What Is All Over Printing? A Guide to Sublimation and Cut and Sew

At 1WorldPrint we regularly produce all over printing for events, charities, schools and colleges, festivals, sports clubs and brands throughout the UK, using dye sublimation and cut and sew. For minimum orders, products and how to order, see our all over printing service. Every client receives a dedicated Account Manager who replies within 15 minutes, a free visual proof and expert advice on the correct method for your design.

In this guide

• What Is All Over Printing?
• How Dye Sublimation Works
• How Cut and Sew Works
• Sublimation or Cut and Sew?
• Best Fabrics for All Over Printing
• What Can Be All Over Printed?
• Who Uses All Over Printing?
• All Over Printing Compared With Other Methods
• Artwork Guide for All Over Printing
• Common All Over Printing Mistakes
• What Affects the Price?
• Turnaround and Planning
• Caring for All Over Printed Clothing
• All Over Printing FAQs

What Is All Over Printing?

Short answer: all over printing covers the whole garment with your design, from seam to seam, instead of printing the more common single area on the front, back or sleeve.

With screen printing, DTG and DTF, the design sits inside a print area on the front, back or sleeve. All over printing has no limit to the print area. Patterns, photographs, gradients and illustrations can wrap right around the body and run down the sleeves, so the garment looks as if the fabric was made with your design in it.

The easiest way to spot true all over printing is to look at the edges. On a standard print, the design stops well short of the seams. On an all over print, the colour carries on across the side seams, around the collar and right to the hems.

All over printing is not the same as an oversized print. Jumbo screen printing uses larger screens to print a bigger design on the front or back, but the print area is still limited and stops short of the seams. If you are looking for a large bold print on cotton, jumbo screen printing may suit you better. If you want the design to cover everything, all over printing is the solution.

How Dye Sublimation Works

Short answer: your design is printed onto transfer paper, then heat and pressure turn the ink into a gas that bonds with the polyester fibres.

• Print the transfer. Your artwork is printed onto large sheets of transfer paper with special sublimation inks.
• Press with heat. The transfer is pressed onto the fabric, and the heat allows the ink to turn into a gas without it ever becoming a liquid.
• Bond with the fibres. The gas bonds with the polyester, so the design becomes part of the fabric rather than a layer on top.
• Check and pack. Every piece is checked before it is packed and sent to you.

Because the dye is inside the fibres, a sublimated print has no feel on the garment, stays breathable and will never crack or peel. Colours are bright and photographic detail is sharp, which is why sublimation is so popular for sportswear and event clothing. Our all over print t-shirts page has more on our sublimation service.

Sublimation dye is transparent, so the garment needs to be white or a very light colour. That does not limit your design, because the print creates the colour. A navy, black or red shirt is made by printing navy, black or red across the entire garment.

How Cut and Sew Works

Short answer: the fabric is printed first, then cut into panels and sewn into the finished garment, so every inch is printed.

When a ready made garment is sublimated, it is laid flat and pressed. The fabric under the arms, around the collar and along the side seams may fold during pressing, and any fold stays white. Cut and sew avoids this. Each panel, the front, the back and both sleeves, is printed while it is flat fabric, and it is then cut and sewn together.

The result is complete coverage from seam to seam, with patterns that line up across the panels. Cut and sew also gives you more control over the garment itself, from the fabric to the fit, collar and finish, which makes it a firm favourite for clothing brands and premium sportswear.

Sublimation or Cut and Sew?

	Sublimation	Cut and sew
How it works	The design is pressed onto a ready made garment	The fabric is printed, then cut and sewn into the garment
Coverage	Almost the whole garment, with a small risk of white lines in folds	Every inch, seam to seam
Fabric	White or light polyester and some poly cotton blends	A wider choice of fabrics
Garment choice	Ready made blanks in standard styles	Custom fit, collar and finish
Turnaround	Longer than our standard turnaround	The longest, as each garment is made for you
Best for	Events, sportswear, promotions and most all over printing	Clothing brands, premium kit and designs that must line up perfectly

Not sure which suits your design? Your Account Manager will look at your artwork, garment and deadline and recommend the right method.

Get an all over printing quoteor call 0208 064 1315

Best Fabrics for All Over Printing

Short answer: 100% polyester gives the brightest colours, poly cotton blends feel softer with a more muted print, and pure cotton is not suitable for sublimation.

Fabric	Result	Best for
100% polyester	The brightest colours, deepest blacks and sharpest detail	Sportswear, event t-shirts and bold designs
Recycled polyester	The same bright result from recycled fibres	Brands and events with a sustainability message
Poly cotton blend	A softer feel with a more muted, vintage look	Fashion pieces and everyday wear
Pure cotton	Not suitable for sublimation, as the dye will not bond	Screen printing, DTG or DTF instead

Modern polyester has come a long way from the shiny fabric many people remember. Today's garments are soft, lightweight and breathable, and they wick moisture away from the skin, which makes them ideal for anything worn while active. Our guide to which t-shirt is best for printing compares fabrics in more detail.

What Can Be All Over Printed?

Product	Popular uses
T-shirts	Events, promotions, staff wear, fundraising and merchandise. See our custom t-shirt printing
Sports vests and tops	Running clubs, races, team kit and gym wear. See our custom sportswear
Hoodies	Brand drops, leavers and team wear. See our custom hoodies
Sweatshirts	Fashion collections and merchandise. See our custom sweatshirts
Tote bags	Events, shops and goody bags. See how printed tote bags help your business
Tea and beach towels	Gifts, holiday merchandise and promotions

Who Uses All Over Printing?

All over printing suits anyone who wants clothing that stands out from a distance and looks entirely different to a standard printed t-shirt.

• Events and running. Full colour race and event t-shirts that look great in photos. Our guide to bulk event t-shirt printing covers planning, sizing and sponsor logos.
• Sports clubs and teams. Breathable kit in your club colours, with no limit on the design. See our sports and events page.
• Charities. Fundraising t-shirts that get noticed and help supporters raise more. See our charity printing page.
• Schools, colleges and universities. Open days, leavers, freshers and student events. See our education page.
• Festivals and hospitality. Themed staff and festival t-shirts that become part of the experience. See our hospitality page.
• Brands, bands and creators. Merchandise that fans want to wear. Read our guide to band merch, or see our influencer merchandise page.
• Marketing agencies. Campaign clothing with real impact. See our marketing agencies page and our guide to promotional t-shirts for business.

All Over Printing Compared With Other Methods

Method	Coverage	Best fabric	Best for
All over printing	The whole garment, seam to seam	White or light polyester	Full colour designs with no blank space
Screen printing	Front, back and sleeves	Cotton and most fabrics	Bold colours and the lowest price per item on larger runs
Jumbo screen printing	An oversized front or back print	Cotton and most fabrics	Big statement prints that stop short of the seams
DTG	Front, back and sleeves	Cotton	Full colour designs on cotton in smaller runs
DTF	Front, back and sleeves	Cotton, polyester and blends	Detailed designs, names and numbers

Our guide to DTF vs DTG printing compares the two digital methods, and our printing techniques page covers every option, including metallic printing and puff printing for special effects.

Artwork Guide for All Over Printing

Short answer: send high resolution artwork that covers the whole print area, and keep important text and logos away from the seams.

• Use high resolution files. Artwork should be created at 300 dpi and set to print size, so it stays sharp when it is stretched across the garment.
• Cover the whole area. Any gap in your artwork prints as white fabric, so extend backgrounds past the edges of each panel.
• Keep the key details away from seams. Text, faces and logos look best on the flat areas of the front and back, not across the side seams or under the arms.
• Send vectored artwork for logos and text if you have it. Vectored artwork keeps edges crisp at any size.
• Think about patterns. Repeating patterns, gradients and textures hide small changes at the seams and look great all over.
• Plan the sleeves. Decide whether the sleeves continue the main design, use a different colour or carry a logo of their own.
• Expect slight colour differences. Screens show colour differently to fabric, which is why we send a free visual proof before anything is printed.

Do not worry if you are only at the idea stage. Our team can help turn a logo, a colour scheme or a rough sketch into a print ready all over design, and we check every file against the garment template before printing.

Common All Over Printing Mistakes

Mistake	What happens	How to avoid it
Low resolution images	The print looks blurred or pixelated	Supply 300 dpi artwork at full size
Text across the seams	Words break or shift where panels meet	Keep text on the flat front and back
Artwork that stops at the edge	White gaps appear around the edges	Extend backgrounds past each panel
Dark colours on blends	Blacks and navies look faded	Choose 100% polyester for deep colours
White folds on ready made garments	White lines under the arms or at the sides	Choose cut and sew for full coverage
Ordering too late	Your clothing arrives after your event	Contact us early and agree your dates

What Affects the Price?

Factor	Effect on price
Method	Cut and sew costs more than sublimation, because each garment is made for you
Garment	T-shirts, sports tops, hoodies and bags are priced differently
Quantity	The more you order, the lower the price per item
Fabric	Recycled and premium fabrics cost more than standard polyester
Personalisation	Individual names or numbers add a step to each garment
Artwork	Print ready files keep costs down, and design help is available

The cost per unit of all over printing is normally higher than a simple front print, but you get a garment that people notice and want to wear again and again. Our guide to keeping t-shirt printing costs low has more ways to get the best value. For a price on your design, tell your Account Manager what you need and you will hear back within 15 minutes.

Turnaround and Planning

All over printing takes longer than our standard turnaround of six to seven business days, and cut and sew takes the longest, because each garment is printed and is custom made for you. Allow extra time and get in touch as early as you can, especially if your clothing is for an event with a fixed date. Your Account Manager will confirm your dates when you order, and you get a free visual proof within 30 minutes of your order being confirmed.

Step	What happens
Enquiry	Tell us your garment, design, quantity and date, and get options and pricing within 15 minutes
Proof	Approve your free visual proof, showing the front, back and sleeves
Production	Your design is sublimated or printed and sewn, then every piece is checked
Delivery	Tracked delivery across the UK, with shipping to Europe and worldwide

Caring for All Over Printed Clothing

• Wash inside out at 30 or 40 degrees with similar colours.
• Avoid fabric softener, which can reduce the wicking performance of polyester.
• Dry naturally or on a low heat. High heat is not good for polyester.
• Do not iron directly on the print. Polyester dries quickly and rarely needs ironing.

Our wash care guide has more advice on keeping printed clothing looking its best.

How to Order All Over Printing

Four steps from first enquiry to delivered order, with one point of contact the whole way through.

All Over Printing FAQs

What is all over printing?

All over printing covers the whole garment with your design, including the sides, the sleeves and the areas next to the seams, instead of the print sitting on the front or back. It is usually done by dye sublimation or by printing fabric panels before the garment is cut and sewn.

Is all over printing the same as sublimation?

Not quite. Sublimation is the most common way to produce all over printing, but cut and sew is an alternative method, where the fabric is printed first and then cut and sewn into the finished garment.

Can you all over print on cotton?

Sublimation does not work on pure cotton, because the dye bonds with polyester fibres. Poly cotton blends work with a softer, more muted result, and cut and sew opens up a wider choice of fabrics. For a front or back print on cotton, screen printing, DTG or DTF are better choices.

Will an all over print crack or fade?

Never when done correctly. With sublimation the dye becomes part of the fabric rather than sitting on top of it, so the print will not crack or peel, and it has no feel on the garment.

Why do some all over printed shirts have white lines under the arms?

When a ready made garment is pressed flat, the fabric under the arms and around the seams can fold, and those folds stay white. Printing the fabric panels before the garment is sewn, as with cut and sew, gives full coverage and leaves no white lines.

What artwork do you need for all over printing?

Send high resolution artwork, ideally 300 dpi at full print size, that covers the whole area you want printed. Vectored artwork is best for logos and text. Our team checks every design against the garment template before anything is printed.

How long does all over printing take?

All over printing takes longer than our standard turnaround of six to seven business days, so allow extra time, especially for cut and sew. Your Account Manager will confirm your dates when you order.

What can be all over printed?

We all over print t-shirts, sports vests and tops, hoodies and sweatshirts, tote bags, along with tea and beach towels.

Do you send a proof before printing?

Yes. You get a free visual proof within 30 minutes of your order being confirmed, showing how your design looks on the front, back and sleeves, and nothing is pushed into production until you approve the visual proof.

Can our business pay on account?

Yes. Businesses, schools, charities and event organisers can apply for a credit account with 30 or 60 day terms through our client registration page.

Final Thoughts

All over printing turns the whole garment into your design. Sublimation gives bright, durable colour on polyester t-shirts, sportswear and accessories, and cut and sew gives complete coverage and a fully custom garment. Send high resolution artwork, keep key details away from the seams and plan ahead, and your clothing will stand out wherever it is worn.

Tell us about your idea and we will recommend the right method and send a free visual proof. Email hello@1worldprint.co.uk, call us on 0208 064 1315 or request a quote, and see what our customers say on Trustpilot.