Sublimation Shirts: The Best Polyester Count to Use

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I get questions almost daily about sublimation shirts. Why do you need to sublimate on polyester and why can’t you sublimate on 100% cotton?  I thought we would do a little experiment today. I have a stack of sublimation shirts that are 100% polyester all the way to 100% cotton, with a few variations in between. Let’s sublimate the same colors on all of them, run them through the laundry cycle, and see what happens. Then you will know what works for sublimation shirts and what does not. Please note that if you’re using infusible ink, the same thing will apply.

Have a cotton or dark shirt and want to sublimate on it? Here are my best tips and tricks for doing that!

Can’t watch the video or miss some of the information? Just follow along below!

Shirts Used for Experiment

I used a variety of brands of shirts for my experiments but here is a rundown of the polyester content:

• 100% polyester
• 75% polyester
• 63% polyester (industry standard is 65% minimum but this was as close as I could find)
• 50% polyester
• 100% cotton
• 80% polyester (this last version is actually blue so I could demonstrate why you want a light color when sublimating as well)

Some of My Favorite Sublimation Shirts

Here are a few of my favorite shirt brands that I use for sublimation regularly. You really can’t go wrong with any of these. Keep reading to see why these shirts with a high polyester content work best!

• Cricut (Use code CCCSAVE to get 10% off and free shipping on orders over $50.)
• Artesprix (Use code CCC10 for 10% off.)
• Gildan Polyester 
• Sport-Tek 
• Amazon (I am adding some of my favorites into my store here)

Designs Used

Want to use the same designs that I am using on a shirt or project for yourself? Just get the Colorful Words Bundle here. Be sure to use code ANGIEHOLDEN for 10% off!

Testing Sublimation Shirts

I printed the files with the same paper, on the same printer, and the same settings. Everything was the same about the print. I pressed them all with the same exact settings in my heat press. That way I knew that everything was the same for all of the shirts that I pressed.

Shirts After Pressing

Let’s first take a look at those sublimation shirts before I run them in the laundry cycle and see what they look like just pressed. This first one is 100% polyester. I actually pressed two 100% polyester shirts. Why did I do that? I am going to keep one of them and not run it through the laundry cycle. That way we can tell if the sublimation fades at all on 100% polyester.

This version is 75% polyester. That is generally what I recommend for a minimum polyester count. You can see that after pressing, it looks similar to the 100% polyester shirt that is below it.

This top shirt in the image below is 63% polyester. The general industry standard is 65% polyester. This is the closest one I could find. You can see that it is a little more faded than the 100% polyester.

This top shirt in the image below is 50% polyester, which actually isn’t recommended for sublimation. You can compare it to the 100% polyester and see that it is a little more faded.

This top version in the image below is 100% cotton which definitely is not recommended for sublimation. I expect this one to completely fade out after just one cycle through the laundry. You can see it’s almost completely faded out on this side in comparison with our 100% polyester on the bottom.

Most of my blanks are a light color and actually white because sublimation does show up better on a light color. I did want to do one just to illustrate. This is 80% polyester and it is a dark color. You can see that it does show up, however, you lose some of the color. Sublimation is translucent. The base color is showing through my sublimation layer. You can see it in comparison with how the colors pop on the 100% white polyester shirt.

Now that you’ve seen the shirts and how colorful they are, I’m heading to the laundry. I’m going to throw them in and we’ll see what happens.

Shirts After Washing

These are both 100% polyester shirts. As you can see, the colors did not fade at all. The colors look the same on the one I ran the laundry, as well as the one I did not. You can see that sublimation on 100% polyester has colors that pop out and look really amazing.

The top shirt in the image below is 75% polyester. You may be able to see that the colors are a little bit more faded on the 75% polyester, especially the greens and purples. It is a little bit faded, but it still looks really good. It really pops off of the shirt.

The Creator version is the 63% polyester after the laundry cycle. All of the colors look faded in comparison to the 100% polyester shirt. Every single color looks a little bit lighter on the 63% polyester. Basically, some of the ink came out. When you’re dealing with a shirt that is 63% polyester, only 63% of the ink actually bonds to the fabric. You’re only left with 63% or roughly that of the ink after you run it through the laundry cycle. Keep that in mind when you’re picking your shirts.

This Creativity version is 50% polyester. Hopefully, you can see a difference between these two. The Maker definitely pops quite a bit more, whereas the Creativity is faded on all of the colors.

Here is my 100% cotton example. It really, really faded, but it did stain the fabric. I do think it would continue to fade because there’s nothing really for it to bond to, whereas the sublimation doesn’t fade after several laundry cycles. When you get a look like this where it’s completely faded and the colors are not popping, be sure to look at the material content of your blank and see what it is. Chances are, you have a cotton blank and your sublimation ink is just not bonding to that.

This version is our 80% polyester shirt that is a color. You can see what these colors look like after a laundry cycle in comparison to the white. I have a little bit of fading or it may just be where it’s blending in with the blue on the edge. You can see that the blue definitely does change the color as well as the appearance, even after the laundry cycle. 

How to Test Your Sublimation Colors

Now you can see why maybe you’re having trouble with your colors popping. I get emails all the time from people with questions about their colors not popping like someone else’s. If your colors aren’t popping on a sublimation tumbler or sublimation mug, get a 100% polyester shirt or even a 100% polyester piece of fabric. Press your print to that. See if the colors are working. That eliminates a printer problem. That means it’s your blank.

If the colors don’t pop on the 100% polyester, that may mean there’s something wrong with your printer. That’s why I always recommend 100% polyester when you are running those tests. Because as you can see, you can get faded results with things that are not 100% polyester. Hopefully, this helps answer the question of how much polyester content do you need in sublimation shirts. 

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For me personally, I always try to stick with 75% polyester or greater. As you could see, those really don’t fade much at all. I get really good results. The industry standard is about 65% polyester or greater. I do find a little bit of fading at 65%. But if you’re looking for a vintage look to your shirt, 65% is definitely the way to go. Anything less than that, then you will be getting a more vintage look.

With something like 100% cotton, you may not get a print at all or you may get what I got, which was staining of the surface, which is going to really fade over time. With each laundry cycle, you’ll see a little bit less and less of that ink on the 100% cotton. Whereas something like the 100% polyester, I’ve tested it before and it lasts after every laundry cycle. I did like 35 on my last test and it was still going strong! You can see more about that experiment here.

In search of the perfect T-shirt? The problem is there are a thousand different types to choose from (give or take). Between the dozens of major brands, hundreds of styles, a wide variety of fabric types, and new blends each year, it’s a lot to sort through.

How did the humble T-shirt become so complicated? And how to find the best one? We’re here to help. This article covers the different shirt fabrics, including their attributes, pros and cons, and specific recommendations in each category.

First, a short answer to the burning question.

Which T-shirt fabric is best for custom T-shirts?

Like the answer to most questions in the custom apparel business, it depends on a combination of your particular requirements. Cotton is the go-to fabric for most people because it’s soft and non-irritant, polyester is the go-to for performance, and cotton/poly blends give you the best of both worlds.

Here are the factors to consider when deciding on what T-shirt fabric to choose:

1. The qualities you’re looking for (softness, breathability, moisture-wicking, etc.)
2. The print method you want (direct-to-garment, screen printing, embroidery, etc.)
3. The price you’re willing to pay (maximum budget for the order or per item)
4. The purpose (family reunion, work uniform, sporting event, merchandise, etc.)
5. The person who will wear it (age range, style, expectation)

Here’s a simple breakdown of the pros and cons of each category of T-shirt fabric:

Which T-shirt material should you choose?

Go with 100% cotton if you want shirts that are soft, comfortable, breathable, gentle on the skin, non-clingy, and can be customized with any method. Cotton tees are popular with everyone, so it’s a safe bet.
Keep in mind: they may shrink a bit, can stain, wrinkle, and tend to absorb moisture and hold it, rather than allow it to evaporate quickly.

Go with 100% polyester if you want shirts that are lightweight, durable, silky smooth, and resistant to wrinkles, shrinking, or fading, plus allows moisture to evaporate quickly.
Keep in mind: Polyester is less breathable, clingy, irritates the skin, and is restricted as far as printing methods. The price can be higher than other garments, depending on the brand.

Go with a blend if you want the best of both worlds. The poly-cotton 50/50 was the first major blend, but now we have the increasingly popular tri-blends, which add rayon for extra softness and drape, and are a big favorite among our customers. Then there’s CVC, a predominantly cotton blend.
Keep in mind: They tend to be priced higher, but are still affordable.

The four T-shirt fabric categories

Wait, there are only four? Granted, people have made T-shirts out of everything from alligator leather to human hair– but I’m guessing you’re not in the market for that. So here are the three main fabric categories you will need to know about to make an informed choice. Here’s a brief description of each and a few of our favorites.

100% Cotton

By far the most common and popular fabric for T-shirts, cotton is a fluffy, natural vegetable fiber obtained from the seedpod of the cotton plant. The fiber is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to make the soft, breathable fabric everyone knows and loves.

Most of your T-shirts are probably cotton or partially cotton. After all, it’s the fabric of our lives if you believe commercials. It also happens to be hypoallergenic, which is a huge plus for the itchy/rashy types. Cotton as a fabric dates back to prehistoric times.  Concert tees from 500 B.C. must be worth a fortune now.

Here are a few of our favorite cotton T-shirts:

Premium: Bella+Canavs Fine Jersey (3001C) – Fitted, soft, well-constructed, smooth print surface. One of the most popular tees for retail and merch.
Standard: Hanes Perfect-T (4980) – A classic, mid-range tee with solid construction by the famous Hanes brand. Most are tagless or tear-away tags.
Budget: Gildan Heavy Cotton (G500) – The best value for the price and one of our most popular T-shirts, especially for large bulk orders.

100% Polyester

Polyester is a durable, synthetic fabric with excellent resiliency. Low moisture absorbency allows the fabric to dry quickly, also known as “moisture-wicking”. It’s so scared of water they call it hydrophobic. This material always keeps its shape, so there’s almost zero shrinking or stretching, regardless of what kind of extreme wash and dry cycle you put it through.

As a performance fabric, it’s a favorite of athletes and adventurous outdoor types who subject themselves to extreme conditions. And although a trip to your local gym might tell you otherwise, polyester is also somewhat odor-resistant, because the stink departs with evaporating sweat. Plus it doesn’t stain as easily as other fabrics. There’s a lot to love with poly.

100% Polyester always keeps its shape, so there’s almost zero shrinking or stretching, regardless of what kind of extreme wash and dry cycle you put it through.

Check out some of our popular 100% polyester T-shirts:

Premium: Nike Legend Tee (727982) – High-quality construction, moisture-wicking, temperature regulating, ultra-tight knit for great printing.
Standard: Augusta Sportswear NexGen Wicking T-shirt (790) – Excellent moisture-wicking knit fabric, may run a bit small, so talk to a sales rep before ordering.
Budget: Team 365 Performance T-shirt (TT11) – Polyester interlock knit. Moisture-wicking and UV protection. The best value for the price and our most popular poly.

Blends

A blend– as you might guess– is a yarn or fabric that is made up of more than one type of fiber. Blends are huge right now, making up a massive percentage of the T-shirt market, and for good reason. Blended fabrics are the best of both worlds– or in the case of tri-blends, the best of three worlds.

In the category of blends, there are three types:

1. 50/50: Also known as cotton/poly, this material is half cotton, half polyester.
2. CVC: (Chief Value Cotton) is typically 60% cotton, 40% polyester.
3. Tri-Blend: Made from cotton, polyester, and rayon. The ratio is 50/25/25.

Cotton-poly blends

Cotton-poly blends, including 50/50s and CVCs, combine the softness and natural feel of cotton with polyester’s temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking properties. They also tend to shrink less, wrinkle less, and are more durable and stain-resistant than their cotton counterparts. It’s a win/win for blends.

Here are our favorite cotton/poly blends:

Premium: Bella+Canvas Heather CVC T-shirt (3001CVC) – Lightweight, fitted, 52/48 mix, airloom combed ringspun cotton, quality construction, side-seamed.
Standard: Next Level CVC Crew T-shirt (N6210) – Fitted, 60/40 mix, ringspun cotton for smooth printing, and side-seamed for a perfect fit.
Budget: Gildan DryBlend 50/50 T-shirt (G800) – 50/50 mix, moisture-wicking, best value for the price, and our most popular cotton-poly blend.

Tri-Blend: The best of all three worlds

Tri-blends are head and shoulders above other T-shirts when it comes to softness. The combination of polyester, cotton, and rayon form a powerful alliance that will make you want to wear it every day. The combination of breathability, durability, flexibility, and drape makes it a winner in all categories.

Believe it or not, this fabric type has only been on the market for around 20 years. In that short time, it’s become one of the most popular fabrics in the T-shirt business.

When people rave about their favorite T-shirt, it tends to be a tri-blend. There are very few downsides. But there are a few things to keep in mind:

• They tend to be more fitted than their counterparts, also known as fashion fit, slim fit, or retail fit. This should not affect which size to order– because of the rayon and polyester they have more give (or stretch).
• They are mostly all “heathered” with few exceptions, meaning they have a speckled pattern to the fabric (see image above). This is due to the mix of fabrics. Just something to be aware of.
• They may be irritant to some people’s skin. Only a small percentage of people are allergic to synthetic fabrics, but for others, it may be just the way the material feels on their skin that they don’t like.
• They are lightweight, so it’s best not to print too much ink on them or it will weigh down the fabric. Use direct-to-garment printing (DTG), water-based, or regular screen printing with no underbase to give it a soft hand.
• They are typically at a higher price point than their counterparts.

Here are some top picks among the tri-blends:

Premium: Threadfast Apparel Unisex Tri-Blend Short-Sleeve T-Shirt (102A) – Ultra-lightweight, fitted, high-quality construction that uses 50% cotton, 38% cotton and 12% rayon for a super-soft feel
Standard: Bella+Canvas TriBlend Crew T-shirt (3413C) – Ultra-lightweight, fitted, excellent fit, combed ringspun cotton, side-seamed, and retail-ready.

Watch: The T-shirt Test

Still not sure which kind to get? Check out these videos. We put four T-shirts to the test– one from each category of fabric type. We feel them, wear them, stretch them, wet them, wrinkle them, print on them, mess them, wash them, and damage them– all to see what happens. There’s even some axe throwing for some reason. Enjoy!