Custom Sublimation Shirts, From 100 Units

Performance Tees And Jerseys

140–180 GSM interlock performance tees suit running, gym, esports, and promotional programs; use a relaxed athletic block with shoulder mobility. Full-front, back, and sleeve coverage works best when seam placement is mapped before printing. Jerseys need sport-specific necklines, sleeve lengths, and number zones. Team dealers and event organizers benefit from repeatable player-name files and controlled Pantone color references.

Polos And Fashion Tees

160–220 GSM polos serve golf, hospitality, corporate uniforms, and resort retail; reserve a clean placket, collar, and button area to prevent visual crowding. Use all-over graphics on panels, with restrained chest branding for professional channels. Fashion T-shirts suit artist merchandise, streetwear, and boutique drops. Oversized blocks can carry edge-to-edge artwork, while fitted retail tees need artwork positioned to maintain chest and hem balance.

Long Sleeves And Button Fronts

Long-sleeve shirts support fishing, cycling, sun-protection, and cooler-weather assortments; extend graphics across sleeves but keep cuffs and underarms readable. Button-front woven styles suit resort, bowling, and lifestyle collections, where panel-matched prints look more intentional than random repeats. Extended-size programs from XS through 3XL require revised shoulder, sleeve, body, and grading proportions rather than simply enlarging artwork. Inclusive brands and direct-to-consumer retailers should approve print scale across the full size set.

Compare Core Fabric Bases

140–160 GSM polyester jersey has a smooth, light hand and moderate stretch, making it a practical fashion and promotional base. 150–180 GSM interlock offers a denser, more opaque face; birdseye mesh improves airflow, while pique gives polos a textured, uniform-ready appearance.

Avoid Cotton And Dark Grounds

0% cotton is preferred for full-color sublimation because cotton does not permanently accept disperse dye; a polyester blend produces a deliberately heathered, lower-vibrancy result. White or very pale grounds deliver the strongest color range because dye sublimation cannot print white and has limited coverage over dark fabric. Request strike-offs when artwork contains pale skin tones, neon colors, or fine gradients.

Match Fabric To End Use

140–150 GSM birdseye mesh suits hot-climate activewear, while 160–180 GSM interlock suits opaque teamwear and uniforms. Fashion shirts often use soft jersey or 85/15 polyester-spandex for added recovery. 5-inch swatches should show front and back opacity, four-way stretch, wash hand, moisture transfer, and a printed Pantone-critical artwork panel before bulk approval.

• Fashion: soft jersey or stretch blend
• Activewear: birdseye mesh or interlock
• Uniforms: opaque interlock or pique

Artwork Formats And Color Control

Adobe Illustrator AI, EPS, or print-ready PDF files preserve vector edges for logos, repeats, and engineered panels; photographic graphics should be 300 dpi at final print size. Pantone references, approved strike-offs, and a calibrated digital proof reduce avoidable color variation. RGB screen colors should never be treated as final production color targets.

• Use full-size artwork with bleed and seam allowances.
• Supply fonts as outlines and linked images embedded.
• Mark print zones, fold lines, and panel boundaries.

Print Maps And Personalization

All-over artwork, repeat patterns, gradients, and photographic graphics are sublimated into polyester-based panels before cut-and-sew assembly. Engineered placement prints require panel-specific files so artwork aligns across shoulders, side seams, and sleeves. Name-and-number personalization needs a controlled data sheet and a sample approval; variable artwork adds prepress handling. Contrast panels can be sublimated, while cut-and-sew color blocking may require separately sourced fabric.

Branding Beyond Sublimation

Woven main labels, size labels, wash-care labels, printed neck tapes, hang tags, and branded packaging establish private-label ownership after the print is fixed. Embroidery, patches, and heat transfers are add-ons, not sublimated artwork, and each changes labor, placement tolerance, and cost. A pre-production sample should include every decoration and trim intended for bulk. Custom hardware, multiple label languages, and individualized packing can raise minimums or extend sampling time.

Pattern And Size Control

A graded size set should be measured against the approved specification at chest, body length, shoulder, sleeve and neck opening. Size grading must adjust proportions between sizes, not merely add uniform width. A pre-production sample should be worn, washed and remeasured to confirm shrinkage and recovery. Record tolerances by point of measure so bulk inspectors can identify systematic drift.

• Check left-to-right shoulder balance
• Compare size-set measurements to spec
• Verify sleeve pitch and mobility

Seams And Edge Finishing

Overlock seams need balanced tension, full seam allowance capture and no skipped stitches; flatlock is preferable where a low-profile athletic seam is specified. Stitch density should be consistent enough to resist seam opening without puckering lightweight performance knit. A collar must recover after repeated stretching and lie flat at the neckline. Inspect coverstitch hems and sleeve openings for even width, secure thread tails and no roping after washing.

• Pull-test underarm and shoulder seams
• Inspect collar rebound after stretch
• Wash-test hem torque and puckering

Print And Bulk Audit

All-over sublimation panels should be printed and cut with seam allowances considered, so stripes, logos and repeat patterns meet predictably across side seams, sleeves and collars. Alignment is judged against approved placement references, not by requiring a continuous image across every seam. A bulk audit should sample packed goods for measurements, construction, shade consistency and decoration placement. Test washed units for color fastness, migration, shrinkage and print clarity before release.

• Compare panels to approved placement markers
• Check batch-to-batch color consistency
• Audit labels, packing and final measurements

Verify OEM Development

Ask whether the supplier creates patterns, grades sizes, and sews prototypes in-house. A factory that only brokers printing cannot resolve shoulder balance, sleeve length, or production tolerances. Request a comparable sublimated style, its measurement chart, and a pre-production approval process. Confirm whether the 100 units may be split by color or size.

Audit Color And Materials

Ask what polyester construction, GSM, and finish will be used; 140–180 GSM interlock and birdseye behave differently in print, stretch, and opacity. Request swatches before confirming bulk fabric. Require an ICC workflow, calibrated file review, and Pantone target handling. Ask for strike-offs under standard lighting, plus wash and colorfastness test criteria.

Check Production Controls

Ask whether printing, cutting, sewing, and final inspection are controlled by one accountable team. Incoming-fabric checks, in-line measurement checks, decoration inspection, and packed-goods audits should be defined. Request realistic sample and bulk lead times, monthly capacity, shipment terms, and a named communication contact. Ask which compliance records—such as OEKO-TEX, GOTS, WRAP, or BSCI—are actually available for the proposed materials or facility.

Choose The Right Supplier Fit

At 100 units per style and color, choose a manufacturer set up for low-MOQ development, not a high-volume mill that treats the order as an exception. Confirm what happens if grading, artwork, or fabric availability changes after sampling. For JUNSHEEN, buyers can assess cut-and-sew development, fabric sourcing, size grading from XS through 3XL, decoration review, and retained production records before scaling repeat programs.

Fabric And Artwork Mismatches

100% polyester is usually the dependable base for vivid dye sublimation; low-poly blends can mute color or create uneven results. Approve a fabric swatch and a printed strike-off using production-weight material before bulk. 300 dpi at final print size is the practical artwork baseline; enlarged web graphics often produce soft edges and pixelation. Check supplied files at full scale, including logos, gradients, and transparent effects, before creating print layouts.

Seams And Color Approval

5-10 mm of placement tolerance can shift a motif onto a side seam, collar join, or armhole and visibly break the design. Review a marked pattern-placement map and a sewn sample, not only a flat digital mockup. Pantone references reduce uncertainty, but screen previews cannot confirm dye, fabric, or heat-setting results. Approve physical lab dips or printed panels under daylight and store lighting before production.

Fit, Grading, And Testing

XS-3XL grading cannot be safely created by enlarging one size because shoulder balance, body length, and sleeve proportions change across the set. Measure and wear-test a graded size set against the brand specification before releasing bulk. 3 wash cycles can reveal shrinkage, color migration, seam twisting, or print change that a fresh sample conceals. Sign off a documented wash-test result using the intended care method and fabric lot.

Schedule And Supplier Decisions

2-4 weeks for development and sampling, plus bulk scheduling, should be planned before a launch date is announced. Confirm a critical path covering artwork approval, fabric arrival, pre-production sample, inspection, and shipping. A lower unit quote can exclude fabric controls, grading, inspection, packaging, or correction capacity. Compare like-for-like quotations and require an approved sample, QC checkpoints, and written material specifications before placing the order.

Define The Product Brief

Two buyer decisions come first: target customer and price architecture. Specify silhouette, intended use, colorway count, target retail price, margin requirement and initial units per size. One brief should state whether the line uses fashion jersey, performance knit or teamwear construction. For extended sizing, define the full XS–3XL grade plan rather than scaling one base size blindly.

• Target customer and channel
• Retail price and cost ceiling
• Size curve and launch quantity

Prepare Art And Specifications

300-dpi artwork at final print scale prevents soft edges and misplaced panels. Supply vector logos, Pantone references, repeat direction, seam allowances and placement maps. One production tech pack should record fabric composition, GSM, stitch details, labels, packing method and measurement tolerances. Junsheen can review a finished pack, sketch or reference garment for manufacturability before sampling.

• Print-ready panel artwork
• Measurement specification sheet
• Label and packaging artwork

Approve Samples And Bulk

One prototype validates print alignment, hand feel and construction before bulk materials are committed. Allow a revision loop, then approve a graded size set and signed pre-production sample before issuing the purchase order. Four checkpoints keep the critical path realistic: artwork release, sample approval, bulk start and final inspection. Track fabric arrival, cutting, printing, sewing and packing against the agreed delivery date.

• Approve fit and measurements
• Confirm color and panel alignment
• Release purchase order after sign-off

Archive For Reorders

One reorder-ready file reduces avoidable interpretation on later collections. Retain approved patterns, graded measurements, artwork files, material swatches, trim specifications, packing instructions and final inspection notes. Two references matter most for repeat consistency: the approved pre-production sample and its dated specification revision. Record every change in a revision log so replenishment orders do not revert to an earlier version.

• Approved sample photos
• Final bill of materials
• Revision-controlled tech pack