Common questions
Everything you need to know about dye-sublimation, full-bleed printing, double-sided tiers, and NubaySoft 2.0 fabric.
Dye-sublimation uses heat and pressure to convert solid dye into gas, which bonds directly into the polyester fiber of the blanket. The color becomes part of the fabric itself rather than a layer sitting on top. That is why a sublimated print cannot crack, peel, or flake the way screen print or vinyl can.
Cracking and peeling happen when a printed layer on the surface of fabric flexes, folds, or goes through the wash. Sublimation has no surface layer: the dye is inside the fiber. There is no edge to lift and no film to crack, so the print lasts as long as the blanket does.
Screen printing pushes plastisol ink through a stencil onto the surface, where it cures as a thin plastic layer. It works for simple logos but cracks along fold lines, fades with washing, limits the print area, and adds a stiff, plasticky feel. Sublimation covers the entire blanket edge to edge in unlimited colors with no change to softness.
Vinyl is a cut film glued to the fabric with heat, effectively a sticker. Edges lift and peel over time, especially after laundering, and it only suits small flat-color logos. Sublimation supports full-coverage photographic artwork and has no edges to fail.
Full-bleed means the artwork runs past the trim line so the finished blanket has color to every edge: no white margins, no print box. Backgrounds, gradients, and photos cover the entire face of the blanket.
Yes, on our upper tiers. D-Luxe Plus and Swanky Blankey are printed full-bleed on both faces. You can run different artwork on each side or a coordinated reverse. Lite Plus, Ultra Plus, and D-Luxe are single-sided with a plush solid reverse.
NubaySoft 2.0 is the plush fabric developed by Spectator Sport USA that every tier is printed on. Its 120-denier fiber is fine enough to resolve small text, thin linework, and smooth gradients, and it takes dye evenly so large color fields print without blotching. It also stays soft after pressing. There is no stiff print panel. The sizing and fabric guide at spectatorsport.com/learn/sizing-fabric-guide covers it in depth.
Pricing depends on tier and quantity. Most projects land in a broad $30 to $90 all-in range per blanket, and high-volume runs go as low as $30.98 per blanket (Lite Plus at 500+ pieces). Request a quote with your quantity and we will price your exact spec.
Wholesale runs start at 72 units. If you need a smaller quantity or want to avoid buying inventory at all, a presale program through our sister site fundraiserblanket.com lets your community order individually with no minimum to you.
Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG) print sharpest. High-resolution PNG or JPG at 300 DPI at print size also works, and photos are welcome. Sublimation reproduces photographic detail well. For full-bleed designs, extend backgrounds past the trim edge. You can also build your layout yourself in the free design tool at spectatorsport.com/design.
Machine wash cold, tumble dry low, the same as any plush blanket. Because the color is bonded inside the fiber, normal laundering will not lift, crack, or fade the print.
PrintedBlanket.com is a Spectator Sport USA property. Spectator Sport USA is a sports gear and equipment company based in Murray, Utah, and custom blankets are its flagship product line. The same team runs sister sites for schools, fundraising, senior gifts, and mascot design, including fundraiserblanket.com (singular), which is unrelated to the similarly named plural-domain company.
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