Color Quality & Fade Resistance: How We Test Our Jerseys

Introduction: Why Color Quality Matters in Sportswear

Your team's colors represent identity and pride on the field. When baseball jerseys fade after a few games, that impact dies. At B1 Apparels, we test every jersey through five controlled stages before production. This guide shows you our exact testing methods and why our colors last 3-5 seasons while cheap jerseys fade in weeks.

What "Color Quality" Really Means in Modern Sports Jerseys

Color quality covers three measurable factors: depth (how rich the shade appears), accuracy (matching your exact team palette), and saturation (intensity that resists washing out). Professional jerseys maintain these through 100+ washes. Poor quality shows as streaking or rapid fading within 10-15 washes. We engineer ours to avoid both.

Our Color Testing Philosophy

B1 Apparels runs an in-house testing facility with textile engineers bringing 15+ years of sports apparel experience. We combine ASTM standards with real-world athletic conditions. Every batch gets verified in our lab, then field-tested with actual athletes. Our five-stage protocol simulates six months of wear in controlled conditions. Only materials passing our 90% color retention threshold reach production.

Step-by-Step: How We Test Fade Resistance

 

Color Technologies We Use at B1 Apparels

We use sublimation printing as our primary method. This bonds dye directly into fabric fibers at the molecular level. The color becomes part of the material—it can't peel, crack, or wash away.

For designs requiring extra vibrancy, we use high-density inks that create dimensional colors with superior coverage. These maintain intensity even on moisture-wicking fabrics.

Why our fabric pairing matters:

• Polyester blends engineered specifically for dye retention
• No cheap materials that release color molecules during washing
• Direct collaboration with mills to optimize textile-dye chemistry

The result: deep, accurate tones looking sharp after 100 games.

Lab Results vs. Real-Game Results 

We partner with amateur and semi-pro teams who wear our jerseys through full seasons, then return them for analysis. After 60+ washes, tournament play in harsh sun, and regular athletic stress, our jerseys retain over 92% of original color intensity. Players consistently report our jerseys "still look new" while competitors fade within weeks.

 

How long do your jersey colors actually last?
With proper care, our jerseys maintain over 90% color intensity through 100+ washes. Most teams use ours for 3-5 seasons before replacing for style updates rather than fading.

Can I wash jerseys with regular clothes?
Yes. Our dye-bonding process prevents bleeding. Separate dark and light colors for first few washes, use cold water and gentle cycles for best results.

Do you test every single color you offer?
Yes. Each color undergoes the complete five-stage testing protocol. Custom colors receive additional validation before production begins.

Will colors fade faster with outdoor sports?
No. Our UV stability testing addresses outdoor use specifically. Approved jerseys show minimal fading after equivalent exposure to two full outdoor seasons.

How does your printing method prevent fading?
Screen printing sits on fabric and wears away. Our sublimation converts dye into gas that penetrates and bonds with fibers permanently. The color becomes part of the material itself.