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Your Position: Home - Machinery - ? What Is Dye Sublimation? Become An Expert!

? What Is Dye Sublimation? Become An Expert!

Author: Liang

May. 13, 2024

Machinery

? What Is Dye Sublimation? Become An Expert!

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Want to get into the world of personalisation? If you’re planning to start a business with personalised products, sublimation printing is one of the easiest techniques to learn. 

Keep reading to find out what is dye sublimation, what you’ll need and how to sublimate step by step.

What is dye sublimation?

Sublimation is a personalisation technique that allows you to transfer an image onto a polyester garment or an item with a polyester coating to make it unique and exclusive.

To print your substrate, you need to apply heat using a heat press. The temperature turns the sublimation ink from a solid to a gaseous state. As a result, the design printed on the sublimation paper will penetrate the surface of your object.

Using this method, you will be able to personalise objects professionally in just a few steps. Print with full colour-image results that won’t crack, peel or wash away. Plus, this technique has a very low initial investment, making it an excellent option for starting a personalisation business.

What can I sublimate on?

You should be aware that not all products can be sublimated. For a substrate to be sublimated onto it needs to have specific characteristics:

  • The product must be white, also known as sublimation blank. Sublimation inks are transparent and add to the colour of the product. That is why the sublimation blank, both textile and rigid, must have a white background so that the colours of the original design are not altered. If your product is coloured, you could print it with a black logo, for example.
  • If you want to personalise a hard surface, it must be coated with a polyester-based material. Therefore, it is not possible to sublimate items that are not pre-treated. However, there is plenty of sublimation blanks to choose from. If you want to personalise a non-sublimation product, there are sublimation spray coatings that can turn almost any hard surface into a printable one.
  • If you’re going to print fabric, you can only work on polyester garments or substrates with a polymer coating. Sublimation on cotton is not an easy task, but there are some solutions to apply sublimation on a non-poly fabric and achieve similar results.

What sublimation supplies do I need?

Assuming you already own a computer at home, you will only have to invest in:

  • A sublimation printer. When it comes to printing your designs, you must have an inkjet printer dedicated exclusively to this technique. There are printers specially designed for sublimation and others that have been adapted to work with sublimation inks. You can choose a small printer (A4 or A3) or a large printer. If you’re just starting out, you should go for an A4 sublimation printer.
  • Sublimation ink. To guarantee a perfect result, the inks must be of the highest quality. Sublimation ink manufacturers must provide you with the ICC profiles for your printer model and ink type. This way, you can manage the colours from your computer to easily achieve a colour range that matches the original. When you print your design on sublimation paper, it will look duller. This is normal, don’t worry. Once you transfer it, the colours will match the colours of the original image.
  • Sublimation paper. This special sublimation paper is designed to hold and release sublimation ink onto surfaces. By choosing a high-quality paper you will achieve a total transfer of the ink and full definition of the design.
  • A heat press. Heat press machines allow you to apply heat and pressure for a certain amount of time in the personalisation process. There is a wide variety of heat presses, so to choose the one that best suits your needs you should consider the type of item you want to personalise, the size and your budget.
  • Sublimation blanks. As mentioned above, there is a wide catalogue of sublimation blanks. If you don’t know where to start, we recommend T-shirts and mugs, as these are the most popular products among customers.

With competitive price and timely delivery, Eastsign sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

Additional reading:
Single Stage vs. Two Stage Air Compressors How does sublimation work?
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Key Questions to Ask When Ordering xps foam board extrusion line

Dye sublimation printing is a very simple process and the final result looks just great. So if you’re getting started with this personalisation technique, these are the steps you should follow:

  1. Choose an image on your computer. Feel free to edit it with a graphic design software if you want to. There is plenty of free graphic design software tools available nowadays.
  1. Print it out. Remember to use a printer designed exclusively for this technique. We don’t recommend converting a printer that has used regular inks into a sublimation printer. To do so, you should flush out the entire system.
  1. Place the paper’s printed side against the surface of the object you want to personalise. If you are decorating a mug, place the printed side of the paper against it and attach it with heat-resistant tape.
  1. Put the item with the printed paper on the heat press, previously set to the required temperature, pressure and time, and press. The ink, activated by heat, goes directly from a solid to a gaseous state bonding to the surface of the object.
  1. Remove the item from the press and carefully peel off the paper. We recommend using a protective glove because the press can reach very high temperatures. 

Your sublimated product will be ready to sell in 5 easy steps. As we mentioned, sublimation is one of the easiest techniques out there, but there are always problems, mistakes and errors.

Conclusions about sublimation

?What is dye sublimation?

Sublimation is a digital printing technique for personalising products. It uses heat to transfer the design onto the surface you want to print on.

?What do I need to start sublimating?

To start sublimating, you need a computer, a sublimation printer, specific inks to work with this technique, sublimation paper, one or more heat presses and sublimation blanks.

✅ How does sublimation work?

Print your design with an inkjet printer on sublimation paper. Place the paper’s printed side against the object you are personalising and press. Carefully remove the sublimation paper and you have your personalised product ready to sell.

? What can I sublimate on?

One of the great advantages of sublimation is the wide range of items. You can customise both textiles and hard surfaces as long as they have a polyester coating. The items must be white since sublimation inks are transparent and add to the colour of the product.

As you can see, working with sublimation can be very simple, and the final result looks always great. Join one of the best personalisation techniques, and share your results!

Please, leave us a comment if you have any questions or need more help with any personalisation technique. You can also contact our Customer Service department.

Remember to check our social media, where we post plenty of ideas, offers and news from all areas of personalisation. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss anything. Oh and don’t forget to subscribe to this Blog and our Youtube channel to keep learning with us.

See you in the next post!

What is Dye Sublimation and How Is It Changing the Way ...

Dye sublimation is changing the way we print in the sign, banner and fabric industry. This modern method of printing allows businesses to expand what they print on, as well as produce higher quality products.

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What is Dye Sublimation Printing?

Dye sublimation is a transformative method of printing that takes your image and transfers it onto a polyester or polyester coated fabric using thermal heat. Sublimation banner printing creates more durable products because it imbeds the ink directly into the surface fabric. While the traditional methods print an image on a surface leading to more wear and tear.

Dye sublimation printing is becoming a more popular form of printing due to its versatility. Since this method of printing creates more durable images, companies have the ability to use these prints both inside and outside. This is appealing to businesses that are printing large outdoor banners and advertisements. Dye sublimation also allows more diversity in the shapes, sizes, and textures it can print. If your sublimation machine can print it, you can transfer it onto an object.

How Does Dye Sublimation Work?

Dye sublimation is unique in the sense that it takes a special type of ink, in gas form, and through the heat process transforms it into a solid. Skipping over the liquid phase allows the gases to penetrate the material. This creates a more durable product because it is creating a permanent color bond between the “ink” and the surface being printed on. As mentioned above, traditional methods of screen printing simply place the image on top of the product. Limiting the bond between the image and surface. Leading to more exposure to the elements, in-turn causing more damage to the final product.

Below is the process broken down:

  • Using disperse dies in gas form (the ink) – the sublimation printer takes the image you just created and prints it onto the transfer paper
  • Then, you take the transfer paper and place it over the final product
  • Using a heat press – you apply a high heat and pressure onto the transfer paper to pass the image onto the final product
    • Removing the heat causes the gas to “dry” and turn into a solid form, skipping the liquid phase
    • This allows the image to then penetrate the polyester fabric creating beautiful and more durable finished products.
    • Fabric will not fade or crack – even after multiple washes and usage.

How Long Does Dye Sublimation last?

As with any product, the two biggest factors into how long a dye sublimation print will last are quality and care of the product. From the beginning, the quality of the products both being used to print as well as being printed on play a factor into how long the print will last. Ink plays a crucial factor in this as the fade resistance varies from ink to ink. Depending on the need, selecting the appropriate ink will directly affect how long your print lasts. Paper also plays a factor in how long your image will last. Sublimation printing requires sublimation paper. While this sounds like common sense, it is important to note this because standard copy paper will not do. To create a high quality longer lasting image, you need the correct paper.

Aside from the ink and paper, the machines are also important. There is a wide selection of machines available to purchase that vary in price. Similar to the ink, the need determines the quality of machine. If you are looking to print small, indoor, banners or posters, you will be able to use a smaller and more cost-effective machine. On the flip side, if you are looking to create larger prints meant for outdoors, a more expensive, higher-quality machine will work better for you.

After the quality of the supplies, the care and usage of the product will play a factor in its lifespan. Being sure to keep the images clean and properly handled will lead to the print lasting a long time. A unique factor of dye sublimation is that it allows you to wash or clean the product. Since the image is imbedded into the fabric, washing the product will not image as quickly as it would with prints done the traditional way.

Using high quality tools and taking care of your product will lead to your print lasting as long as you need it.

What Do You Need for Dye Sublimation Printing?

Dye sublimation printing does not require much. However, As mentioned above, having quality machines will lead to a longer life span of your prints. Investing in your machines will be beneficial for your business, as well as your prints.

The heat press and printer are key parts to the dye sublimation printing process. Similar to supplies, the need dictates the machine. There are many options to choose from. It is important to find the one that best fits that need as well as your budget. Once your image is printed and ready to display, you are going to need a way to complete and protect the edges. Whether you are hanging your product outside or securing it through other methods, a quality sewing machine will allow you to create the finished edge you need. For that, you will need a Digitran automated sewing machine.

Miller Weldmaster’s Digitran is an all-in-one sewing machine that allows one person to easily maneuver and finish your products. Whether it be a pocket, a hem, Velcro, or SEG, the Digitran will work for you! Eliminating stress on you and limiting material handling.

The Digitran has numerous benefits and features, including:

  • Hands free feeding and thread cutting
  • Automated Front and Back tacking
  • Easy touch Controls
  • A synced transport system allowing for accurate and precise flow of materials.
  • And so much more...

Dye sublimation is the way of the future. Be sure to make the Digitran Automated Sewing Machine apart

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