The Complete Guide to Sublimation Printing

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The Complete Guide to Sublimation Printing

• PRINTING SUBLIMATION PRINTING

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• Sublimation printing is gaining more and more
  popularity with each passing day. It is a type of
  digital printing that involves the use of
  specialized paper. It has its pros and cons, but
  overall it is an amazing process that creates
  profitable products. So, what is sublimation
  printing and how to do it? Lets find out

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What Is Sublimation Printing?

• Also called dye-sub and dye sublimation
  printing, sublimation printing is a flexible
  digital printing technique that aids textile
  designers with their creativity and production
  output. Sublimation printing is done by
  transferring the sublimation dyes onto a medium
  boasting a specially tailored inkjet printer.
  After the dye is transferred to the medium, they
  are moved to a heated cloth or object and are
  pressurised via a commercial heat press.
• Sublimation printing is suitable for any object
  or garment with a polyester coating or polyester
  base. The dye on the medium undergoes sublimation
  and transforms into a gas because of heat and
  pressure, and it is later absorbed by polyester
  subject to reflect the design. 
• The finest quality resulting from sublimation
  printing process does not crack the fabric or
  fade in colour. Plus, the prints do not have a
  harsh texture and are very light too. The prints
  on the sublimation printing t shirts stay bright
  even after several washes because dye sublimation
  uses heat sensitive inks. 
• Now, that you know what is dye sublimation
  printing, lets move on to how does sublimation
  printing work

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Sublimation Printing Process

• After you chose your design you need to select a
  sublimation printer. Sublimation printing
  machines print out designs on to a special paper.
  Then the design is printed on a fabric by using a
  heat press or applying pressure and then placing
  it in the oven.
• You need transfer paper to transfer the design to
  the fabric. The ink is more vibrant in
  sublimation printing because the ink is embedded
  by bringing the ink and the fabric together.  The
  pores of the fabric are opened by the heat while
  the pressure cools the ink which turns it solid.
  Then the press is releases and the paper is taken
  off of the mug or shirt gently. 
• It is a simple process but if it is mastered it
  can be done at home using a heat press or a
  compact sublimation. 

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Sublimation Printing Fabric

• Before you start your own printing business, or
  you do it at home, you need to know the materials
  you can use
• Polyester
• Polycotton textile
• PVC
• Polyester-made fabric
• Polymer
• Polymer-coated metal
• Ceramic
• Polyester-coated aluminium
• Polymer- coated plastic
• However, there are materials that do not work
  with sublimation, including 100 cotton materials
  or other natural materials. This is because they
  dont house the pores needed to absorb the ink.
  So, if you want to work with these materials, go
  for digital printing.
• Also Read Polyester vs Cotton vs Blends Which
  One Is Better?

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What Dye Sublimation Supplies You Need?

• The first thing you need for dye sublimation is a
  printer that lets you do sublimation printing and
  is suitable for sublimation ink cartridges. The
  second thing you need is a heat press to print
  the designs on the fabric. For a mug, you will
  need a mug clamp and press. Another thing you
  need is transfer paper. You can buy either
  sublimation or copy paper. Moreover, investing in
  an RIP software is a good idea to help with
  colour correction.

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Sublimation Printing vs Digital Printing

• The main difference between sublimation printing
  and digital printing is that the latter can print
  designs on polyester, cotton, and silk while the
  former is only fit for polyester. Besides,
  sublimation printing uses heat to transfer the
  design to the material.
• Sublimation printing produces high-quality
  durable designs, whereas digital printing
  produces designs that arent completely absorbed
  by the paper which can lead to cracks in the
  colour. Digital printing is also pricier than
  sublimation printing.
• The type of printing depends on the product you
  want to create. Both are great types of printing,
  but it is crucial to weigh the advantages and
  disadvantages when deciding about your goals and
  then the printing method will become clear to
  you.
• Also Read T-Shirt Printing Methods 2021

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Advantages and Disadvantage of Sublimation
Printing 

• The Advantages
• Durable Designs
• Sublimation printing designs do not peel or fade
  because the ink is absorbed instead of sitting on
  the top of the fabric like a layer. Hence, you
  can wash the clothes as many times as you wish to
  wash them.
• Time-Effective
• Sublimation printing uses technology, and it can
  be done faster than other printing methods that
  need human power. But you still have to monitor
  it because the heat press has to be accurate, so
  that the designs are at the same level of quality
  every time. 
• High-Quality 
• Sublimation printing delivers better quality than
  other types of printing. The vibrancy of the
  colors and the DPI are particularly impressive
  depending on the printer you use. 
• Personalization
• Sublimation printing lets you personalize the
  size and the quality of the design, and it also
  gives you the opportunity to fix any mistakes
  that occur on the printer. This freedom of choice
  lets you unleash your creativity and make your
  ideas come to life in a way better than other
  methods.

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• The Disadvantages
• Colour Mismatch
• The design that you create on your computer is
  displayed in RGB mode, but the printer prints it
  in CMYK mode. So, the colours do not exactly
  match the same. To improve this you can adjust
  the correct settings on your printer or use a RIP
  software. You need to remember that in all types
  of printing, even if your image is good in
  quality, it will not as be as vibrant as it shows
  on the screen.
• Ghosting
• Ghosting can happen when the transfer paper
  shifts during pressing and the print then ends up
  with a light fade, or it becomes blurry. It
  happens if the correct amount of pressure is not
  exerted or if the ink doesnt dry. To stop this
  you need to ensure that the ink is dry, and apply
  the right amount of pressure.
• White Creasing
• Another drawback of sublimation printing is white
  creasing. The areas that the design does not
  reach creates white creases. This can happen if
  the transfer paper has moisture, or if the
  garment is folded in any areas, most commonly
  along seams and under the arms. This results in
  an unsellable t-shirt.
• Also Read How to Screen Print A Step-by-Step
  Guide for Beginners

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Conclusion

• Sublimation printing is an amazing choice for
  people who want to create clothes and other items
  with high-quality graphics and full colour. There
  is hardly any drawback which ends up in
  profitable creations. So, if you have ever
  thought of coming up with designs that are
  different, then sublimation printing is a
  creative way to go.