By Christopher Bernat, Contributing Writer, Impressions Magazine
Allover print sublimation (AOPS) is, well, all over the place. Of course it is a trendy application on T-shirts and V-necks seen in the wholesale decorated apparel marketplace. But from burnout garments, poly-performance tops and mixed martial arts (MMA) gear to hoodies and dresses, the popularity of AOPS is rising. If you have not seen it as a new source of potential revenue, you may want to look one more time.
It’s not just enjoying success in the imprintables market. Walk into Macy’s, Belk, H&M or just about any other major clothing retailer and you will see some apparel decorated with sublimation in the store. There are multiple brands offering different types of garments for this process. The topic has been well covered in Impressions and at the Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS), but it has grown and changed in the past couple of seasons.
Garment decorators are getting more and more requests for allover sublimation, and declining the opportunity could have long-term ramifications. Many people are predicting it will only increase in popularity from here on out.
No matter what type of AOPS you plan to do, there are several things you will need. At a bare minimum, you will need sublimation paper, an industrial (a.k.a. large) heat press and the right garments for your target customer.
You also will need the know-how to do it properly. So let’s get started and cover a couple of important areas. Continue reading “Allover Printing: It’s All Over America”
