The Football Shirt Solvent Decision Tree

One wrong splash of solvent can permanently destroy a £100+ football shirt.

Pouring harsh chemicals onto sublimated fabric causes instant, irreversible background bleed. Using standard alcohol on vintage paint-based flock will leave you scrubbing until you gouge the polyester knit. And applying direct heat over exposed black DTF adhesive leaves an ugly, permanent shadow mark across the chest.

We built this diagnostic flowchart for our own restoration bench to take the guesswork out of chemical stripping. We are giving it away completely free so no collector, restorer, or reseller ever melts a kit again.

What You Can Diagnose in Seconds:

Step 1 & Step 2 Physical Inspection: How to run your fingers across the graphic to immediately categorize flush dyes, velvety pile, visible fabric weave, and smooth rubber finishes.
The Sublimation Red Alert: Visual signs that graphics are gas-infused directly into the polyester yarn—and why applying chemical solvents here is fatal for the jersey.
Standard Flock vs. Paint-Based Flock: How to identify rigid cardboard-backed flock (such as 1997–2006 Premier League Lextra) versus flexible paint flock, and why alcohol works on one but requires Paint Predator on the other.
Screen Print Extraction Protocol: How to dissolve and blot cured ink emulsion without tearing the delicate jersey knit.
Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) vs. Direct-to-Film (DTF): The crucial edge inspection test—distinguishing white/clear glue from bleed-blocking black adhesive backing, plus the exact solvents (VLR vs. DTF Remover) required for each.
The Master Solvent Reference Matrix: A complete quick-lookup table pairing every jersey print method with its primary chemical, secondary mop-up agent, and critical safety rules.

Hit the button below, enter your email, and download the full-resolution PDF instantly to your phone or desktop workshop setup.

The Football Shirt Solvent Decision Tree

One wrong splash of solvent can permanently destroy a £100+ football shirt.

What You Can Diagnose in Seconds:

Step 1 & Step 2 Physical Inspection: How to run your fingers across the graphic to immediately categorize flush dyes, velvety pile, visible fabric weave, and smooth rubber finishes.
The Sublimation Red Alert: Visual signs that graphics are gas-infused directly into the polyester yarn—and why applying chemical solvents here is fatal for the jersey.
Standard Flock vs. Paint-Based Flock: How to identify rigid cardboard-backed flock (such as 1997–2006 Premier League Lextra) versus flexible paint flock, and why alcohol works on one but requires Paint Predator on the other.
Screen Print Extraction Protocol: How to dissolve and blot cured ink emulsion without tearing the delicate jersey knit.
Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) vs. Direct-to-Film (DTF): The crucial edge inspection test—distinguishing white/clear glue from bleed-blocking black adhesive backing, plus the exact solvents (VLR vs. DTF Remover) required for each.
The Master Solvent Reference Matrix: A complete quick-lookup table pairing every jersey print method with its primary chemical, secondary mop-up agent, and critical safety rules.

Hit the button below, enter your email, and download the full-resolution PDF instantly to your phone or desktop workshop setup.