Sublimation is chemistry, not coating: under heat, the dye turns to gas and bonds insidepolyester fibers. The result has zero hand — you can’t feel the print — and it can never crack or peel, because there’s nothing on top of the fabric to crack. But that same chemistry writes two hard rules that decide every blank choice:
- The dye only bonds to polyester. A 65% poly shirt holds 65% of the dye — prints come out softer and vintage-faded. Cotton holds none; the print washes out.
- The dye is transparent. There’s no white ink, so the shirt color shows through everywhere. White and light pastel blanks only.
Poly percentage = print vibrancy
| Fabric | Print result | Sell it as |
|---|---|---|
| 100% polyester | Full vibrancy, photo-quality | All-over prints, jerseys, photo tees |
| 65/35 poly-rich | ~65% saturation, soft edges | “Vintage wash” look — on purpose |
| 50/50 blend | Faded, distressed | Retro designs only |
| 100% cotton | Washes out | Don’t — use DTF instead |
Why poly percentage IS print vibrancy
Polyester fibers — bond and hold sublimation dye
Cotton share — holds nothing, washes out
A 65/35 poly-rich blend keeps roughly 65% of the color — the soft “vintage wash” look you either sell on purpose or explain in a refund email.
Best true sublimation blank: SubliVie
SubliVie exists for exactly this job. The SubliVie Men’s Polyester Sublimation Tee (1910) is 100% polyester with a surprisingly soft, cotton-like face — full dye saturation without the shiny “jersey” look that scares off retail customers. The line runs the whole size family, including the toddler tee (1310) — which matters, because family sets, birthday shirts, and matching-outfit Etsy orders are sublimation’s bread and butter.
Best performance option: Gildan 42000
For team, event, and 5K-race jobs, the Gildan Performance 42000 is a 100% poly moisture-wicking tee around $6 that sublimates brilliantly in white — and its youth version (42000B) covers kids’ leagues. The Team 365 Zone Performance plays the same role with a deeper stocked color range for the non-printed panels.
The vintage play: Tultex Poly-Rich
Poly-rich blends are sublimation’s open secret. The Tultex Unisex Poly-Rich Tee (241) (65/35) prints with a softened, washed-out saturation that reads as premium vintage — the exact aesthetic boutique brands pay extra for. The trick is selling it on purpose: mock up the faded result, call it a vintage wash, and charge boutique prices. Tultex covers the women’s and youth cuts too.
Press settings and the mistakes that ruin blanks
- 385–400°F, 45–60 seconds, medium pressure — sublimation runs hotter and longer than any other transfer method.
- Use protective paper on both sides — dye blows through thin poly and ghosts onto the platen for the next shirt.
- Lint-roll before pressing. A single fiber leaves a white line through the print.
- Watch for press lines on poly — a pressing pillow or a teflon-edged platen prevents the shiny rectangle.
- Moisture is the enemy: pre-press 5 seconds to drive it out or colors shift.
If a customer insists on dark shirts or cotton, that’s not a sublimation job — quote DTF instead. Our DTF blanks guide covers that side of the shop.
Sourcing note: sublimation businesses live on white blanks in volume, and white poly is the cheapest shirt category in the catalog. At B2B Sportswear SubliVie, Gildan, Team 365, and Tultex blanks are wholesale-priced from piece one with automatic quantity breaks and no minimums — and everything ships blind, so drop-shipping finished goods to your customer never exposes your source.
FAQ
What shirts are best for sublimation?
100% polyester shirts in white or light colors. Purpose-made blanks like the SubliVie 1910 give full vibrancy with a cotton-like feel; the Gildan 42000 is the budget performance option for team jobs.
Can you sublimate on cotton or 50/50 shirts?
Sublimation dye doesn’t bond to cotton — prints on 100% cotton wash out. On 50/50 and 65/35 blends you get a faded, vintage result that only works if you sell it as vintage on purpose. For bright prints on cotton, use DTF.
Can you sublimate on dark shirts?
No — sublimation ink is transparent and has no white layer, so the garment color shows through. Stick to white and pale pastels, or switch methods to DTF for darks.
Where can I buy sublimation shirt blanks wholesale?
B2B Sportswear stocks SubliVie, Gildan Performance, Team 365, and Tultex poly blanks at true wholesale pricing with no minimum order — same-day blind shipping from US warehouses nationwide on orders placed by 1 PM EST.