Our PrintPerfect 600S printer with Reveal Sublimation Series Inks is the only sublimation printer you will ever need. If you’re happy with a poly-blend material – we recommend around 85% poly – then this really is the future of fabric printing. The image is first infused onto the source printing paper, leaving little mess and making the whole process quick and easy for dye sublimation printing. A general rule of thumb here is that if the fabric is man-made, you can probably use dye-sublimation to transfer your designs. Digital fabric printing radically changed the textile and fashion design industries in the late 1980’s with the introduction of sublimation printing in the 1990’s taking the impact up a few notches. 2. Before we get our hands dirty with the details of the fabrics listed above, let’s establish a quick and easy rule for you to follow. What is Sublimation Printing? If you are already a customer, then you will already know what sublimation printing is, and how to do it, but this page contains information for anyone in the process of learning about the process. There are two aspects of this DTG printing. Specialized coatings, like, Dye-sublimation is a very rewarding industry, but it is one that comes with a. Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer Review – SG1000 Best Sublimation Printer in 2021? Some sublimation printers include software necessary in setting up what will be printed out. The polyester fibers in fabric are often much smaller than their natural fiber counterparts, and can easily come un-done, making the material less comfortable (this is usually called pilling - if you look at an athletic or dry-fit shirt in your closet, you may notice little pill bundles appearing on the edge of the fabric). This design is fully infused into the fibers or material that you are printing on which means that it won’t fade or crack over time. It can absorb and fix water sublimation ink through special dyeing, qualitative and finishing processing, and transfer the ink from the one side to the other side of the fabric, thinner fabric Can … This is usually due to not setting the transfer paper correctly, causing it to be folded over or become wet. Businesses and home designers use this style of printing when creating graphics on clothing, as well as signage, home decorations, company exhibits, and personal items such as coasters, coffee mugs, and keyrings. One can print a personal work of art, a customized logo, a family picture, or any design desired for use onto the paper like they do with office paper. Grin through: Sublimation printing does not use a traditional wet process. This type of press is versatile and also suits printing on apparel. Essentially, in dye sublimation, you convert ink to a solid by using heat to transfer the dye onto various materials, including fabric, metals, and plastic. One must use their best judgement when choosing a design to appear on a shirt. Heat transfer can be used on a wider variety of fabrics and is less expensive, but the result won’t look as vibrant as when sublimation is used. Suppliers will usually give you a rough idea of where they believe the ideal sublimation temperature is - but it is worthwhile to double check these temperatures for your own prints. You won’t have to worry about colors becoming costly, either, like you would with screenprinting. If, however, you’re looking to print something that’s intended on being kept for a lengthy duration, and plan on washing it to keep it in pristine condition, then dye sublimation is the best bet. Sublimation printing is a technique that uses heat sensitive inks. The heat press pad can provide extra covering for the glass, but this isn’t required. There is a major drawback to polyester though; not a people love polyester. The main difference with vinyl is that it’s used on products that are cut in shapes. If sublimating on just little items, such as creating a design on handheld kitchenware, a small heat press would be suggested. The term dye-diffusion is the factually correct term. Dye sublimation printing will give you the longest lasting color in your fabric of any type of printing available on fabric. So if you are using a low polyester count fabric, then your design won’t transfer completely to the material. Since the ink becomes part of the structure of the material, the images on the fabric don’t fade or crack - even after multiple washing. Lean Sublimation is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. There are no inks drying to the printed object. There are unique outcomes for the wide range of options available. Additionally, because the dye converts from a liquid to a gas, the design on the fabric is entirely smooth to the touch. Many people in the industry opt to use blended materials containing nylon, lycra, spandex, and tons of other materials. The field of what can be printed on is also more fast compared to screen printing. “All-over” designs where a pattern or image covers the entire print are a popular option when using this process, as it’s easy to do. When that proved to be incorrect, it was too late to change the name due to its popularity. Often times, the materials will have lower burning temperatures than natural fibers. Well-made heat presses can cost from $150 to $500, and the sublimation paper used for the printer can be worth over $100 depending on how much you need. While the heat press used for fabrics and other flatter surfaces is a flatbed press, if a 3D object is being sublimated printed on, an oven press would be required instead. While this opens the door for more fabrics, like cotton, screen printing isn’t typically done on more rigid surfaces, such as mugs or textured tiles. We hope to help you improve you and your dye-sublimation needs. Depending on the size, more than one vinyl product can be printed at once and cut separately. Popular sublimation printer brands include Mimaki, Mutoh, and Durst. This gas bonds with the polyester molecules, dying the molecules in order to transfer our designs. 100% Polyester Sublimation Fabric can be purchased in 1m, 5m, 10m or 50m lengths. In this printing process, the dye transitions between the solid and gas states without going through a liquid state and attaches only onto the polyester threads. The dyes in the sublimation ink are able to bond with polyester molecules, allowing you to transfer your designs with the highest quality. It is definitely worth exploring if it is something you are interested in, but there are other transfer methods that may be more worth your while for transferring your high quality designs. Just a few years ago, these sublimation machines would be very expensive. This is especially true with apparel and bedding, as they can be washed on a regular basis without fear of distorting their appearance. These materials can burn easily, and you should make sure all of your settings are dialed in before pushing these out to your customers. Using aluminum or metal items can create a very dynamically printed image. Sublimation Printing, Short & Simple Guide. Polyester is considered to be a little more uncomfortable, and itchy to a ton of people - and can sometimes survive less wash cycles than cotton and other natural fibers. One with an 8-color setting is recommended. One must keep in mind that the sides will be visible and also need to be printed on with either a continuation of the front image or a repeat of the same image. One helpful tip would be to use lower heating temperatures. One would also need a sewing machine for hemming the material. The heat press needs to be used carefully. For larger printers for mass production, they can cost up to $10,000. The vinyl sublimation process is done almost the same as with other materials. Texart dye-sublimation printers are tailor-made for customizing polyester sportswear fabrics and apparel. While dye sublimation printers are made for household as well as professional use, they can cost around $300 for a small home one and can go up to $600 for a more high-end product. This type of machine was designed for sublimating on surfaces that aren’t flat, opening the field of printing to a wider range of products. JSubli Textile is a professional and experienced manufacturer of sublimation fabric products,Sublimation Blankets,Pillow Cases ,Sublimation Towels,Canvas Like Fabric,Linen Collection,Sublimation Socks . In fact, it’s straight-up not good. Saad Sublimation specializes in digital garment printing, also commonly known as direct to garment printing. – The Ultimate Guide (2020), https://www.rolanddga.com/blog/2016/06/02/22/42/3-things-you-should-know-about-dye-sublimation, https://itnh.com/blog/dye-sublimation-printer-need-to-know/, https://www.asicentral.com/news/sponsoredby/itnh-inc/everything-you-need-to-know-about-dye-sublimation-printing/, https://www.heattransferwarehouse.com/blog/what-is-dye-sublimation, https://magicard.com/knowledge-centre/what-is-dye-sublimation-printing/, https://www.coastalbusiness.com/blog/heat-transfer-paper-vs-sublimation.html, https://a-e-mag.com/features/glass-decoration-sublimation-clear-choice, https://www.kite.ly/blog/understanding-how-sublimation-printing-works/, https://plasticsdecorating.com/uncategorized/2018/a-look-at-two-different-print-technologies-dye-sublimation-and-uv/, https://dyetrans.com/products.php?webmaincat=sub_prods&websubcat=gallery-wraps, http://www.sublimationstar.com/content/90-a-new-sublimation-printing-application-sublimation-wood-printing, https://www.bestblanks.com/blog/sublimation/on-acrylic/, https://www.dyesublimationsupplies.co.uk/categories.php?category=Sublimation-Acrylic, https://specialtymaterials.com/how-to-sublimate-heat-transfer-vinyl/, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/possible-sublimate-nylon-lily-albert, Halloween Origins: The History of Halloween, Sexuality Flags & LGBT+ Symbols: The Ultimate Pride Guide, Drive by Birthday Party: How to Celebrate During COVID-19, How to Get Wrinkles Out of Vinyl Backdrops: 4 Easy Steps. While the name might make the process seem complicated and techy, it’s actually quite simple to understand. Nylon 6 is the type that is most commonly used for textiles. Our print and transfer process ensures that the various fabrics we use retain their drape and soft feel. Cutting should be done close to the edges of the print. If you are interested in using other materials, such as nylon, lycra, or spandex, make sure to test your materials beforehand! So spoiler alert, cotton is not the greatest material for dye-sublimation. SUBLIMATION PRINTING is a printing method for transferring images from sublimation paper onto a piece of fabric or material by using pressure and heat. Sublimation printing, also well-known as dye sublimation printing, is the process to transfer high-quality images onto a variety of fabrics. Another benefit of this type of printing is that you’re not limited to fabrics. Sublimation printing is arguably one of the best and most effective printing methods available today. But, for the most part, sublimation is the better option in most cases. You print the design on paper, place the paper onto the fabric and feed it through a calendar. For harder material, such as floor tiles and similar home décor, a flatbed heat press would be recommended for sublimation. I promise, it will be ok! A Complete Epson WF-7720 Review – Is the WF-7720 a Great Sublimation Printer? Other required products include a heat press and printing paper, which can significantly bring up the cost. All of the information you need to know is available right here in this comprehensive guide. Since glass can break easily, it is important that more caution is taken when using dye sublimation printing. Sublimation for Beginners – 9 of the most common Sublimaion FAQs, Is Sublimation Eco-Friendly? This often applies to products that use sticky adhesive, such as wall and floor decals. As long as you have the tools and materials the process is straight forward with little chance for failure. The ink is first printed in a mirror image style of special paper, and then the dye is transferred under heat & pressure to penetrate the inside of the fabric. The sublimation name was first applied because the dye was considered to make the transition between the solid and gas states without going through a liquid stage. Woven: More durable products such as fabric backdrops and, 3 Things You Should Know About Dye-Sublimation, 5 Things You Need to Know About Dye Sublimation Printers, Everything You Need to Know About Dye Sublimation Printing, Glass Decoration with Sublimation: A Clear Choice, Understanding How Sublimation Printing Works, A Look at Two Different Print Technologies: Dye-Sublimation and UV, Dazzle Customers with Sublimation on Metal, Gallery Wrapped Image Canvas for Sublimation Imprinting, A New Sublimation Printing Application – Sublimation Wood Printing. While acrylic isn’t polyester based, there is a product referred to as Sublimation Acrylic that can be used for the dye sublimation process. These materials are unable to be printed on when using the other well-known printing processes, heat transferring and screen printing. By transferring the ink using heat, the fibers in the material open and the dye becomes chemically bonded to the product. We sell wholesale only – Business to Business. Specialized coatings, like Polyfog, and specialized transfer paper, like Reveal S paper, can allow you to transfer your designs to cotton substrates - albeit at a lower quality. The process is almost like a tattoo, but instead of for your skin, it’s for y… While this can be confining to the kind of fabrics that can be applied, it leaves the field wide open for other non-fabric opportunities, such as trade show displays, tiles, and sporting goods. Another noteworthy con is, as expressed before, that this type of printing can mostly be done on polyester fabrics. This product can be used with the conventional heat press and transfer paper without being ruined. Therefore it will not melt during sublimation printing. The bonds between the dyes in your ink and the natural cotton fibers aren’t permanent, and will the ink will wash out very easily. Think of the cheap, overpriced merchandise you see at tourist shops when you go to the beach. It needs to be stressed that the software must be compatible with the type of printer being used. A general rule of thumb here is that if the fabric is man-made, you can probably use dye-sublimation to transfer your designs. Like we’ve already mentioned, polyester materials and blends are the ideal, go-to substrate for transferring your designs with the highest quality. Just Vision It is a custom manufacturer utilizing wide format dye sublimation and other printing capabilities onto fabric, apparel, home decor, accessories and more. With the increase in demand of printed products, these types of printers have significantly reduced in price. Another change is that the image will be printed on film rather than paper, which is more formable to the object being printed on. If one really wants to get creative with what they want to print on, such as creating puzzles or personalized keychains, dye sublimation is the main option to choose. Heat is then utilized to transfer the image from the sublimation paper to an object. Sublimation printing is a digital printing process whereby special sublimation ready papers are printed with a graphic or design and then transferred to Polyester fabrics through a heat press. Well, sublimation printing uses heat to essentially bring ink and fabric together as one. Choosing high-quality materials to be printed on offers the best results. Also, if someone wanted their graphic to be slightly textured, this kind of printing isn’t the right choice as it’s for replicating the look, not the feel. The inks that are used turn into gas when brought under heat, then combine with the fabric and permanently print onto the fabric. While sublimation needs to be done with polyester or poly-coated items, screen printing can be applied to anything if the surface is flat. Are you looking for printed products that are long-lasting and feature distinct colors and high-resolution quality? The coating might allow the heat press to be used at a lower temperature than the standard 400⁰ most other products use. If you want something that requires use over a short period of time, then something like heat transfer can be recommended. Polyester, along with nylon, lycra, and spandex, are all able to be burnt just like anything else. This can be rarer in plastic products than in fabrics and glass. This press is bigger and accommodates printing on clothes as well as banners. Here you are in the right place. Sublimation Printing Fabrics Sublimation printing using heat-sensitive inks and polyester is quickly becoming one of the most effective methods of seeing your designs come to life in fabric, whether for apparel, curtains, or upholstery. This is typically done with t-shirts and other fabric garments. By doing so, this will create an item with a more vivid image that is resistant to fading, making it more durable for the long run. When it’s time to sublimate, the vinyl is cut into the proper shape. You may experience some issues with uneven transfers or light transfers when using poly blends. The reason for this is pretty straightforward; sublimation ink is a water-based dye ink that we apply heat and pressure, causing it to turn into a gas. The reason for this is pretty straightforward; sublimation ink is a water-based dye ink that we apply heat and pressure, causing it to turn into a gas. You actually get to print whatever you can imagine onto polyester (or stuff coated with polyester) and do it at your home/garage/basement. Some polyester-coated materials require different techniques when using the sublimated method. Custom fabric dye-sublimation printing is a popular choice for exhibit and retail display designers and display solutions. Dye-sublimation printing (or dye-sub printing) is a computer printing technique which uses heat to transfer dye onto materials such as a plastic, card, paper, or fabric. This is particularly necessary when creating SEG (or Silicone Edge Graphic) frames. Since you are sublimating to 100% polyester materials, the sublimation inks you are using will only be able to blend to a portion of the material. But that rule isn’t all encompassing - especially when it comes to these types of materials. Poly-blends can offer tons of advantages over 100% polyester fabrics, since they will often feel more comfortable and survive longer while being worn and washed. So how does sublimation work? This type of paper is referred to as sublimation paper or transfer paper. Whether you’re planning on using sublimation to construct your own ideas, or if you are looking for quality made products, this information should be helpful in finding what you’re looking for. Before we get our hands dirty with the details of the fabrics listed above, let’s establish a quick and easy rule for you to follow. In this article you will find answers 22 questions that people just like you tend to ask when starting out with sublimation printing. Something that should be kept in mind is that metals are usually placed on top of the sublimation transfer paper instead of underneath when printing. This is very important for using with items that will be used constantly over time. White Printed Cushion. Everyday items like mouse pads, kitchenware, and custom all over print shirts will benefit from this type of printing. Just remember, if it’s man-made, you can probably transfer your designs with sublimation! Another thing that must be remembered when printing on glass is that the way glass heats up is different from the more conventional fabrics often used. The best national flags are made of polyester because they are color fast and wind resistant. 2. 1. There are many different types of nylon, each with a different reaction to the sublimation process. This type of technology is created for both home and factory use. Another solution to the problem is using textured material that leaves the impression of a clearer image. Check with your supplier or manufacturer before using these materials, and make sure to test your print settings and double check your temperature & pressure. Sublimation direct print fabric is a kind of textile for digital printing. Not all printers include this addition, but RIP can be purchased separately. There are some cutting products that include more than one option in one system to suit all needs. But what type of fabric should you use for your dye-sublimation business? First of all, the most important item would be a sublimation ink printer. This process is called a “Gallery Wrap”, which is when the canvas print is rolled around the sides to the back of the frame so that the tools used in securing the canvas can’t be seen by viewers. We’ll explore the pros and cons of each of these fabrics, and how it can impact your dye-sublimation business. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The effects are permanent and less prone to fading, as the ink is embedded in the fabric or substrate rather than simply laying on top like a normal print. Finally, if dealing with smaller objects with more diverse shapes and edges, a 3D vacuum heat press is the way to go. Make sure your blends aren’t too crazy - 100% polyester has drawbacks due to long-term quality and comfortability, but will typically have the highest quality transfers; 100% cotton is very comfortable and will last forever, but won’t hold any transfers. The product made using the sublimation printing process sustains the image quality throughout the years. Screen printing isn’t expensive but does require a new stencil for each design needed and for each color used. Something that makes this approach different is that the ink must be sublimated in the right-reading style, since the print transfers to the back of the glass and is viewed from the other side. Mug Printing Machine. Sublimation dyes are hydrophobic dyes that can undergo sublimation (Phase change from solid to gas directly under the application of heat). Other materials require the image to be sublimated in a mirror-image format. Other recommended items for sublimation include a cutting device, whether it is a knife or a rotary blade. These types of specialized coatings can introduce a polymer into the cotton substrate, which will allow the dyes to permanently bond - dying the material. At Lean Sublimation, we are looking to provide you with resources and information on Dye-Sublimation and everything related! Dye sublimation is a very effective printing process that creates expert-level graphics, but there are limitations to what features it can be used with. Printing on plastic materials can require a different type of technology. Sublimation Paper Excelam. The reason why cotton isn’t commonly used in dye-sublimation is because the natural fibers in the cotton won’t permanently bond with the dyes in the sublimation ink. It differs from traditional printing methods because it bypasses the liquid step. 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