When shopping for swimwear or activewear, you've probably noticed brands promoting "dye sublimation printing." At Berry Jane, most of our swim leggings, rash guards, and activewear are created using this printing process because it allows us to produce vibrant, long-lasting designs while reducing waste and environmental impact.
Like every manufacturing method, however, dye sublimation has both advantages and limitations. We believe in being transparent about how our products are made, so here's an inside look at why we choose sublimation and what you should know before purchasing.
What Is Dye Sublimation?
Dye sublimation is a printing process where special water-based dyes are printed onto transfer paper and then permanently infused into polyester fabric using high heat and pressure.
Instead of sitting on top of the fabric like traditional screen printing, the dye becomes part of the polyester fibers themselves. The result is a soft, breathable fabric with vibrant colors that won't crack, peel, or feel heavy.
Why We Choose Dye Sublimation
1. It's Much More Eco-Friendly
One of the biggest reasons we use sublimation is its environmental footprint.
Traditional textile dyeing is one of the largest consumers of freshwater in the fashion industry. Depending on the process, conventional dyeing can use up to 200 liters of water for every kilogram of fabric produced.
By comparison, dye sublimation is virtually waterless during the printing and transfer process.
Additional environmental benefits include:
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Significantly less water consumption
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Minimal chemical wastewater
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Less excess dye waste
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Reduced energy compared to many traditional dyeing methods
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Ability to print garments on demand, reducing overproduction and landfill waste
As a made-to-order company, this fits perfectly with our sustainability goals.
2. Unlimited Design Possibilities
Unlike traditional screen printing, which requires separate screens for each color, sublimation allows virtually unlimited colors in a single print.
That means we can create:
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Tropical florals
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Ocean-inspired artwork
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Detailed wildlife prints
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Watercolor effects
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Gradients and shadows
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Bright, saturated colors
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Photographic-quality artwork
Without sublimation, many of Berry Jane's signature prints simply wouldn't be possible.
3. The Print Won't Crack or Peel
Because the dye becomes part of the fibers instead of sitting on top of them:
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The print won't crack.
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It won't peel.
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It won't feel stiff.
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The fabric remains soft and stretchy.
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Colors stay vibrant much longer with proper care.
This makes sublimation especially well suited for swimwear and athletic apparel that stretch and move with your body.
The Drawbacks of Dye Sublimation
No manufacturing process is perfect, and dye sublimation has a few limitations that are worth understanding.
Dark Colors Can Show White Threads
One of the most common questions we receive is why black leggings sometimes appear to develop tiny white marks after use.
This is not the dye coming off.
Instead, it's a characteristic of sublimated polyester fabrics known in the textile industry as "grinning through."
Because sublimation is typically printed onto white polyester fabric, very dark prints can occasionally reveal lighter fibers when the knit stretches, shifts, or comes into contact with rough, abrasive surfaces. This effect is commonly referred to as "surface whitening" or "white-fiber show-through."
It is most noticeable on black and other dark-colored garments because the contrast between the printed surface and the white polyester fibers is greatest. If your activities involve frequent contact with rough surfaces such as rocks, concrete, textured pool decks, or sand, choosing lighter-colored prints may help make normal wear less noticeable over time.
While darker prints remain a customer favorite for their bold appearance and superior UPF performance, lighter colors are naturally more forgiving when it comes to visible surface abrasion.
Dark colors: Better UV absorption, dramatic appearance, but surface whitening is more visible.
Light colors: Hide abrasion better, but don't provide the same visual depth or UV absorption as darker shades.
What Is "Grinning Through"?
Most sublimated garments begin as white polyester fabric. During sublimation, the dye bonds primarily to the outside of each polyester fiber. The inside (or core) of the yarn remains white.
When the fabric is:
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stretched,
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creased,
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folded,
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rubbed against rough surfaces,
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or experiences abrasion,
the knit loops separate slightly or the fibers shift position, allowing tiny portions of the white fiber beneath the printed surface to become visible.
Because black provides the greatest contrast, these tiny white fibers are much easier to see than they would be on lighter-colored garments.
Rough Surfaces Can Make It More Noticeable
Surface whitening is most commonly seen after contact with rough or abrasive surfaces, including:
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Sand
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Concrete
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Rocks
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Textured pool decks
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Velcro
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Rough wood
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Brick
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Other coarse outdoor surfaces
This doesn't mean the garment is defective. Rather, it's a cosmetic effect that is most noticeable on very dark prints.
High-Stretch Areas
You may also notice slight whitening in areas that experience frequent stretching, such as:
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Knees
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Elbows
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Hips
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Seat
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Waistband edges
As the knit fabric stretches, tiny portions of the white yarn become more visible.
Is This Unique to Berry Jane?
No.
This is a characteristic shared by nearly all sublimated polyester apparel, regardless of brand. It is especially common in black leggings, athletic wear, cycling apparel, and performance swimwear across the industry.
Some manufacturers reduce the effect by using darker base fabrics or alternative printing methods, but those methods often sacrifice color vibrancy, design flexibility, softness, or environmental benefits.
Why We Continue to Use Sublimation
After weighing the pros and cons, we believe sublimation remains one of the best choices for our products.
It allows us to:
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Produce incredibly detailed artwork.
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Offer hundreds of unique prints without creating excess inventory.
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Reduce water consumption compared to traditional textile dyeing.
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Create soft, lightweight, comfortable garments.
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Produce long-lasting prints that won't crack or peel.
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Manufacture products on demand, reducing waste.
While surface whitening can occur on dark-colored garments over time, we believe the environmental benefits, print quality, and comfort make dye sublimation the best overall choice for our swimwear and activewear.
Transparency Matters
At Berry Jane, we're committed to helping customers understand not just what they buy, but how it's made.
Every manufacturing process involves trade-offs. Dye sublimation offers exceptional color, comfort, durability, and sustainability, with the primary limitation being that very dark prints can occasionally reveal the white polyester fibers beneath when stretched or exposed to abrasion.
We believe informed customers make happier customers, and we're proud to offer thoughtfully designed apparel that's made with both people and the planet in mind.
Sources and Further Reading
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Epson: How dye-sublimation printing works
Explains how heat and pressure turn the ink into a gas that becomes embedded in polyester, producing detailed and durable designs. -
Epson: A primer on digital textile-printing methods
Provides additional information about transfer printing, polyester fabrics, color quality, and the dye-sublimation process. -
European Environment Agency: Water use associated with textile consumption
Offers broader context on the textile industry’s water footprint. -
European Commission: Sustainable and Circular Textiles Strategy
Discusses the environmental impacts of textile production and the importance of reducing waste, water use, and resource consumption. -
OEKO-TEX: ECO PASSPORT certification standard
Explains the testing and certification framework for textile chemicals, colorants, and auxiliaries.