What is sublimation?

Sublimation is a printing technique where the print itself penetrates the surface of the object to be printed on. This means that the durability of the prints will be as long as the object itself. The result is a very soft print without noticeable edges. At Dallas shirt printing, we provide sublimation printing in Dallas. If you want the printed shirts in bulk then you can reach us.

You can sublimate on both soft and hard materials, e.g. textile, aluminium, ceramics etc. provided they have a surface of polyester. Textiles need to contain at least 50% polyester (the more polyester, the better results with clearer and stronger colors, so 100% is ideal). Hard materials such as ceramics and metal need to be treated with a special surface layer of polymer in order for the motif to stick and ordinary mugs and glasses do not work with this technique.

The technique is also not recommended for use on dark/coloured materials as the print blends in with the background. If you press e.g. blue text on a yellow T-shirt turns the color of the text green. The very best results are obtained if you stick to the products that are specially developed for sublimation printing.

Benefits

• You get a print that is one with the garment/mug or whatever it is you print on
• Soft and flexible print without edges
• Extremely durable

Disadvantages

• You are addicted to garments that contain polyester
• You are dependent on specific products with polyester coating, which are made specifically for sublimation
• You cannot sublimate on dark materials

This is how it works

To sublimate, you need a printer with a special sublimation ink . You print on a transfer paper that is specially designed to release the ink at a certain temperature.

Then you put the paper together with what you want to print on; your substrate, in a heat press (or in the case of 3D products such as mobile phone cases - a vacuum oven). When the temperature is reached, the ink is converted into a gas that carries the color particles into the polyester fibers on the substrate. When the substrate then cools down, the color particles get stuck in the fibers and stay there. The print simply becomes part of the substrate and that is why the polyester is so important, other materials do not lock in the color in the same way.

What can you print?

You can print everything from T-shirts to mugs and photo panels. The technology is perfectly suited for photographs and advanced graphics with shading and shading, but of course also works with single-colour logos where the print needs to be extra durable.

What do you need?

You need a printer with sublimation ink . These are available from small standard desktop printers in A4 to large format printers where you print directly on rolls. You need sublimation paper and you need a heat press or a vacuum oven that is adapted to what you are going to print.

Why use sublimation printing?

Sublimation printing provides excellent print quality and durability, making it an excellent choice for printing on clothing and textiles. The process also allows a wide range of colors and tones to be used, making it an excellent option for creating detailed and eye-catching designs.