Spring into summer style

As spring approaches and the weather begins to turn warmer with brighter and longer days, jackets, T shirts and caps come out. Inevitably businesses and brands lighten their style and wearers look to jump on board with new trends. Jack Richardson and Tegen Amos, from the Screenworks Creative Team, tell all.

Dye sublimation is the perfect technique to ensure customers can deliver products fitting the latest 2020 spring and summer trends. Sportswear and athleisurewear are having their day, with streetstyle at the forefront of fashion.

As polyester or polyester coated fabrics are well suited for sportswear, they are generally the only option for dye sublimated products. Equally the costs are not prohibitive, and in relation to the endless design possibilities offered, this is often the best process to create the biggest impact at the best price.

Snatched and matched

Matching dye sublimated products have always been around – from baseball caps, to T shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, softshell jackets, and socks. However, while previously ‘all-over’ looks might have been a faux pas, today we are seeing brands and celebrities sporting bright, bold, branded looks from head to toe. Clients are looking to replicate this style.

The dye sublimation process allows for total garment coordination across all panels, and as the print is absorbed into the fabric during the process, rather than laying on top, it delivers a luxurious feel and ensures customers can hit this high-quality sports look head on.

Breaking and blurring traditional lines

Stylish, gender neutral garments are a growing area, especially when it comes to jackets, shirts and caps. This trend is all about breaking and blurring the line between genders and traditional styles.

Customer demands here are for practical, upbeat and playful designs and garments which encourage mixing and contrasting. Jackets and leggings with pockets are a great option here, or oversized T shirts with unique prints.

Offering these options in recycled fabrics is important as sustainable products are in high demand.

There is also a move towards well fitted, and quality garments, particularly in sports and athleisurewear. Wearers are looking for more premium types of polyester that are long-lasting, have a great cut, and a softer feel.

Bold branding

Dye sublimation is an increasingly popular choice, not just for leisurewear, but also for printing on promotional or workwear, especially within sports industries. Not only can logos and designs be Pantone-matched, there are no real limitations to branding placements with dye sublimation either.

This method offers 100% coverage across products and garments, which allows companies to find unusual and eye-catching ways to display logos, images and messaging. Logos can cross seams, run off the bottom of the garment, or wrap around a cap. The options are endless and exciting.

Products should be durable, but also stylish, especially for sponsorship and promotional garments – ensuring the garments will be worn time and again, in order to maximise impact and minimise waste.

Crazy colours and complex, contrasting patterns

In 2020 we’re seeing blushed pinks, misty yellows and fluorescent or neon colours in high demand. Tie-dye, flowers, and geometric are all popular patterns right now as well. The dye sublimation design process is digital, ensuring colours are exact and printing is clear and can deliver on these complex patterns and all-over prints. Leggings, T shirts and polo shirts are the perfect canvases to display these surrounding designs.

Practical, durable, dye sublimated products are an opportunity for businesses to develop wearable, fashionable and enduring items that will make a big impact and increase brand awareness in a stylish manner in 2020 and beyond.