At OCEANR, we are passionate about creating premium, eco-friendly apparel that doesn’t come at the cost of a healthy planet. As a Certified B Corporation, we understand how important it is to consider every step of our production process and remain accountable and transparent throughout.
That’s why we carefully consider every step of the production process at our facility in Riga, Latvia. From our fabrics to our inks, we want to remain true to our value to minimise our harm to the ocean, which is one of the reasons why we often use sublimation printing. Sublimation printing is how OCEANR rash guards and other recycled polyester products achieve their vibrant, intricate, and long-lasting designs.
Sublimation strikes a balance between delivering premium results and aligning with our commitment to a sustainable business model. Click here to read all about our range of production techniques.
How Does Sublimation Printing Work?
Unlike traditional printing (which we also offer as a production option!) where ink sits on top of the fabric, sublimation printing involves some science.
🔹 The design is printed digitally: The selected design is printed onto transfer paper using unique sublimation inks.
🔹 Heat and pressure are applied: The printed transfer paper is then placed onto the appropriate location on the fabric (typically our recycled polyester fabrics). The fabric and transfer paper are then put into a heat press.
🔹 The “sublimation” happens: This is the exciting part! Under high heat and pressure, the sublimation inks on the transfer paper transform from a liquid state and turn directly into a gas.
🔹 The dye infuses the fibres: The gaseous dye infuses into into the polyester fibres of the fabric. As the fabric cools, the dye reverts to its solid form, becoming a permanent part of the fabric, not just resting on the surface, as with traditional printing.
Sublimation makes sense if you think of it like tattooing your clothes. The dye becomes truly embedded within the fibres, resulting in a durable and vibrant print that simply wouldn’t be achieved by traditional printing onto polyester material.
How is Sublimation Printing Sustainable?
Beyond the impressive visual results, OCEANR was drawn to sublimation printing due to its sustainable qualities, among which there are many:
🔹 Durability and longevity: Because sublimation dye becomes a part of the fabric, sublimation prints are highly durable. They resist cracking, peeling, and fading, even after countless washes. This means that sublimated OCEANR designs last for longer, reducing the need for replacements and therefore creating a more circular economy.
🔹 Vibrant, high-quality results: Sublimation printing allows for a wide-ranging colour palette, enabling OCEANR to produce complex designs with vibrant details. The colours are truly baked into a sublimated rash guard, ensuring longevity.
🔹 Softness: Since sublimation dye infuses into the fabric, there is no texture added to the print, as with traditional printing. The fabric retains its original softness and breathability, making OCEANR apparel comfortable to wear.
🔹 Reduced water usage: While not entirely water-free, sublimation printing significantly reduces the water consumption often required by a traditional fabric dyeing processes. The inks are dry until they gasify, so there is no need for washing and rinsing steps, as with other methods.
🔹 Minimised waste: Sublimation is so precise that it minimises our fabric cut offs which leads to less wasted materials in our production process.
🔹 No harmful chemicals: Did you know that sublimation inks are water-based? They are also free from many of the harsh solvents and chemicals often found in other printing methods, contributing to a safer working environment and less environmental pollution.
🔹 Ideal for recycled polyester: Last but certainly not least, sublimation printing works best on polyester fabrics. Recycled polyester is a key component of OCEANR’s sustainable materials. Using recycled polyester in our rash guards allows us to close the loop and ensure that our production process is truly sustainable from end-to-end.
The Future is Sublimated!
At OCEANR, we believe that looking and doing good should go hand-in-hand. Sublimation printing is a key technology that helps us to achieve our mission of producing premium, eco-friendly apparel for our brand partners.
By embracing this innovative and more sustainable printing method, we can continue to bring our brand partners stunning, long-lasting apparel that they can confidently wear, knowing that their clothing was created with style and the planet in mind.
Check out our recent blog on our favourite designs from the first half of 2025, where we showcase some fantastic uses of sublimation printing in bringing the visions of our brand partners to life.
We also compiled a list of our CEO’s favourite luxury retail products. Read it now to get inspired and start your own OCEANR collection today!
