You’ve worked hard perfecting your design, waiting for it to arrive and now it’s here and the team is looking amazing. Your task now, is to make sure it stays fresh and looking amazing. Luckily, it’s super simple to care for your sublimated custom sports uniform!
While we take utmost pride in the durability and quality of all our garments, here’s a few simple tips to ensure your players continue to look (and smell) fresh on the court for a long time to come.
Is my uniform sublimated?
Sublimation is the most common decoration technique used for uniforms across all the football codes, hockey, basketball as well as for event and promotional garments that require a number of logos or customisations.
You will know if your garments are sublimated if the feel of the garment is “soft to the hand”. In sublimation, the dye is absorbed directly into the polyester fabric with a high level of breathability and no need to iron. Here are some examples of sublimated uniforms *image collage*
Whilst your regular washing routine will more than likely be perfectly fine, these washing and drying techniques are the preferred way to do it to get the absolute maximum out of your gear. We have even had some players wearing the same gear for 5+ years and it’s still looking just as new!
Washing instructions:
- Turn the garment inside out.
- You may play hard, but please don’t wash hard! Place the garment inside machine for a gentle cycle with mild detergent and cold water. If your washing machine doesn’t have a ‘gentle cycle’ option – then you can either look to place it on the gentlest option you have inside a garment bag to protect it, or hand wash. Washing it on a rough cycle unprotected could stretch the fabric causing it to be misshapen and ill-fitting.
- Try to remove from the machine as quickly as possible after washing, leaving it in there all-day risks having colours bleed and a mildew smell which nobody wants!
- Avoid using fabric softener and do not use bleach as it is not effective on polyester material and can even end up damaging the fabric or impacting colour pay off.
Drying instructions:
- It may be tempting to chuck your uniform in the tumble dryer for a quick dry but please don’t! It is recommended that you dry your sublimated uniform outside on the clothesline or inside on a clotheshorse.
- Since the polyester of these garments is made to keep you dry while you’re out there being a boss on the court, pitch, or field, they dry pretty quickly as well!
- Avoid ironing, but if you need to then use a low setting, no steam and iron on the inside of the garment. Use a towel between the garment and the iron itself to protect it.
Tough odours?
Got some extra stinky uniforms that just won’t budge in a normal wash cycle? Add in a soak for at least an hour in cold water with some mild detergent.
So, to recap:
- Wash inside out on a cold-water gentle cycle with mild detergent.
- Do not use bleach
- Avoid fabric softener when washing.
- Dry outside on a clothesline or inside on a clotheshorse.
- Avoid ironing, but if necessary – no steam, low setting and only on the inside of the garment with a towel between the iron and the uniform to protect the garment.
Following these simple steps, you’ll be keeping your custom sports uniform in top condition for many seasons to come! If you have any questions regarding sublimated uniforms or care instructions in general, feel free to contact us here.
