Printing on Lycra?/Custom-designed Jerseys?

Bhima
Bhima Posts: 2,145
edited December 2008 in Workshop
I want to put a particular image on my cycling jersey, which is white. I've done t-shirt printing in the past with laser printers where you print onto a thin plastic which is melted on to the shirt but i'm just wondering if anyone has experience doing this with lycra and if there are any problems with that particular method...?

I've looked at certain companies which will do a custom-designed jersey for you but they're VERY expensive if you just want one. Does anyone know who is the cheapest for that?

Comments

  • pawlfreehub
    pawlfreehub Posts: 69
    To print onto lycra or most cycling jerseys they use a technique known as sublimation printing, that is they print the image in mirrored form onto a sheet of paper (rather like your laser printer technique) and then using heat print that onto the fabric (which has to be a polyester). The printing takes place prior to the fabric being cut and assembed as a garment. Obviously quite a bit of work hence not good for one offs.

    I know of no DIY version of this. The DIY laser printed things all seem aimed at cotton teeshirt type fabric.
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Aha! Sublimation printing, eh? Cheers for the info, been looking for a basic explanation on lycra printing for ages now.

    I'll look into it. Thanks.

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