We already compared screen printing and DTF head to head. Sublimation is the third option, and it works differently enough from both that it deserves its own comparison.
How sublimation works
Sublimation turns dye directly into gas under heat, and that gas bonds with the fibers of the fabric itself. Unlike DTF, nothing sits on top of the fabric, so there’s no texture, no cracking, and no peeling over time. The trade-off: it only works well on polyester or polyester-heavy fabric, and it needs a light-colored (usually white) base to show color accurately.
Best for: all-over prints, jerseys, and any design that needs to cover the full garment edge-to-edge with no visible print border.
Where each method actually wins
| Situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton t-shirt, small logo | Screen printing or DTF | Sublimation doesn’t bond to cotton |
| Full-color photo print, any quantity | DTF | No color/fabric restrictions, no minimum |
| All-over print, sports jersey | Sublimation | Dye becomes part of the fabric, zero texture |
| 50+ pieces, 1-3 color logo | Screen printing | Cheapest per piece at volume |
| Mixed garment colors | DTF | No white-base fabric requirement |
The fabric question decides more than the design does
The most common mistake is picking a technology based on the design first. In practice, the fabric usually decides for you: sublimation needs polyester, screen printing and DTF work on almost anything. If you already know which garment you want, that narrows the choice before you even think about the design.
If you’re unsure, configure the same design across two or three product options in our configurator, the price and the technology notes update live, so you can compare instead of guessing which one fits.