Questions about the Sublimation Printing process
The Sublimation Printing process or all-over-print (AOP) is a printing technique on white polyester fabrics or on rigid materials prepared to be printed by this process.
As we provide sublimation printing in Dallas, so by reading this article you will get to know the essentials about this printing technique, its potentialities and limitations, in which materials it can be applied, and other answers to frequently asked questions on the subject.
At the end of reading, you will know the essentials about the Sublimation Printing process and how it works to make prints on fabrics eternal.
What is the Sublimation Printing process and how does it work?
Sublimation Printing is a process through which inks are transferred at high temperatures to the product, using suitable tools for this purpose. The process, which we synthesize, allows to achieve a complete and lasting result.
This Sublimation Printing technique allows you to create unique polyester garments and embellish rigid materials such as mugs or tiles. The limit is your creativity.
In Sublimation, the colors are more vibrant and intense than in common inkjet or laser prints. The result is fantastic! Both in polyester and other rigid supports. The quality obtained exceeds that of other existing techniques.
Through heat, Sublimation Printing fuses the Ink and the surface of the fabric. The inks used in the process change from a liquid to a gaseous state when subjected to high temperatures (180.°C to 210.°C) in the thermal press . When the inks cool down, they change to a solid state and become an integral part of the textile. The result is a permanent impression.
The result of the Sublimation Printing process are durable pieces. Images remain flawless after endless washes.
What are the potentialities of the Sublimation Printing process?
Imagination is the limit : There is total freedom in creating designs, including realistic motifs;
Lasting as long as the printed piece : Sublimation Printing is long lasting. Design won’t crack, peel or fade with washes;
Suitable for small batches : Sublimation Printing is suitable for small batches, designs with many variations in color and design .
What are the limitations of Sublimation Printing?
Only applicable to polyester or polyester blends (the higher the percentage of polyester, the brighter the colors will be) : That’s how it was, at least until recently. However, technologies have emerged that also allow it to be applied to cotton. Silk, on the other hand, would be damaged in the heating process.
Sublimation Printing is only available for white products. Sublimation inks are translucent and can only be printed on white or light colored items.
White is absent from the color palette available for this dyeing process?
The color scheme used is CMYK and no combination of the base colors – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black – can create white.
The secret of the quality of Sublimation Printing is in the chemical formula of the Ink. The quality of the inks allows for a whole palette of colors, which distinguishes this printing technique.
Do you need to work with the Sublimation Printing process?
In addition to a computer and the appropriate programs, you will need:
Sublimation Printer ;
Sublimation Ink ;
Sublimation Transfer Paper ;
Stamping heat press ;
Cutting Plotters.
What to do when you have unsuitable articles to print?
All materials, as long as they receive a polyester-based resin treatment, can be sublimated. If you have articles to print in stock that do not meet the prerequisites, prepare them with Subliprep sprays and you will be able to print them by Sublimation, without wasting any resources!
Do you want to sublimate on cotton fabric?
At one time an exclusive product for white polyester was launched, the Transfer Forever Subli-Flex 202, which allows printing designs and logos in bright colors on cotton, light or dark, leather or denim, without any loss of color or elasticity. It can be combined with the appropriate paper to reduce the plastic touch.
In short, the price of printers and consumables has been falling over the last few years, which democratized the use of this technique, which is now used in business areas such as handicrafts or gifts, having also increased its presence in the industrial area.
Sublimation Printing allowed to increase the quality of Printing, at accessible costs for small quantities and a world of possibilities for those who work in the area of customization of textiles and gifts.
Visit the physical store with the name of Dallas t shirt shop, we provide clarification on the handling of the equipment you bought from us, visit the Fabriprint online store, where you will find all the equipment, accessories and supports for sublimation printing you need for your business and the answer to your doubts.
