What Is Sublimation? Why It Matters for Your Team’s Uniforms

When it comes to custom team uniforms  - especially in rowing, where athletes demand maximum performance and teams want a clean, professional look - sublimation printing isn’t just a trend. It’s the industry standard for premium technical uniforms because it delivers long-lasting durability, bold team identity, and lightweight comfort all in one process. 

At JL Racing, sublimation is a core part of how we build the highest-performing custom uniforms in the sport; trusted by top collegiate programs, national teams, and proud kit suppliers of Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs and The Boat Race. 

What Sublimation Actually Is 

Sublimation is a digital printing process where ink is transferred into the fibers of a fabric using heat and pressure, rather than just sitting on top of the material. That means the design becomes part of the garment itself — edge-to-edge, vibrant, and permanent. 

In practical terms, sublimation allows full-garment coverage. You can go seam-to-seam with your design without limitations on colors, gradients, or complexity. 

At JL Racing, sublimation is done in-house, giving us full control over quality standards, print accuracy, and consistency across every piece we produce. Our top-of-the-line sublimation machines ensure crisp detail so every part of the design is captured exactly as intended. 

Why Sublimation Matters for Team Uniforms 

1. Vibrant Durability That Withstands Wear and Wash 

Because the dye becomes part of the fabric, sublimated uniforms don’t crack, peel, or fade the way screen-printed or heat-applied graphics often do. This durability is especially crucial for teams that train hard and wash often. 

This translates into uniforms and unisuits that look sharp season after season, an important factor for pride, performance, and your team’s overall image. 

2. Full Customization With No Design Limits 

Sublimation doesn’t constrain you to a few solid colors or simple logos. It lets teams have exact colors, gradients, intricate artwork, and logos printed anywhere on the garment, including on sleeves, sides, and panels that conventional methods can’t reach. 

Want your school colors perfect? Want a bold graphic across the shoulders? Sublimation makes it possible without extra setup fees or layers of ink. 

At JL Racing, we offer proven color accuracy and match directly to Pantone colors, so teams can trust that their brand identity will show up correctly in real life, not just on a screen. 

3. Lightweight, Breathable, and Performance-Ready 

Team uniforms must move with athletes, wick moisture, and stay comfortable in heat, cold, wind, or rain. Because sublimation doesn’t add extra layers of ink or vinyl, the fabric remains lightweight, breathable, and flexible. That’s why sublimation is widely used in premium sportswear: it enhances performance without impacting how the fabric feels. 

At JL Racing, sublimation is used across a full range of high-performance fabrics, including lightweight race fabrics, thermal fleece, and even waterproof outerwear, allowing teams to maintain the same professional look and matching colors across every uniform piece. 

4. Professional Design Support That Brings Your Team Identity to Life 

One of the biggest advantages of sublimation is how easily it allows teams to create a truly custom look, but the best results come from having the right design support behind it. 

At JL Racing, we have a dedicated team of experienced artists who can bring any concept to life. Teams can submit logos, team colors, and inspiration, and JL artists can apply your branding to semi-custom sublimated designs or build a fully custom look from scratch. 

Every team gets final approval on their artwork, and your JL account manager works directly with you to make sure every detail is exactly right before production begins. 

5. Consistent Color Matching Across the Entire Uniform System 

Rowing programs don’t just wear one item. Teams often need unisuits, trou, tops, and outerwear that all match consistently. With traditional printing methods, color accuracy can vary between fabrics and garment types. Sublimation eliminates much of that inconsistency by allowing precise digital control over the entire design process. 

We Pantone color match, and our in-house sublimation makes it possible to keep colors consistent across an entire team kit, including outerwear, so your uniforms look cohesive from head to toe, season after season. 

6. Long-Term Value and Gear That Lasts for Years 

Because sublimated designs are printed into the fabric itself, cracking and peeling is never a concern. This means your uniform investment holds up over time, even with heavy training schedules and frequent washing. 

For teams, that durability isn’t just about appearance, it’s about value. The longer your gear lasts, the fewer replacements you need. 

JL customers regularly share stories of gear lasting for years (and even decades), which reflects the durability of sublimation paired with premium materials and experienced manufacturing standards. 

7. A More Sustainable Choice for Teams Who Care About Impact 

Sublimation isn’t just better for design, it can also be significantly more sustainable than traditional fabric dyeing. Conventional dyeing processes can consume enormous amounts of water and generate chemical runoff. Sublimation uses far less water while still producing vibrant, fully customized uniforms. 

At JL Racing, sustainability isn’t a marketing trend, it’s built into how we manufacture. Our family-owned facility in Central America operates on 90% renewable energy, including solar, geothermal, and hydro power throughout the year. 

Additionally, producing in the Americas helps reduce emissions associated with transporting orders to teams in the United States, compared to overseas manufacturing models. 

8. Faster, More Reliable Production for Your Season Timeline 

One of the biggest stress points for teams ordering uniforms is timing. Racing seasons don’t wait, and teams need their gear delivered when it matters most. 

At JL Racing, we produce 95% of all orders within 3–4 weeks, and we work directly with teams to find solutions that fit their racing schedules. With in-house sublimation and an experienced production system, we’re able to maintain both speed and quality - without compromising either. 

Why This Is a Game-Changer for Teams 

Sublimation is the gold standard for modern team uniforms, used in professional sportswear for decades. 

With JL Racing sublimated uniforms, teams benefit from: 

JL Racing carries these same premium and sustainable manufacturing standards across a wide range of sports, including baseball, football, track, cycling, basketball, and more, building on our decades of rowing experience. 

The Bottom Line 

If you want uniforms that look better, last longer, feel better, and align with sustainability goals, sublimation isn’t just a printing technique, it’s the standard for teams that take performance seriously. 

At JL Racing, we combine in-house sublimation, proven color accuracy, Pantone matching, and renewable-powered manufacturing to deliver premium custom uniforms built for athletes who demand more. 

Ready to start your team’s next kit? Talk to a JL Racing account manager today.