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The 4 most popular types of textile printing in the sports industry

What are the most popular printing techniques in sports? We present the 4 most popular printing techniques in the sports industry in detail and explain all the advantages and disadvantages.

spized | Clothing and equipment

November 22, 2024 |

Whats’ on this page

1. What types of printing are there in sport?

2. Flex printing

2.1 Advantages

2.2 Disadvantages

2.3 Advantages and disadvantages at a glance

3. The flock print

3.1 Advantages

3.2 Disadvantages

3.3 Advantages and disadvantages at a glance

4. Digital direct printing

4.1 Advantages

4.2 Disadvantages

4.3 Advantages and disadvantages at a glance

5. Sublimation printing

5.1 Advantages

5.2 Conclusion

5.3 The advantages at a glance

What types of printing are there in sport?

The finishing of textiles is a complex matter that takes on an artisanal dimension, especially when it comes to sportswear. This is because jerseys and tracksuits are made of sensitive fabrics that have to withstand external influences such as sweat, soiling and mechanical stress such as tearing or pulling. If you want to enjoy your printed sports jerseys for a long time, you should pay particular attention to the quality of the material and print. Four types of printing have become established in the sports industry:

Flex printing
Flock printing
Digital direct printing
Sublimation printing

In the following sections, we go into detail about each printing process and explain all the advantages and disadvantages.

Flex printing

In flex printing, a template is applied to foil and then cut to size using a cutting plotter. The print motif usually consists of one to three different film components, which is why the individual films must first be shaped into the form of the motif. Overall, flex printing is a popular printing technique that is offered by many suppliers for jersey finishing. The printing film has a smooth and subtly glossy surface and is characterized by its durability.

Advantages

1. Good results with simple print components
With flex printing, the motif is welded onto the textile. Uncomplicated print components, such as texts, lettering and numbers, can be presented well using this printing technique.

2. Very good results on cotton textiles

With the flex printing process, the printing film is slightly thicker. This allows the motif to be placed very well on cotton textiles in particular. As long as no complex color patterns or fine lines are to be printed, the wearing comfort does not suffer with the flex printing process. Otherwise, material properties, such as the breathability of a textile, may be impaired.

3. High availability

Flex printing is widely established in Germany, meaning that interested parties can find what they are looking for in numerous online stores or specialist sports stores.

4. Cost-effective for small print runs

As a rule, each individual print component (number, club name, logo) is subject to a surcharge. The surcharge is low for small print runs, meaning that flex printing can be considered cost-effective at this point. However, the constantly rising costs quickly become noticeable if several flock components or multi-colored sponsors are to be placed.

Disadvantages

1. Limited color palette
Basically, only three colors are available per motif in the flex printing process. Accordingly, photographs, complex patterns and multi-colored graphics are very difficult to implement.

2. Low durability

Although flex print jerseys are machine washable, they cannot withstand the combination of sweat, weather conditions and washing processes for ages. One day, the colors fade and the adhesive used becomes porous, causing the fibers to break.

3. Limited wearer comfort

Welding puts a strain on the material properties of the textile, which restricts its breathability, for example. In addition, the flex film is very thick - under certain circumstances, the motifs can be felt against the skin on thin fabrics (e.g. jerseys). Both factors limit the wearing comfort.

4. Long delivery times

The flex printing process is time-consuming because the film has to be weeded by hand. The more flock components are required, the longer it takes to print each individual jersey. There is also high demand from suppliers, which can lead to long delivery times of four to six weeks.

5. High costs for large print runs

In the flex printing process, each individual print component requires an average surcharge of 5 euros. As a rule, four flock components (club name, number, crest and sponsor) are standard, which results in a surcharge of 20 euros per jersey. This makes flex printing an expensive option for large print runs.

Advantages and disadvantages of the flex printing process at a glance

Advantages

Disadvantages

Good results with simple flock components

Limited color range.

Good for cotton textiles.

Low durability.

High availability.

Limited wearing comfort on thin fabrics, e.g. jerseys.

Cost-effective for small runs.

Complex process and long delivery times.

Cost-intensive for long runs.

The flock print

Flock printing is very similar to flex printing because the motif is also cut out of colored foils and welded onto the jersey in this printing technique. The “flock” consists of viscose fibers that are scattered in an electromagnetic field. After hardening, the well-known fluffy surface structure is created. The printing process achieves very respectable results with single-color texts, lettering and numbers as well as with simple logos and motifs. As a result, the flock printing process is widespread and is used by many manufacturers and suppliers.

Advantages

1. Respectable results with simple motifs

Monochrome texts, lettering and numbers achieve respectable results with flock printing. Simple motifs and logos can also be presented well on the jersey.

2. High availability

The flock printing process is one of the best-known finishing techniques, meaning that the availability in retail stores and online stores is high.

3. Printing is possible on any textile color

In contrast to other printing processes, flock printing generally allows finishing on any textile color.

4. Small print runs are financially affordable

The wide range of manufacturers and suppliers on the market ensures a stable price range for small print runs.

Disadvantages

1. Limited design options

Large or intricate motifs are difficult to reproduce using the flock printing process. In addition, no more than three colors per motif can be used.

2. Wearing comfort with thin textile fabrics

The flock film is very thick and therefore limited in terms of flexibility. This has a negative effect on thin fabrics because the motifs can be felt against the skin. This limits the wearing comfort.

3. Delivery times

The flock printing process is very time-consuming, so you can expect production and delivery times of several weeks (four to six weeks on average).

4. Low durability

Flock print jerseys are machine washable and generally have a certain durability. However, the fibers eventually reach their limits. The result: the plush-like flock detaches from the jersey.

5. Flock components cause additional costs

In the flock printing process, the individual components (emblem, text, name, sponsor) are individually welded onto the textile. This takes time and usually costs an additional 5 euros per print component. This quickly makes itself felt financially, especially for large print runs.

Advantages and disadvantages of the flock printing process at a glance

Advantages

Disadvantages

Respectable results with simple print components.

Limited color palette and design options.

High availability.

Low wearing comfort with thin textile fabrics (e.g. jerseys).

Suitable for any textile color.

Long production and delivery times (four to six weeks).

Financially affordable for small order quantities.

Low durability because the fibers eventually break.

High costs for large order quantities.

Digital direct printing

Digital direct printing involves printing directly onto the fabric using an appropriate machine. This technique delivers very appealing results, even with fine color gradients and complex patterns or photographs. This printing process is completely digital, so there are no pre-printing costs for films, stencils or separations. However, digital direct printing is only used on cotton textiles - sports jerseys, which are generally made from finer fabrics such as polyester, are not suitable for this printing technique.

Advantages

1. Good results for complex motifs
Digital direct printing delivers very respectable images for complex motifs. The printing process has a broader color spectrum, so that the patterns or motifs are displayed with high color intensity.

2. Suitable for any textile color

Many believe that digital direct printing can only be carried out on white textiles. In the meantime, printing technology has come a long way to produce very good results on black and colored fabrics as well.

3. No pre-printing costs

In contrast to flock or flex printing, digital direct printing does not incur any costs for films, separations or stencils. This saves costs, making the printing process financially attractive even for small print runs.

4. Ideally suited for cotton textiles

Digital direct printing is only suitable for cotton textiles. The modern printing process also delivers the best results here.

5. Easy care options

Printed cotton textiles can generally be washed at up to 30 °C (sometimes up to 40 °C) without any problems. After the first wash cycle, the textile will noticeably lose color intensity, but will then remain at a constant level.

Disadvantages

1. Only suitable for cotton fabrics
Digital direct printing can only be realized on cotton textiles. Sports jerseys are generally made of polyester. The digital direct printing process is therefore not suitable for many sports clubs.

2. Loss of color intensity

After the first wash, the textile will noticeably lose its color intensity. The printed motifs then retain their color until the familiar vintage look emerges after a few more washes. In the long term, digital direct printing does not impress with its rich colors.

3. No complete ink coverage

With digital direct printing, the ink application does not cover 100%. This is because the printing machine applies the ink to an uneven surface.

4. Time-consuming printing process

The printing process takes two to five minutes per textile. Printing 20 T-shirts can take up to an hour in some circumstances. As a result, long production and delivery times can be expected.

5. Limited color palette

Digital direct printing offers a wider range of colors than flock and flex printing. However, neon and spot colors are not part of the available color range here either.

6. Low durability

Because the printing machine applies the ink to an uneven surface structure, unevenness occurs in the fabric. This has a negative impact on the functionality and durability of the textile.

Advantages and disadvantages of the digital printing process at a glance

Advantages	Disadvantages
Ideally suited for cotton textiles.	Only suitable for cotton textiles.
Suitable for any textile color.	Loss of color intensity.
No preliminary printing costs.	Time-consuming printing process.
Simple care options.	No 100% color coverage.
Good results with complex, multi-colored motifs.	Not a complete color palette.
	Less durability.

Sublimation printing: the best alternative to conventional printing processes

In the sublimation printing process, the colors are vaporized into the textile. The term “sublimation” defines the transition of a solid material into a gaseous state. In the gaseous state, the colors can be optimally introduced into the textile fibers. As a result, there is no mechanical effect on the textile - neither from adhesives nor from machines. This means that the functionality of the textile is fully preserved, which also leads to a significantly longer shelf life. This is how sublimation printing works in practice In practice, the term “transfer printing” is often used as a synonym because the print motifs are printed onto a transfer film in the first production step. This is what the individual production steps look like:

The print motifs are printed mirror-inverted on a transfer film.
The transfer film is placed on the area to be printed on the jersey with the print side facing down.
Now heat the transfer foil to approx. 230 °C.
High pressure is now applied to the textile and the transfer film.
The dyes sublimate and penetrate the fibers of the textile as gases.
Finally, the textile fibers bond on a molecular basis.

And the jersey is finished with the sublimation printing process! Would you like to find out more about jersey printing or jersey flocking? Find out everything you need to know here.

Advantages

1. Best print quality
Evaporation ensures that maximum color coverage and color intensity can be achieved. This also applies to complex patterns, photographs or graphics. No printing process can keep up here!

2. Maximum design freedom

Any logo, motif or emblem can be easily reproduced using the sublimation printing process! You can design your jersey individually - with maximum design freedom.

3. Complete color palette

The entire color palette is available to you with the sublimation printing process. This helps you to customize your jersey.

4. No additional costs

Sublimation printing is a completely digital process, which means no additional costs for complex motifs or additional print components. With spized, you pay a fixed price for the jersey - no matter how many print components are added.

5. High durability

Evaporation ensures that no colored fibers fade after washing. In addition, no adhesives are left on the textile. With sublimation printing, you can therefore enjoy the rich colors on your jersey for a long time.

6. Short delivery times

The digital production process is very efficient, so you don't have to wait long for your order. spized delivers your ordered jerseys within 14 days.

Conclusion: High print quality and individual design for your jersey

Those who want to decorate jerseys usually focus on a few decisive factors that are crucial for sustainable solutions. Firstly, the print components (crest, sponsor or logo, name and number) should look very appealing - traditional printing processes often reach their limits here with more elaborate logos or crests - and secondly, the jerseys should also last as long as possible because most sports clubs have to pay attention to economic components. And classic flock or flex printing processes also leave a lot to be desired in terms of durability. After a certain amount of time (usually after one or two seasons), the fibers begin to break, causing the flock to detach from the jersey.

In addition, more and more teams want an individual look that sets them apart from other teams and clubs. Individual designs with bright colors and specially created graphics or patterns are almost impossible to achieve with traditional printing methods. The sublimation printing process allows you to let off steam creatively at this point!