How to Wash and Care for Sublimated Team Uniforms
A simple care routine that keeps sublimated jerseys looking new, wash temperature, drying, stain removal, storage and the mistakes that ruin performance fabric.
Sublimated uniforms are built to outlast the season, but performance polyester is not cotton and does not want to be treated like it. Hand this page to your team parents and your kit will look the same in March as it did in August.
The short routine
- Turn the garment inside out.
- Wash cold (30°C / 86°F or below) on a normal or gentle cycle.
- Use a mild detergent, no bleach, no fabric softener.
- Wash with like fabrics, not with towels, jeans or anything with hooks and zips.
- Hang dry in the shade, or tumble dry on the lowest heat setting.
- Never iron directly on the print.
Why no fabric softener
Softener works by coating fibres. On polyester that coating blocks the moisture wicking channels, so the jersey stops pulling sweat away from the skin and starts holding odour instead. One wash with softener is recoverable. A season of it is not.
Why cold and low heat
The print will not fade, it is bonded into the fibre. But high heat degrades the elastane in stretch panels, softens seam tape and can set stains permanently. Low heat protects the garment, not the graphic.
Handling sweat odour
Polyester holds odour more stubbornly than cotton. If a jersey is starting to smell even after washing:
- Soak for 30 minutes in cold water with a cup of white vinegar, then wash normally.
- Or use a sports-specific detergent designed for synthetic fabric.
- Wash the garment the same day it is worn where possible. Odour sets in when a damp jersey sits in a bag overnight.
Grass, mud and blood
- Mud, let it dry completely, brush it off, then wash. Washing wet mud grinds it into the weave.
- Grass, pre-treat with a small amount of detergent rubbed in, leave 15 minutes, wash cold.
- Blood, cold water only. Hot water sets protein stains permanently.
- Never use chlorine bleach. It attacks the fibre itself.
Storage between seasons
Make sure everything is clean and fully dry before it goes away, a single damp jersey in a sealed tub will mildew the whole set. Fold rather than hang for long periods so shoulders do not distort, and store somewhere cool and dark rather than a hot attic.
A note for coaches
The fastest way to lose a set of uniforms is to hand them out with no written care instructions. Print this list, put it in the kit bag, and go over it at the first parent meeting. Programs that do this routinely get three to five seasons out of a jersey set.
Questions about the fabric in your specific order? See materials or contact us.