Sublimation Sewing Patterns: What Changes and How to Produce

A sublimation pattern is the garment pattern prepared for printing the design piece by piece: each panel is delivered as a vector file or true-scale PDF with a bleed margin around the outline, registration and size marks, and compensation for the shrinkage the heat press causes (as a guide, 1 to 3% in microfiber and polyester jersey). It is used for soccer jerseys, team uniforms and gym wear in microfiber, stretch polyester knits and polyester jersey, because sublimation ink only fixes on synthetic fiber.

Modeltex production guide. Updated on Sep 6, 2026.

What sublimation is and why the pattern changes

Sublimation prints the design on paper with special inks and transfers it to the fabric with heat and pressure: in a roller (calender) or flat heat press, as a guide 190 to 200 °C for 30 to 60 seconds, the ink turns to gas and fixes inside the polyester fiber. No layer is left on top of the fabric, so the garment breathes and the design does not crack or peel.

For a plain t-shirt with a placed logo, sublimating the finished garment is enough. A soccer jersey with a full design, gradients and numbers is produced the other way around: first the design is printed in the shape of each pattern piece, the panels are pressed onto the uncut fabric, and only then is it cut and sewn. That is why the pattern has to be exploded into panels, in vector and at 1:1 scale.

What changes in the pattern: panels, margins and marks

A sublimation pattern has the same pieces as the sewing pattern (front, back, sleeves, collar, side panels or yoke if the design calls for them), with the seam allowance included, generally 0.7 to 1 cm in knit fabric. The difference is in what surrounds each piece and how the pieces are laid out.

Motifs that cross a seam (a stripe that runs from the front onto the sleeve) are designed with the pieces joined on screen and separated afterwards, so the artwork matches up when sewn.

Bleed: the design extends 1 to 2 cm beyond the cutting outline (as a guide), so a cutting shift does not leave white edges.
Marks: notches, alignment marks, grainline, piece name and size printed outside the cutting line, to identify the panels after pressing.
Sizes: each size is a different set of panels; the design is repositioned or scaled in each one, not copied as is.
Mirroring: the file prints mirrored because the paper sits face down on the fabric; the RIP usually does this on its own, but check it with text and numbers.
Layout on the paper: panels are nested to the roll width (as a guide 60 to 160 cm depending on the printer) to use the least paper and ink.

Fabrics for sublimation: microfiber, stretch polyester and polyester jersey

The rule is 100% polyester or at least 90%, in white or very light colors: the ink is translucent and does not cover dark backgrounds. Microfiber (as a guide 110 to 150 g/m2) is the fabric for soccer jerseys and sports t-shirts because it is light and quick-drying; dry-fit style polyester jersey has a hand closer to cotton for gym wear; polyester-spandex stretch knits go into leggings, tops and swimwear, and polyester pique into polo shirts.

Cotton does not sublimate: you get a washed-out design that disappears with washing. Polyester-cotton blends take color partially, with a vintage effect that some lines use on purpose but that does not work for a uniform. Add polyester mesh for ventilation panels and short liners.

Heat-press shrinkage and how to compensate for it

Polyester moves with heat: it generally shrinks 1 to 3% in microfiber and jersey, and somewhat more in stretch polyester knits with elastane (as a guide 2 to 5%), sometimes differently in length than in width. If you sublimate and then cut with the original pattern, the pieces come out smaller than the size.

The test is simple: mark a 50 x 50 cm square on the fabric, press it with the production settings, measure it and calculate the percentage in each direction. With that figure you enlarge the pattern in the software before printing (scaling per axis if the fabric shrinks differently) or pre-press the fabric to stabilize it. Repeat the test with each fabric lot: two rolls of the same article can behave differently.

How to work the design on the pattern (CDR, PLT, PDF)

The usual workflow is in CorelDRAW: you import the pattern as CDR or PLT (or DXF) at 1:1 scale, lock the pattern layer and design piece by piece using the outline as a mask, so the design ends up clipped to the shape of the panel plus the bleed. Check the scale by measuring a known piece or the test square before printing.

The final file goes to the printer as a PDF or straight from the RIP, with the panels nested to the roll width. If you work in Optitex or Audaces, export the pieces to PLT or DXF and do the design in Corel or Illustrator; save each size as a separate page or file, named with garment, size and client, so batches do not get mixed.

Production: soccer jerseys, team uniforms and gym wear

A soccer jersey order arrives as a list of sizes with a name and number per player: each set of panels is printed with its number and name on the back, pressed onto the microfiber, cut and sewn with an overlock and a coverstitch using polyester thread. The same logic works for sports uniforms for schools and companies and for gym wear (leggings, tops and tank tops in stretch polyester knit or jersey).

Quality control happens after pressing and before cutting: ghosting or double images from paper movement, printhead lines, off-tone colors and registration between panels that have to match. A badly printed panel costs paper and ink; a garment cut and sewn with that panel costs everything.

How to solve it with digital patterns

Modeltex delivers patterns in a sublimation-ready format, with the pieces vectorized and ready to import into CorelDRAW (CDR, PLT or true-scale PDF) and the full size range included, XS to 4XL in adults and 2 to 18 in kids, approved on a sewn sample. The same style can be ordered in DXF/AAMA or PDS if your workshop cuts in CAD.

If you have your own jersey or sportswear set design, Modeltex's custom patternmaking develops it from a garment or a photo using your brand's measurement chart, already paneled for sublimation.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sublimate on cotton?

No. Sublimation ink fixes inside polyester fiber; on cotton it comes out faded and washes out. Polyester-cotton blends take color partially, with a vintage effect. For sports production, use 100% polyester or at least 90%, in white or light shades.

Should you sublimate before or after cutting?

For designs that cover the whole garment, sublimate the uncut fabric with panels printed in the shape of the pattern plus its bleed, and cut afterwards: that way the shrinkage from pressing does not distort the piece. Sublimating the finished garment is kept for logos or placed prints.

How much does fabric shrink when sublimated?

As a guide: 1 to 3% in polyester microfiber and jersey, and 2 to 5% in stretch polyester knits with elastane, with possible differences between length and width. Measure it by pressing a 50 x 50 cm square with the production settings and compensate by enlarging the pattern before printing.

What pattern format do I need to design in CorelDRAW?

A vector at 1:1 scale: native CDR, PLT or DXF, or a vector PDF. Import it, lock the pattern layer and design each piece using its outline as a mask. Before printing, check the scale by measuring a known piece or the test square.

What fabric is used for sublimated soccer jerseys?

Polyester microfiber, light and quick-drying, as a guide 110 to 150 g/m2, in white so the colors come out true. For ventilation panels it is combined with polyester mesh, and for shorts and leggings with polyester-spandex stretch knit.

What margin should be left around each piece?

The pattern carries its normal seam allowance (generally 0.7 to 1 cm in knit fabric) and, in addition, the design extends 1 to 2 cm beyond the cutting line as bleed (as a guide), which absorbs any cutting shift and prevents white edges at the seams.

More guides

Sewing patterns ready for production, with the full size range, in the Modeltex catalog.