Why fake Brentford shirts can’t handle printing & personalisation
The Costly Mistake
You found a blank Brentford shirt online for a bargain. The plan is simple: take it to the club shop, get "DAMSGAARD 24" heat-pressed on the back, and you've got a personalised kit for a fraction of the price.
It seems like a smart move, but it’s a shortcut that almost always leads to a ruined shirt and wasted money.
The problem isn't just the shirt's authenticity; it's a matter of chemistry and physics. The professional printing process is a precise science, and counterfeit shirts are fundamentally incompatible with it.
This guide breaks down the technical reasons why that bargain shirt will fail the moment it meets the heat press.
A Foundation Built to Fail: The Science of the Press
Applying a name and number to a modern football shirt isn't as simple as ironing on a sticker. It involves a professional heat press that applies namesets at specific, high temperatures - often around 155°C (310°F) - with exact pressure to ensure the vinyl bonds perfectly with the fabric.
Official Brentford shirts from brands like Joma are engineered garments, made from high-quality polyester blends designed to be lightweight, breathable, and, crucially, durable enough to withstand this intense process.
Counterfeiters, however, prioritise profit over quality. They use cheap, generic synthetic materials that are not heat-resistant. When this inferior fabric is subjected to a heat press, the results are immediate and irreversible:
Scorching and Melting: The low-grade material can easily burn or melt, leaving a permanent shiny or stiff patch on the back of the shirt.
Dye Bleeding: The intense heat can cause the shirt's red dye to bleed into the white lettering of the nameset, creating a discoloured, messy finish.
The Application Breakdown: Why It Won't Stick
Even if the fabric survives the heat without melting, the nameset itself is destined for failure. The adhesive on official vinyl namesets is specifically formulated to bond with the unique weave and texture of an authentic jersey.
The cheap, often overly smooth or shiny surface of a fake shirt prevents this adhesive from forming a proper bond. This leads to a shoddy application from the very start, with common issues like bubbling, wrinkling, and parts of the letters and numbers failing to stick down properly.
Furthermore, you may find that reputable printers, like those at the official Brentford Shop, refuse to work on the shirt at all. Staff are often trained to spot fakes and will not risk damaging their expensive equipment with melting fabric or be associated with an inauthentic product.
The Durability Disaster: A Nameset on Borrowed Time
Let's say you manage to sneak your shirt through and get the nameset applied - the victory will be short-lived. The weak bond between the vinyl and the low-quality fabric means the printing is guaranteed to fail, often in spectacular fashion.
Fans who have gone down this route consistently report the same outcome: the nameset begins to peel, crack, or fall off entirely after just one or two gentle washes. It’s no secret, a peeling nameset makes a counterfeit shirt look even worse. Instead of a proud tribute to a club hero, you are left with a garment that screams "fake" far more loudly than a blank one ever could.
Don't Double Down on a Fake
The idea of personalising a cheap shirt is tempting, but it's an investment that is guaranteed to fail. You risk damaging the fabric, being turned away by printers, and ending up with a nameset that falls apart almost immediately. You are, in effect, throwing good money after bad.
An authentic shirt is an investment in quality that is built to last and holds its value. The only way to get a personalised shirt that looks professional and endures is to start with a genuine article.
Before you even think about printing, ensure the shirt itself is legitimate.
As part of our collaboration with Brentford FC, you can use the KitLegit app to verify any shirt, both physically and online. Don't compound one mistake with another - authenticate first, and wear your hero's name with pride on a shirt that's worthy of it.
The Costly Mistake
You found a blank Brentford shirt online for a bargain. The plan is simple: take it to the club shop, get "DAMSGAARD 24" heat-pressed on the back, and you've got a personalised kit for a fraction of the price.
It seems like a smart move, but it’s a shortcut that almost always leads to a ruined shirt and wasted money.
The problem isn't just the shirt's authenticity; it's a matter of chemistry and physics. The professional printing process is a precise science, and counterfeit shirts are fundamentally incompatible with it.
This guide breaks down the technical reasons why that bargain shirt will fail the moment it meets the heat press.
A Foundation Built to Fail: The Science of the Press
Applying a name and number to a modern football shirt isn't as simple as ironing on a sticker. It involves a professional heat press that applies namesets at specific, high temperatures - often around 155°C (310°F) - with exact pressure to ensure the vinyl bonds perfectly with the fabric.
Official Brentford shirts from brands like Joma are engineered garments, made from high-quality polyester blends designed to be lightweight, breathable, and, crucially, durable enough to withstand this intense process.
Counterfeiters, however, prioritise profit over quality. They use cheap, generic synthetic materials that are not heat-resistant. When this inferior fabric is subjected to a heat press, the results are immediate and irreversible:
Scorching and Melting: The low-grade material can easily burn or melt, leaving a permanent shiny or stiff patch on the back of the shirt.
Dye Bleeding: The intense heat can cause the shirt's red dye to bleed into the white lettering of the nameset, creating a discoloured, messy finish.
The Application Breakdown: Why It Won't Stick
Even if the fabric survives the heat without melting, the nameset itself is destined for failure. The adhesive on official vinyl namesets is specifically formulated to bond with the unique weave and texture of an authentic jersey.
The cheap, often overly smooth or shiny surface of a fake shirt prevents this adhesive from forming a proper bond. This leads to a shoddy application from the very start, with common issues like bubbling, wrinkling, and parts of the letters and numbers failing to stick down properly.
Furthermore, you may find that reputable printers, like those at the official Brentford Shop, refuse to work on the shirt at all. Staff are often trained to spot fakes and will not risk damaging their expensive equipment with melting fabric or be associated with an inauthentic product.
The Durability Disaster: A Nameset on Borrowed Time
Let's say you manage to sneak your shirt through and get the nameset applied - the victory will be short-lived. The weak bond between the vinyl and the low-quality fabric means the printing is guaranteed to fail, often in spectacular fashion.
Fans who have gone down this route consistently report the same outcome: the nameset begins to peel, crack, or fall off entirely after just one or two gentle washes. It’s no secret, a peeling nameset makes a counterfeit shirt look even worse. Instead of a proud tribute to a club hero, you are left with a garment that screams "fake" far more loudly than a blank one ever could.
Don't Double Down on a Fake
The idea of personalising a cheap shirt is tempting, but it's an investment that is guaranteed to fail. You risk damaging the fabric, being turned away by printers, and ending up with a nameset that falls apart almost immediately. You are, in effect, throwing good money after bad.
An authentic shirt is an investment in quality that is built to last and holds its value. The only way to get a personalised shirt that looks professional and endures is to start with a genuine article.
Before you even think about printing, ensure the shirt itself is legitimate.
As part of our collaboration with Brentford FC, you can use the KitLegit app to verify any shirt, both physically and online. Don't compound one mistake with another - authenticate first, and wear your hero's name with pride on a shirt that's worthy of it.
The Costly Mistake
You found a blank Brentford shirt online for a bargain. The plan is simple: take it to the club shop, get "DAMSGAARD 24" heat-pressed on the back, and you've got a personalised kit for a fraction of the price.
It seems like a smart move, but it’s a shortcut that almost always leads to a ruined shirt and wasted money.
The problem isn't just the shirt's authenticity; it's a matter of chemistry and physics. The professional printing process is a precise science, and counterfeit shirts are fundamentally incompatible with it.
This guide breaks down the technical reasons why that bargain shirt will fail the moment it meets the heat press.
A Foundation Built to Fail: The Science of the Press
Applying a name and number to a modern football shirt isn't as simple as ironing on a sticker. It involves a professional heat press that applies namesets at specific, high temperatures - often around 155°C (310°F) - with exact pressure to ensure the vinyl bonds perfectly with the fabric.
Official Brentford shirts from brands like Joma are engineered garments, made from high-quality polyester blends designed to be lightweight, breathable, and, crucially, durable enough to withstand this intense process.
Counterfeiters, however, prioritise profit over quality. They use cheap, generic synthetic materials that are not heat-resistant. When this inferior fabric is subjected to a heat press, the results are immediate and irreversible:
Scorching and Melting: The low-grade material can easily burn or melt, leaving a permanent shiny or stiff patch on the back of the shirt.
Dye Bleeding: The intense heat can cause the shirt's red dye to bleed into the white lettering of the nameset, creating a discoloured, messy finish.
The Application Breakdown: Why It Won't Stick
Even if the fabric survives the heat without melting, the nameset itself is destined for failure. The adhesive on official vinyl namesets is specifically formulated to bond with the unique weave and texture of an authentic jersey.
The cheap, often overly smooth or shiny surface of a fake shirt prevents this adhesive from forming a proper bond. This leads to a shoddy application from the very start, with common issues like bubbling, wrinkling, and parts of the letters and numbers failing to stick down properly.
Furthermore, you may find that reputable printers, like those at the official Brentford Shop, refuse to work on the shirt at all. Staff are often trained to spot fakes and will not risk damaging their expensive equipment with melting fabric or be associated with an inauthentic product.
The Durability Disaster: A Nameset on Borrowed Time
Let's say you manage to sneak your shirt through and get the nameset applied - the victory will be short-lived. The weak bond between the vinyl and the low-quality fabric means the printing is guaranteed to fail, often in spectacular fashion.
Fans who have gone down this route consistently report the same outcome: the nameset begins to peel, crack, or fall off entirely after just one or two gentle washes. It’s no secret, a peeling nameset makes a counterfeit shirt look even worse. Instead of a proud tribute to a club hero, you are left with a garment that screams "fake" far more loudly than a blank one ever could.
Don't Double Down on a Fake
The idea of personalising a cheap shirt is tempting, but it's an investment that is guaranteed to fail. You risk damaging the fabric, being turned away by printers, and ending up with a nameset that falls apart almost immediately. You are, in effect, throwing good money after bad.
An authentic shirt is an investment in quality that is built to last and holds its value. The only way to get a personalised shirt that looks professional and endures is to start with a genuine article.
Before you even think about printing, ensure the shirt itself is legitimate.
As part of our collaboration with Brentford FC, you can use the KitLegit app to verify any shirt, both physically and online. Don't compound one mistake with another - authenticate first, and wear your hero's name with pride on a shirt that's worthy of it.