Have you ever seen those cool looking coffee mugs with colorful prints in the gifts shop or those fancy performance fabric t-shirts with printing all over the shirt? Those items were created with a process known as subliamation printing.
In a nut shell sublimation printing the the process of heating a special ink to a point where it turns into a gas and permeates a polyester coating on hard products and the polyester fibers of clothing. It is a method where the printing is nearly permanent and has no feel to it, meaning it is smooth to the touch. The biggest benefit of sublimation for printers is that it is easy to customize designs for individuals and is perfect for one off printing of promotional items.
Featuring Step-by-Step Directions for T-Shirt and Mug Sublimation Printing
How does sublimation printing work?
Sublimation printing often referred to as dye sublimation printing or digital sublimation is the digital printing process in which full-color artwork is printed first onto a sheet of high-release paper and then transferred with the use of heat and pressure onto apparel or other items.
The term sublimation describes the process in which dye particles convert into gas and bond to polyester fibers. The inks used are unique and transform from a solid to a gas, without ever changing to a liquid form such as dry ice. Sublimation is an endothermic process. The ink is transferred on to paper through a piezoelectric print head and deposited onto the high-release inkjet papers.
The image is printed in reverse, so the image appears normal when worn. The heat is the initiator in the process, but pressure and time are significant factors. A heat range of 380 to 420 degrees Fahrenheit is typically recommended in for the best results.
What is a sublimation ink?
Sublimation inks are a dye suspended in a liquid solvent similar to water. The ink is printed on a substrate and used to translate the design on to the final product. Through the sublimation process, the ink is chemically fused into the fabric, as opposed to many other popular processes (like screen printing) that just apply the images to the surface level of a t-shirt or other item.
Sublimation guarantees, that if the shirts and mugs are taken care of, the printed colors and images will not fade or peel, keeping a crisp look for a long time. Check out this article on how to remove sublimation inks from mugs and you will better understand what it takes to keep your t-shirt and mugs looking great.
What is all-over dye sublimation printing?
All-over dye sublimation is a specific type of sublimation printing where entire shirts, jerseys, pillow cases, mats, blankets, rugs, etc. are nearly 100% covered in the dye. Perfection is hard to guarantee with all-over dye sublimation printing, notably on t-shirts, where wrinkles around the neck, sleeves, and sides cause issues during the heat and transfer process. If using a white shirt for your all-over print job, you will notice small white gaps in some of the areas above. Additionally, there is no guarantee that any two t-shirts will turn out exactly the same. Differences in finished products are due to the minor shifts in the placement of the shirt in between the two transfer sheets – making the pattern slightly off on each item, as well as accounting for the wrinkles or white gaps mentioned above.
Regardless of the two issues above, the all-over dye sublimation process is still known to reveal vibrant colors that last a long time.
What fabrics will yield the best results?
Sublimation printing cannot be done on all types of fabrics. In fact, you cannot do sublimation on 100% cotton. 100% polyester is suggested for best results. Other man-made materials, such as nylon and certain plastics, like polyester fabrics, contain polymers that, when heated up, enable the bonding of ink. The appeal of dye sublimation printing is that the colors are permanently embedded into the fibers of the fabric, as opposed to merely printing on the surface.
Other hard items, such as ceramic, tiles, metals, etc. require a special coating to accept the sublimation inks. These sublimation blanks must be purchased with the coating already on them. This coating is not something you could apply at home after the purchasing the items.
To clarify, you do not need this special coating when printing onto 100% polyester fabric. The polyester fiber itself acts as the only element you will need when printing on to clothing.
What are sublimation blanks?
When ceramics, metals, glass and heat-resistant plastics are put under high temperatures, pores in the polymer open, allowing the ink to enter while it is in its gaseous state. Again, these products are coated with a polymer coating.
Popular sublimation blanks include mugs, dishes, coasters, tiles, and more. If you are looking to start sublimation printing on your own, namely on mugs or t-shirts, you will need to find a reliable vendor that offers the exact products that will allow the sublimation process to work properly.
What heat devices are recommended for sublimating?
A quality heat press is vital if you are looking to begin sublimation printing. A small format heat press may do the trick if you are simply looking to produce a few pieces from the comfort of your home. A decent one will run you about $1,500.
For larger sublimation printing projects, you may consider one of the following options:
– Calender Heat Press: This is a large-format heat press that is intended to create flags, banners, and any other large soft-signage in addition to fabric sublimation. Additional features can be added to a calender heat press to allow users to cut and sew fabrics or apparel making it a multi-functional machine.
– Flatbed Heat Press: This versatile heat press allows users to heat transfer onto fabrics, as well as materials like aluminum, hardboard, floor mats, unique media, and more. This heat press, however, cannot accommodate the same size fabric that the calender heat press can.
– 3D Vacuum Heat Press: This compact desktop machine allows users to heat transfer on to materials with tricky shapes, such as curved edges. If a user wanted to print on sublimation blanks and pre-treated materials with these shapes (phone covers, mugs, ceramic dishes, frames, sporting good items, etc.), then this is the ideal press.
There are also other presses that will allow you to conduct a sublimation printing without the need for a higher-quality, and significantly more expensive, heat press above. Notably is a mug wrap, in which you use the wrap to apply pressure and then bake it in the oven, thus adding the heating element needed in sublimation printing.
What are the print size options?
Your dimension limits will be defined based on the heat press you choose. Desktop solutions will only allow you to print in the standard sizes of 8.5″x11”, 8.5″x14”, 11″x17″ and 13″x19”. If you only intend to print on a ceramic mug, a desktop option would work for you since you would not be printing a design larger than 8.5”x11”. Anything bigger will require a large format sublimation printer that accommodates sublimation paper rolls which come in roll widths of 24″, 36″, 42″, 44″, 64″ and 104″.
The most popular brand for larger sublimation printing projects are the Epson printer solutions. They provide a high-quality outcome, and for the cost, you really can’t beat it.
What other supplies will you need to do sublimation printing?
In addition to the ink, heat press and sublimation blanks required for sublimation printing, you will need a specific type of heat transfer paper. A sublimation tape or spray-on adhesive may also be beneficial, as well as parchment paper reinforcements.
What kind of paper is used for sublimation?
A paper that is stable at high speeds of printing, with large loads of ink, is mandatory if doing large printing projects. Many users swear by TexPrint sublimation paper, as it is the world’s best selling sublimation paper.
– Sublimation Tape/Spray-On Adhesive: You will need to utilize a tape or spray-on adhesive for your sublimation printing if you notice that your design is blurry. Fuzzy prints tend to happen when the fabric or items shift slightly during the heat transfer process. You cannot just use any tape or adhesive when doing sublimation printing. Sublimation heat tape is specially formulated and will not melt, stain or leave behind a residue when the heat transfer takes place. Harder surfaces, such as mugs and other ceramics would ideally use a tape. The spray-on adhesive, on the other hand, is better for soft materials, such as t-shirts and 100% polyester fabrics.
– Parchment Paper: Utilizing parchment paper is namely for printing on to soft fabrics. You would place the parchment paper both above and below the substrate and protect it against the staining that the head causes when doing the larger edge-to-edge printing. The burning will leave a light brown color on white and light colored fabrics, or compromise the vibrant colors of the dye sublimation printing.
Step-by-step directions for sublimation printing on t-shirts
- Create your design. Any design program can be used to do this. Many choose to use Photoshop or Silhouette Studio for the design process.
- Mirror or reverse your image so that it will reflect properly once transferred. Failure to mirror your image will result in a t-shirt with words or an image that appear backward.
- Use your preferred method for lining up your t-shirt in preparation for the transfer.
- Do not forget to use parchment paper to avoid any fabric burning or altered coloring.
- Begin the heat transfer process. For the exact temperature and length of time, please refer to the manual for the specific heat press you purchased. As a reminder, the ideal heat setting typically falls between 380 and 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Times vary but do not tend to last for more than 30 to 60 seconds.
- Remove the transfer paper from your t-shirt or chosen apparel item.
- Try it on and see how it looks!
Step-by-step directions for sublimation printing on mugs
- Create your design.
- Mirror or reverse your design.
- Line up your printed design where you want it on your mug and hold it in place with special sublimation tape.
From here, there are two conventional approaches to sublimation printing on mugs.
Using a Mug Press
- Line up the mug with your mug press.
- Apply firm pressure on the mug for the length of time and temperature recommended based on your heat press and sublimation ink supplier.
- Remove the transfer paper immediately after pressing the substrate for the recommended amount of time. Be sure to wear gloves or use a washcloth as a barrier because the mug will still be extremely hot and can burn your hands if you are not careful.
- To avoid dye bleeding, you will want to quickly place the mug in water or in front of a fan to help it cool faster.
Using Mug Wraps
- Dampen the transfer paper ever so slightly with a wet washcloth or paper towel.
- Carefully place the mug wrap around the entire mug. You will need to be very careful to ensure you do not wrinkle the transfer paper or cause any bubbles in the design. Clamp it closed.
- Follow the instructions on your mug press to determine how long you should bake the mug in the oven.
- Carefully remove the mug and the mug wrap. Of course, the coffee mug will be hot from baking, so use oven mitts or gloves and proceed with caution.
Regardless of the process ,you choose to go with, the mugs will be dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and should not scratch with your standard dish sponge scrubber.
What are the downfalls to sublimation printing?
Though the list is quite short, there are a few drawbacks to using the dye sublimation printing process. First and foremost, while the sublimation process itself is cheap, many of the materials that are printed on are more expensive, since the process will only work on specific materials. There is a price mark up there. Additionally, once the dye is transferred, a process known as “dye migration” can potentially occur. Dye migration occurs when a garment, such as a t-shirt, gets too hot in a dryer causing the inks to be reactivated and then bleed onto other clothing while washing or drying.
Key takeaways:
– You will need to acquire a design program, ink, transfer paper, a heat press, sublimation blanks, transfer tape or adhesive spray, and parchment paper.
– Do not forget to reverse or mirror your design before printing on to the transfer paper. Failure to do so will result in an image or wording that appears backward.
– 100% polyester is the best soft fabric to allow the sublimation inks to embed themselves into the polymer fibers.
– Other products, such as mugs and dishes, will require a special coating that must be applied before purchasing. This coating cannot be applied to off the shelf products.
– Dye migration occasionally occurs, specifically with clothing items, so be mindful of this when washing and drying your clothes with these items the first time. Better to be safe than sorry.