Sublimation...
What is sublimation printing?
You may have heard the term ‘sublimation’ going around lately. Some apparel decorators call it dye-sub, or dye sublimation printing, but no matter what you call it, sublimation printing is a digital printing method that uses heat to transfer special ink from paper to any number of substrates like plastic, metal, or fabric.
Sublimation only works on garments made of polyester, or on specialty objects made of polyester or given a polyester coating. When the heat and pressure are applied, the dye on the transfer medium sublimates, or becomes a gas, and is then absorbed into the polyester itself; the print is actually a part of the garment/coating. It doesn’t fade easily, wear, or have any texture or weight. It actually looks like it is part of the object or garment.
Sublimation only works on garments made of polyester, or on specialty objects made of polyester or given a polyester coating. When the heat and pressure are applied, the dye on the transfer medium sublimates, or becomes a gas, and is then absorbed into the polyester itself; the print is actually a part of the garment/coating. It doesn’t fade easily, wear, or have any texture or weight. It actually looks like it is part of the object or garment.
Sublimation Services...
We have teamed up with two of the best names in the business for all of your sublimation needs. Teamwork and Holloway bring the best in design and ordering for your custom baseball, soccer, football, and many other sports uniforms. Like Accelerated Screen Printing, they both share the same passion for quality and customer service. Click on a link below to see what we have to offer.
Teamwork |
Holloway |
Frequently Asked Questions? |
What are some advantages and dis-advantages of sublimation printing?
Advantages
- Full color on small runs. Unlike screen printing, there is no need for separate screens, films, or a great deal of setup for sublimation. Though you may need to have us refine your art, the process thereafter is straightforward, and on smaller orders may prove less expensive overall than screen printing.
- Smaller minimum orders. We are more likely to be able to accommodate a smaller order or re-order when you sublimate, due to the reduced amount of setup needed to print your item.
- Customization. Though art charges may apply for this level of customization, seeing as each garment is printed from it’s own transfer rather than in mass quantity on the same set of screens, this method makes it much easier to add individual customization to each printed item.
- Lighter hand. The nature of sublimation means that prints are never heavy or thick. The garment is unchanged by the process, accept for the addition of your art.
- Durability. There is no cracking or peeling in a sublimated print, they last as long as the garment.
Dis-advantages
- White/Light garments only. Sublimated color blend with the color on which they are printed, so the best result comes from printing on white garments. That said, though it is more expensive, you can choose to have an entire garment printed! This means that not only could you turn your white garment any color, you could also cover it’s surface with any image you like!
- Polyester garments only. Though it is true that this process only works on polyester, the polyester garments of today aren’t the heavy, impermeable garments of the ’70s that usually come to mind. The largest amount of modern performance fabrics, moisture-wicking fabrics, and the like are made of polyester. Comfortable, even cotton-like textured garments are being made in sublimation-friendly polyester!
- Higher price per piece in large runs. There comes a point when a large enough run of sublimation will become more expensive than traditional screen printing. That said, even if the blanks are slightly more expensive, for small runs, the reduced setup fees often make sublimation more economical for full-color or photo-realistic designs.