With sublimation printing, anything can be turned into something of beauty. Sublimation is the process of turning a solid into a gas, without it passing through a liquid state. Other applications for sublimation include freeze-drying food, and the manufacturing of some medicines and cosmetics.
Here we’re focusing on sublimation printing, or dye sublimation, where certain types of ink are used to add images to fabrics such as polyester. Learn more about this innovative artistic process in this article, and find out the advantages for consumers, printers, and retailers.
What is Dye Sublimation?
Dye sublimation is a printing technique that allows you to transfer images onto fabric. The image is first printed onto special paper using sublimation ink. The paper is then placed onto the fabric and run through a heat press, where the heat and pressure cause the ink to turn into a gas and bond with the fabric’s fibers. This creates a permanent, durable image that won’t fade or crack over time.
Benefits of Dye Sublimation
Are you looking to add a personal touch to your outfits or home décor? Maybe you want to create a one-of-a-kind gift for a loved one. Sublimation is widely used on clothing, especially sportswear, and also accessories and other products. Whatever you’re printing on, sublimation can turn it into fine art.
Why does it work so well? Let’s have a look at the benefits of dye sublimation.
Simplicity
The process is surprisingly simple, and is quick and easy for printers to learn. Sublimation is easier than screen printing, or other techniques like tie-dye, it’s also fast. This means you’re more likely to find local and affordable printers.
Once you have all the necessary equipment, there is no initial outlay with sublimation– the cost per unit is the same whether you make one or a hundred. So it’s a great way to make custom gifts for friends and family, and show off your creativity.
The required equipment is not the most expensive, compared with DTG printing for example, and the maintenance of the printer is fairly simple and cheap.
Versatility
Sublimation is one of the very few printing methods that can be used on both hard surfaces and fabrics. So you can create custom clothing, as well as mugs, pens, umbrellas, almost anything you like.
There are some limitations though. When it comes to fabric, the material must be over two-thirds polyester, and should ideally be 100%. This is one reason the method is so popular for sports clothing. Hard surfaces must have a polyester coating to be printed on. Fortunately, many companies sell blank products like this, specifically with sublimation printing in mind.
Another drawback is that you don’t always get the best results when printing on dark surfaces, sometimes it’s best to first bleach the printing area.
Results
The results of sublimation are stunning when done well. The range of colors you can use is unlimited, and you can print over large areas, or entire garments if you want– Hawaiian shirts are usually made with dye sublimation.
The dye also fuses with the fabric, as opposed to other transfer methods, which create a layer on top. This means that your designs won’t crack over time, and can’t be scratched off. Long-term, sublimation is far superior to most other printing methods.
What Equipment Do You Need?
If you’re thinking about trying your hand at sublimation, you’ll need to gather some supplies first:
- A sublimation printer large enough to accommodate the items you want to print on.
- Sublimation ink. It’s a special ink, regular ink won’t work.
- A heat source, such as a heat press. Which you choose will depend on what you’re printing on, and your budget.
- Heat tape, or something else to keep the design in place.
- Sublimation paper. Again, this is a special kind of paper.
- Butcher paper to stop the ink getting where you don’t want it.
- Some gloves that protect you from the heat, without limiting dexterity too much.
You also need your canvas, or sublimation blanks– Polyester-coated items onto which you’ll be pressing your designs. Mugs, phone cases, or a simple blank t-shirt are all popular choices for sublimation projects.
Regarding fabrics, polyester is the best choice, but sublimation can also be done on jute. The fabric must be tight-knit, for the dye to hold properly. Polyester is common in sports clothing, and all kits for sports teams are usually made with dye sublimation.
How Does Dye Sublimation Work?
As we’ve mentioned, the process of sublimation is relatively simple, once you’ve got everything you need. First, you’ll need to choose your design. With modern design and image editing software, anyone can create their own designs these days. If you’d prefer not to, you can find artwork from someone else, but be careful of copyrighted images, especially if you’re a business.
Once you have your design, print it onto the transfer paper according to the package directions. Make sure to mirror your image. Next, cut out your design so that it’s the same size as your piece of fabric. Place the fabric on the heat press, then place the transfer paper on top of the fabric and fix it with some thermal adhesive band.
Close the heat press and let it do its job. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a beautiful piece of art ready to hang up or wear proudly. Wash your items in cold water first, or the color might not come out as well.
The Best Blank Apparel Supplier
For individuals, it’s important to find a good supplier for your blank apparel, to make sure you get quality blank apparel for a good price. For businesses, this is absolutely crucial. We might be a little biased on this one, but here’s why Wordans is the best.
We have an unparalleled variety. You can get sublimation t-shirts and other clothing, along with accessories, and a huge number of other products which are compatible with sublimation printing. We offer a wide range of colors, sizes and materials, and cater to all budgets.
We have no minimum order value. Our scaled pricing means you can pick up one item for a great price, but if you order many, you pay less for each. For really large orders, get in touch with our sales team, who’ll make sure you get the best deal possible.
Ready to Take It to the Next Level?
Personalizing apparel using the dye sublimation technique can be a fun and cheap process. You don’t need much technical knowledge, but you should be (or recruit) a skillful graphic designer to make your designs. You can create unique products and gifts for your friends, your customers, or just yourself.
It’s not the only printing method worse considering – check out this guide for more information on some of the others – but it does have some unique advantages. Whatever you settle on, we hope you have fun bringing your unique designs to life.
We hope this article has inspired you to try sublimation printing, and we wish you good luck in your endeavors. Wordans is always here for any blank apparel and accessory needs you have, so take a look at our website to see our full range. If you’re not ready to start printing yet, we can take care of that too with our custom tool. If you need more ideas, follow our Instagram @wearewordans.
