Things to know before starting a sublimation project
For those of you new to the wonderful world of dye-sublimation printing, welcome! This article is designed to help you understand what sublimation printing is, how it is used and the benefits and disadvantages of sublimation printing
The advancement in digital printing technology has introduced a new method of printing vibrant images onto a variety of fabrics and items without any loss in image quality and will last for many years.
What is Dye-Sublimation?
Let’s start by defining dye-sublimation. In short, sublimation is the process of turning a special ink from a solid into a gas allowing us to transfer our designs onto a surface that has been specially treated by using heat and pressure. T-shirts, mugs, and tote bags made of 100% polyester, nylon and some plastics are able to bond with our special sublimation ink producing a beautiful copy of our design.
Unlike traditional printing methods such as screen printing, we are not limited by the number of colors we can print at once or setup times. As long as we have items that have been specially coated for sublimation, sublimation ink, premium sublimation paper we are good to go.
Benefits of Sublimation Printing
The introduction of sublimation printing allows any printing agency to easily transition into offering sublimation printing services to its customers. Here are a few other benefits of sublimation printing.
Large Catalog of Blanks for Sublimation Printing
Sublimation allows us to print on products such as t-shirts, baby onesies, mugs, tote bags, hats and a large variety of other promotional items.
Full-Color Image Transfer
Unlike screen printing or vinyl heat transfer, you are not limited by the number of colors printed at once.
Durability
During the sublimation process, the ink is embedded in the fabric. This allows the design to last much longer than traditional printing methods.
Low Learning Curve
Learning how to sublimate extremely easy and straightforward when compared to screen printing. As long as you have the correct materials it is as easy as printing your design and heat pressing it onto your product.
Now, let’s take a look at the disadvantages of sublimation printing.
As with any printing method, there are pros and cons. Let’s take a look at the disadvantages of sublimation print.
Disadvantages
Printer Cost
If you are planning on starting a dye-sublimation printing business, the start-up cost for a sublimation printer is not cheap. These machines typically range from $200 to $1500 for a large format printer.
Ink is Expensive
The cost of ink for a dye-sublimation printer is expensive when compared to a traditional printer. Prices range from $75 – $100 for 1 liter of ink.
Clean Surface Required
Not only is a clean area important, but the garment and heat press being used must be free of lint. It is mandatory that you use a lint roller to remove all traces of lint and place parchment paper between your garment and the heat press to prevent burning the fabric.
Polyester Coated
Products being sublimated on must be made or coated with polyester. As an example, if a t-shirt is not made from 100% polyester the transfer process will result in a distressed vintage look similar to vintage band tees from the ’70s.
Product Color
White or light pastel color garments or products are recommended. Sublimation printing will limit the number of color options when transferring a design.
Printer Nozzle Clogs
If a printer is not used for a long period of time, the nozzle may become clogged. This will add to your already growing expense of replacing the nozzle.
We hope this article was helpful in explaining the benefits of sublimation printing. Let us know what you think in the comments below and make sure to share this article with someone who is interested in sublimation printing.