What your design looks like printed
Printed is the one construction that reproduces the preview almost exactly — unlimited colours, real gradients, photographic detail. So this comparison runs the other way: here is the same artwork printed, and what it would become in thread.
Design a patch free
Drag the handle to compare. Rendered for illustration — every real order is proofed and approved before production.
What comes through
- Gradients stay smooth — no banding, no stepping
- Photographic detail, fine text and thin lines all survive
- Unlimited colours, including exact brand colour matching
- Merrowed border, so it still reads as a patch rather than a sticker
What changes
- No thread texture — the surface is flat and smooth to the touch
- Some uniform programmes require embroidery and will not accept printed
- Maximum size is smaller than embroidered (up to about 7 inches)
Printed / Sublimated limits, in numbers
These are the physical floors of the process. Anything in a design below them is thickened, merged or dropped — which is the single biggest reason a produced patch differs from a preview.
Common questions
Will my printed / sublimated patch look exactly like the AI design?
Printed is the one construction that reproduces the preview almost exactly — unlimited colours, real gradients, photographic detail. So this comparison runs the other way: here is the same artwork printed, and what it would become in thread. Our team redraws every design for production and you approve that artwork before anything is manufactured.
How many colours can a printed / sublimated patch have?
Unlimited. Full-colour dye sublimation.
What is the smallest text that works on a printed / sublimated patch?
About 0.08". Limited by the weave, not the process.
Can a printed / sublimated patch reproduce a gradient?
Full. Reproduced smoothly, as designed.
