Branding · Bag Encyclopedia
Sublimated Bags
All-over sublimation is the only decoration route that gives a bag photo-quality, unlimited-colour graphics from seam to seam. Done well, it looks like a printed jersey scaled up to a duffel. Done badly, it looks like a discount fair giveaway. The gap is entirely in the panel-level artwork setup.
How the process works
Sublimation prints artwork onto a transfer paper with disperse dye ink. Panel and paper are stacked and passed through a heated roller at 190–200°C. The dye sublimates (solid → gas → solid), penetrates the polyester fibre and locks in as it cools. The paper is discarded; the panel comes out with the print embedded in the fabric — no ink layer, no hand.
Because the print happens on the cut panel before assembly, artwork is designed panel-by-panel, not on a flat rectangle. The pattern maker exports each panel with 10–15mm bleed on every side so the print survives cut tolerance and seam allowance.
Artwork rules that decide print quality
- Deliver artwork per panel, at final size, in CMYK at 150 dpi minimum. Vector files are ideal.
- Add 10–15mm bleed on every panel edge — seams and cut tolerance eat the outer strip.
- Keep critical elements (logos, wordmarks) at least 20mm inside the seam line, or they land on a curve.
- Continuous patterns across panels are possible but hard — expect a 2–3mm seam offset at every joint.
- Colours: expect a 3–5% shift from screen to fabric. Sign off on a proof panel, not a monitor.
Base fabric selection
The base fabric is the single biggest quality variable. Cheaper mills use recycled polyester with irregular fibre — dye penetration is uneven and colour looks muddy. Premium sublimation runs on 300–600D virgin white polyester with a smooth face.
- 300D microfibre polyester — best colour, softer hand, ideal for gym/travel duffels.
- 600D polyester — the workhorse; slightly coarser weave, sharper for large bags.
- 1680D — sublimates but the coarse weave shows through fine detail; use only where the fabric is the priority.
- Coated polyester — coating blocks dye. Sublimate the fabric first, then coat the back only.
What you can and can't sublimate
| Component | Sublimatable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main panels (poly) | Yes | Full-colour, edge-to-edge |
| Webbing (PP/PES) | PES only | Sublimatable if white polyester |
| Zipper tape | Yes if poly | Coloured tape by dye; teeth stay solid |
| Buckles / hardware | No | Choose stock colour to complement artwork |
| Binding / piping | Yes if poly | Otherwise use solid colour |
| Mesh linings | Yes | Poly mesh sublimates well for accent panels |
Common pitfalls
- Sending a single flat rectangle artwork — the factory then guesses panel placement and seams land badly.
- Ordering dark base fabric — colours look muddy, brand colours won't match.
- Skipping the pre-production printed panel proof — colour drift is real; sign off on fabric, not a PDF.
- Bleeding logos too close to the seam allowance — the trim eats them at cutting.
Send your artwork — we'll return a panel-level proof
Upload your design with the bag style. We'll re-layout it to panels and press a physical proof before production.