Specs, Standards, and the Inspection Sheet
What "premium" actually means at Empire Five Athletics — the fabric weights we use, the construction standards we hold, and the multi-point inspection every piece walks through before it leaves Sialkot.
Quality Is a Checklist, Not a Slogan
Anyone can write "premium quality" on a banner. We measure ours: fabric weight against spec, stitch integrity at stress seams, color match against the approved mockup, wash-cycle durability of every decoration method. Below is exactly what we test and what we hold ourselves to — published, not promised.
The Fabrics We Stand Behind
Every spec sheet on every product page traces back to these four standard fabrics. We don't substitute mid-run — if a mill ships variance, we reject the lot, not pass it on.
Polyester Interlock
Game-day jerseys, weight tuned per sport. Lighter for soccer (around 160 GSM), heavier for football and basketball. Moisture-wicking, breathable, accepts full dye sublimation cleanly.
Polyester Mesh
Reversible mesh tanks. Lightweight, open-knit ventilation, dual-color flip without seam show-through.
Polyester Tricot
Warm-up jackets and pants. Smooth outer face takes sublimation, soft inner finish, drape that survives a season.
Cotton-Poly Fleece
Hooded sweatshirts. Brushed-fleece interior. Embroidery is the recommended decoration method on this fabric (see honest specs note below).
The Five-Step Inspection on Every Piece
No piece reaches the shipping carton without passing all five checks. Documented in the production log so we can trace any defect back to the exact cutter, stitcher, or sublimation operator on that shift.
Fabric weight spot-check
Random pieces pulled from the run get a fabric-weight measurement (g/m²) against spec. Mills occasionally ship 5–10% variance; we reject anything outside that tolerance.
Color match to approved mockup
Every finished piece compared side-by-side against the mockup you signed off on. Pantone references on file. If a print panel reads off-tone, the piece is reprinted — not shipped and apologized for later.
Stitch integrity at stress seams
Inspectors pull-test the load-bearing seams — shoulder, armhole, hem, side panel. Double-needle stitching verified at every junction. Single-needle work on stress seams is a rejection.
Name & number accuracy
Each piece cross-checked against your roster file. Name spelling, number assignment, size label. The most common returns we prevent are the avoidable ones — misspelled players, swapped numbers, mismatched sizes.
Final pack with roster manifest
Pieces individually folded, poly-bagged, and labeled with the player name where custom-sized. Roster manifest enclosed in the carton so locker-room hand-off is one step, not three.
How Long the Decoration Lasts — in Numbers
Sublimation prints are dye-bonded into the fibers, not painted on top. Here's what that delivers in lab and locker-room testing.
What We Disclose Upfront
Sublimation on cotton-poly fleece: on hoodies and fleece outerwear (60/40 or 80/20 cotton-poly), sublimation dye only bonds to the polyester fibers — colors come out slightly softer than on 100% polyester jerseys. We recommend embroidery as the primary decoration on these garments.
Sublimation at major seams: on long-sleeve and hooded garments, the print slightly fades at major construction seams (under-arm, hood seam). This is normal across the dye-sub industry — we mention it so it's not a surprise.
Custom-cut sizes: garments cut to a player's specific measurements can't be returned or exchanged — confirm sizing during mockup approval.
Embroidery on stretch zones: we avoid embroidery on high-stretch fabric (compression shorts, performance leggings) to prevent stitch popping. Sublimation handles the same area cleanly.
Inspect Our Quality Before You Commit
Order a single fully-decorated sample at the tier-1 piece rate — same fabric, same stitching, same QC as a bulk order. Sample fee credits toward your final invoice.
Request a Sample