Printed In, Not On: Why Kozii Prints Don’t Crack or Peel

 

We’ve all had one. The suit with the print that started cracking after a few weeks of chlorine. The logo that peeled at the edges. The design that felt stiff and plasticky every time it stretched.

That happens when the print sits on top of the fabric. Kozii prints don’t sit on top. They’re printed in, not on, and that small difference changes how your suit looks, feels and lasts.

On vs in: what’s the difference?

Most printed clothing is made in one of two ways.

Printed on. Screen printing, heat transfers and vinyl all put a layer of ink on the surface of the fabric. It looks fine on day one. But that layer is separate from the fabric underneath, so when the fabric stretches, the ink has to stretch with it. Over time, and especially with chlorine, salt and sun, it cracks, fades unevenly and peels away.

Printed in. Kozii prints are made with sublimation. The design is printed onto paper with special dyes, then pressed onto the fabric with heat. The heat turns the dye into a gas that goes into the fibres and bonds with them. When it cools, the colour is locked inside the fabric itself. There’s no layer on top, because the print is part of the fabric.

Printed on (screen print, transfer, vinyl):

• The colour sits in a layer on top of the fabric
• It can feel thick, stiff or raised
• It can crack or split when stretched
• Over time it can peel, flake or crack

Printed in (sublimation, the way Kozii prints):

• The colour sits inside the fibres
• It feels soft and smooth, like the fabric itself
• It moves with the fabric when stretched
• There’s nothing to peel off
• It prints full colour and fine detail, edge to edge

What it means for your suit

No cracking, no peeling. There’s nothing sitting on the surface to crack or lift, so your print stays whole through lap after lap.

It moves with you. Swimwear stretches every time you dive, turn or reach. A sublimated print stretches with the fabric instead of fighting against it.

It stays soft. You can’t feel the print, because there’s nothing to feel. The suit feels the same across the whole design.

Every detail shows. Sublimation can print full colour edge to edge, so our artists’ fine linework and colour blends come through exactly as they drew them.

An honest note on fading. No print lasts forever in chlorine. Pool chemicals, sunscreen and strong sun will slowly soften any colour over time. Because our colour is in the fibre rather than on it, it wears gradually and evenly, instead of cracking or peeling off in patches. The care tips below will help it last even longer.

Shop the set: Coco KT Top and Coco Brea Bottom.

Designed, printed and sewn in Australia

We’ve been making swimwear in Australia since 2003, and our prints are part of that story. Every Kozii print is designed, printed and sewn here, not shipped in from overseas.

Many of our prints are made with Australian artists. Renae Rowles brought soft spring blooms to Azalea. Cass Dellar painted Jamaica and Latina in her studio on the Noosa coast. Chloe Saddler’s Magarra celebrates Indigenous culture and connection to Country. Sublimation lets us print their artwork with every colour and every brushstroke, so what you wear is true to what they created.

The same suits are trusted by Diving Australia and by swimmers who train hard every week. A print that cracks after a season doesn’t belong on a suit built to last.

How to keep your print bright

A few small habits make a big difference to how long your colour lasts.

1. Rinse straight after every swim. Use cool, fresh water to get chlorine and salt out of the fibres as soon as you can.
2. Hand wash gently. Use cool water and a mild soap. Skip harsh detergents and bleach.
3. Don’t wring it out. Press the water out with a towel instead of twisting the fabric.
4. Dry it in the shade. Lay it flat or hang it out of direct sun. Never use the dryer.
5. Go easy on spas. Hot, heavily chlorinated water is the hardest thing on any swimsuit.
6. Let sunscreen dry first. Put it on before your suit, and give it a few minutes to soak in.

Quick answers

Will my Kozii print crack or peel?
No. The colour is inside the fibres, so there’s no surface layer to crack or peel.

Will it fade?
All swimwear fades slowly with chlorine, sun and sunscreen. Sublimated colour wears gradually and evenly, and good care keeps it bright for longer.

Can I feel the print?
No. It feels exactly like the rest of the fabric.

Is every print made this way?
Yes. All Kozii prints are sublimated, and they’re all designed, printed and sewn in Australia.

Find your print

A great print should last as long as the suit does. Ours are printed in, not on, so the colour you fall in love with is the colour you keep swimming in.

Shop the prints →