Sourcing sublimated team sports kits from China
Custom sublimated team kits from China are printed onto polyester before cutting, so the artwork, colours and size run must be approved before production. Knitted shirts, shorts and socks of synthetic fibres each showed 12% UK duty on 26 October 2026, and every garment needs a fibre composition label.
Products and search terms
sublimated team kit, custom football kit, sublimated rugby shirt, netball dress, teamwear, custom sports jersey
How sublimated kit is made, and why it matters
In dye sublimation the design is printed on transfer paper and pressed into polyester fabric with heat, usually before the panels are cut and sewn. Colour goes into the fibre rather than sitting on top, so the print does not crack, but it only works well on polyester-rich fabric and light base colours.
Because the print happens before cutting, a mistake in the artwork, a colour or the size split is printed into every panel. Approve a printed strike-off or a full sample for the design before production, and lock the size run and player list in writing. For the inks and transfer paper themselves see dye sublimation inks.
Artwork, colours, names and numbers
Send vector artwork with Pantone references and a mock-up for each garment. Ask for a photographed printed sample next to the Pantone references in daylight, because screen colours do not match fabric. Agree how names and numbers are produced (sublimated into the panel, or heat-applied afterwards) and send the player list as a spreadsheet with size per name.
A grassroots club owns its crest, but sponsor logos and any third-party brand need the owner's permission. Ask your club or sponsor for written authorisation before the factory prints them.
Labels and duty
Textile products must carry their fibre composition when made available on the market, on a durable, legible label that is securely attached, under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 as it applies in Great Britain. Ask the factory to sew in composition and care labels, and agree whose name appears on them.
Kit items are classified by garment. The UK Trade Tariff API, read on 26 October 2026, shows 12% on each of the lines below and no anti-dumping measure on China. Shirts can fall under T-shirt or jersey headings depending on construction; see knitted football jerseys and finding your commodity code.
| Item | Commodity code | Third-country duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knitted shirts and tops of man-made fibres (T-shirt type) | 6109902000 | 12% | None shown |
| Men's or boys' knitted shorts of synthetic fibres | 6103430000 | 12% | None shown |
| Knitted socks of synthetic fibres (other) | 6115969900 | 12% | None shown |
Sizing, inspection and timing
Ask for the size chart with garment measurements, not just S to XXL, and order a size set if the team has not worn this factory's cut before. Junior and women's cuts differ from men's, so treat them as separate patterns.
At pre-shipment inspection, check print alignment across seams, colour against the approved sample, names and numbers against the player list, measurements on each size, stitching, labels and packing by player or by size. Allow for the Chinese New Year shutdown if the kit is for a season start.
Cambridge China Bridge handles small team orders through small orders and club or league ranges through product development.
Frequently asked questions
Can sublimation be printed on cotton kit?
Dye sublimation works on polyester-rich fabric. Cotton does not take the dye in the same way, so sublimated kit is normally polyester.
What duty applies to team kit from China?
Knitted synthetic shirts, shorts and socks each showed 12% UK duty on 26 October 2026, with no anti-dumping duty. Check the code for each item.
Can the factory print our sponsor's logo?
Only with the sponsor's permission. A club owns its own crest, but third-party logos need written authorisation from the brand owner.