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Built to Last, Designed to Impress: The Manufacturing Power Behind Our Gear
- DAB Marketing
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 7
When you wear Dab gear, you're not just wearing a shirt. You’re wearing a statement. A piece of engineered apparel built from the inside out for professionals who live and work in harsh environments—like pressure washing, soft washing, exterior cleaning, and field services.
So let’s peel back the curtain on what makes our gear different—and why it performs better than 90% of what's being worn in the field.
The Secret Is in the Process: Dye-Sublimation Explained
This isn’t your average screen-printed tee.
Dye-sublimation is a high-tech printing process that permanently fuses your design into the fabric itself. It’s not ink sitting on top of the material—it’s ink becoming part of the material.
Here’s How It Works:
Design – We start by creating a digital design and printing it onto a special transfer paper using sublimation-specific ink.
Heat & Pressure – The printed paper is placed on a polyester garment and exposed to extreme heat (usually around 400°F) and pressure. At this stage, the ink transforms into a gas.
Penetration – The gas literally penetrates the polyester fibers, bonding at the molecular level.
Cooling & Locking – As the garment cools, the fibers close and lock in the ink permanently.
The result? The design becomes part of the garment. It won’t fade, peel, or crack—because it’s not on top of the material… it is the material.
Why This Matters in the Real World
Let’s talk shop. If you’re in pressure washing or soft washing, you already know your work environment is a battlefield:
Chemicals
Bleach
Harsh detergents
Sun exposure
Sweat, grime, and gear abuse
Traditional screen-printed or vinyl gear doesn’t last in pressure washing or exterior field work like landscaping, roofing, cleaning, etc. After a few jobs, the logo fades, the ink cracks, and your team looks like they rolled up in hand-me-downs.
Sublimated gear? It doesn’t blink.
Built for work. Ready for War.
Because the ink is part of the fabric, sublimated gear stands up to:
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
Degreasers
Citric acid cleaners
Daily sun exposure
High-heat washing and repeat wear
This is why our gear holds color even when you’re working in the worst conditions possible.
Of course our shirts are not indestructible. When dealing with concentrated or raw chemicals always wear PPE and if you do spill, rinse right away.
The Manufacturing Difference: What It Takes to Build Field-Ready Apparel
1. Material Matters
We don’t print on cheap cotton blends. Sublimation only works on polyester—and we source high-quality, breathable, stretch-resistant fabrics and products designed for comfort and long-term performance in the field.
Polyester is the key because of how it reacts with the sublimation dye. It opens up under heat, accepts the dye, then seals it in like a vault.
🔬 Polyester Offers UV Protection
Polyester is a tightly woven synthetic fiber, which makes it naturally more resistant to UV penetration than looser, natural fabrics like cotton or linen.
UPF Rating: Uncoated polyester can naturally offer UPF 15–30, depending on the thickness and weave.
Enhanced Protection: When combined with dark colors or UV-reflective treatments, polyester fabrics can reach UPF 50+, which is considered excellent protection by dermatological standards. Our UV Sun Shirts are the best for those working in the sun daily.
💡 What That Means in the Field
For pressure washing, soft washing, and exterior cleaning crews working in direct sun:
Polyester shirts don’t just wick moisture and resist chemicals—they also help block UV rays.
That adds a layer of skin protection, which is crucial on all-day outdoor jobs.
2. Precision Printing
The colors you see? Those come from high-resolution sublimation printers that lay down ink so precise, it rivals photo quality. This lets us go full-color, full-coverage, full detail—without adding any thickness or stiffness to the shirt.
3. Cut & Sew
Once your design is sublimated, it moves to cut and sew. That’s right—every garment is constructed after it's been printed. No two are exactly alike, and every panel is made to spec.
This gives you:
Full edge-to-edge designs.
Seam-to-seam logos and gradients.
Tailored fit for real-world movement.
Field-Tested by the People Who Use It
We're not sitting in an office guessing what contractors need. Our gear is battle-tested by real crews, real cleaners, and real business owners who spend 8–12 hours a day spraying down concrete, siding, roofs, pavers, and commercial buildings.
Ask anyone who’s rocked Dab gear:
“I used to replace shirts every quarter. Now I don’t even think about it. The color and gear holds up, and we look like a real team when we show up.”
For Pressure Washing Pros: This Is the New Standard
If you’re still wearing cheap bleach stained gear, it’s time to upgrade.
Here’s what sublimated uniforms do for your business:
Protect Your Brand – Your logo stays sharp, visible, and professional.
Boost Morale – Your crew feels better wearing high-performance gear.
Save Money – No more reordering shirts every month.
Look Legit – Clients notice when your team shows up unified and clean.
Final Word: Designed for the Field, Backed by Manufacturing Mastery
At Dab, we don’t just slap logos on shirts. We design workwear for the people who build, clean, and grind every day. Our gear is made using the best processes in apparel manufacturing—because we believe how you show up matters.
Sublimated. Durable. Field-Ready. Professional.
This isn’t just merch.
It’s your brand—worn with pride.
Ready to upgrade?
Check out our Custom Gear Collection and outfit your crew like the pros they are. No minimums. No design fees. Just gear that works as hard as you do.
Are you a Dye Sublimation Vendor?
We are always looking for new manufacturers to work with that can help meet our customers needs. We are always looking to bring on better and new products, especially those in the United States. If you are a Dye Sublimation Vendor who is looking to expand, reach out to us, let's chat!
