperature strips or a thermal gun, both of which map out the temperature of the heat platen. If there are any inconsistencies or cold spots, it is best to call the manufacturer of the press.

Pressure is equally important and sometimes, uneven transfers can be resolved by simply increasing the pressure. It is possible for the press to be providing uneven pressure however and generally, the manufacturer would do a walk through on how to calibrate the press and provide additional assistance to resolve that problem.

If everything checks out, moisture may play a role in spotty transfers. Moisture can warp flat items and can act as a barrier between the surface and the sublimation ink trying to penetrate it. This step is not always listed on the instructions, but it is good practice to pre-press items for 5-10 seconds at high heat and light-medium pressure to let moisture escape and flatten out the substrate. For warped items, such as MDF boards, pre-pressing both sides may be necessary.

7. Test, Test, Test

No matter how long you have been in the sublimation business, variables change all the time and sometimes overnight. A heat press may suddenly not heat up to the temperature it shows or apply even pressure even though it has worked for 2 years without an issue. An item may be slightly changed in manufacturing requiring a heat/time adjustment which usually happens without warning, or it could be a brand new item you have never used before.

Luckily, you don&#;t need a ton of extra items to do testing. All blanks can be pressed multiple times for testing purposes. Anything that is previously sublimated will fade out, but the coating itself can take on multiple presses and would not be affected.  The easiest way to test is with small black strips (maybe throw in a few primary colors). Black looks brown when over pressed and grey when under pressed, so that is a pretty good way to figure out what combination of temperature, time and pressure produce the deepest black with sharpest edges. It is generally bad practice to test a full image on a final item and just hope it works right off the bat. That often leads to a wasted item with no extra white space that can be re-used for testing.

Once the perfect black is achieved with the right combination of settings, we recommend printing out an RGB color chart and pressing that onto the item(s) that will be big sellers.That way, you will know exactly what the colors will look like on the final product. Remember that light can produce more color combinations (what you see on screen) than what a physical pigment can create (what you see on the final product).

We hope this information helps you as you start your journey into the sublimation business. Our customer success team will be happy to help you with any additional questions - give us a call at 800-562- or us at [ protected].

If you want to learn more, please visit our website dye heat transfer sublimation paper factory.