Sublimation
Sublimation is a printing technique that uses heat to transfer dye to polyester fabrics and other polyester surfaces. The great thing about dye sublimation printing is that it produces a high quality image that won’t fade over time. The biggest disadvantage of sublimation is that it can only be done on certain types of materials. Another disadvantage is that you need specialized equipment to do it, namely a sublimation machine and a high heat source such as a heat press or convection oven.
The heat transfer press
Heat pressing is a popular choice for crafters because it is relatively simple and requires no special equipment other than the heat press itself. You can often do this even with a household iron. The biggest disadvantage of heat pressing is that it is not as durable as sublimation. This means your design is more likely to fade over time or crack and peel if not properly cared for. However, heat pressing is still a popular choice for crafters looking for an easy and inexpensive way to add designs to their fabric projects.
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How does sublimation work?
First the sublimation printer prints your graphic onto a sheet of special high release ‘transfer’ paper. Then you use a heat press to transfer the paint design to your substrate – your t-shirt, mug or banner. The dye turns from solid to gas without forming a liquid (sublimation) and penetrates the substrate material leaving an imprint that does not break or wash off. It doesn’t work as well with natural fibers, but with a polyester blend the results are vivid and permanent.
More sophisticated direct-to-fabric sublimation printers take the process a step further by also printing directly onto rolls or bolts of fabric, eliminating the transfer step. These machines are necessarily larger and more expensive, so they tend to be for professional use. Don’t confuse these printers with the even more expensive direct-to-garment models that use regular inkjet ink to print onto the surface of the actual garment instead of dye sublimation.
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