Have you been looking for a new creative outlet or a way to turn your crafting hobby into a profitable business venture? If so, then you've come to the right place! Today we will be diving into the world of sublimation – an exciting printing technique that has taken the crafting and customization industry by storm. Whether you're familiar with sublimation or completely new to it, this blog post will serve as your ultimate guide on all things sublimation. So, grab your favorite cup of coffee, and let's explore this colorful and versatile form of art together!
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How Is Sublimation Different from Other Printing Techniques?
Sublimation is a unique printing technique that involves transferring ink onto a polyester coated fabric or surface using heat and pressure. Unlike other printing methods, such as screen printing or heat transfer vinyl, sublimation allows for a more precise and vibrant outcome. The process involves printing the artwork or design onto special sublimation paper using a sublimation printer. From there, the paper is placed onto the surface of the blank material and heat pressed for a certain amount of time depending on the substrate. This causes the ink to turn into a gas, which then permeates the fibers of the material and permanently dyes the surface. (If you want to know more about the science behind it, refer to this blog.)
The result is a gorgeous, high-quality image that won’t fade or peel. Whether it’s for customized shirts, mugs, or ornaments, sublimation’s versatility and permanence make it a popular choice for anyone looking to create a lasting impression.
What Equipment Do I Need to Get Started?
Setting up a home setup may seem daunting, but rest assured it can be done affordably and easily. The equipment needed includes a printer, heat press, sublimation ink, and paper. To get the best results, it's important to choose equipment that meets your needs.
Additional Sublimation Supplies
Once you’ve picked up your sublimation printer and heat press, you’re almost ready to go! The last few things you need are your supplies. Let’s go through each of them.
When creating designs, it's important to keep in mind the limitations of the sublimation process, such as the size and shape of the product being used. Additionally, it's helpful to know that there are a variety of free and paid design templates available online to help kickstart your creativity. By following these design considerations and utilizing resources such as templates, you can create stunning sublimation designs. Check out our Digital Marketplace.
Remember, with sublimation printing, vibrant and durable results are possible on a wide range of garments. Don't let the initial setup scare you off from experimenting with this fun and unique printing technique!
What Can I Sublimate?
Sublimation offers a world of possibilities for personalization and business growth. Everyday items like puzzles, keychains, blankets, and more can be transformed into unique, personalized pieces, expanding your product offerings. The quality of the sublimation blanks you choose is crucial to achieving high-quality results; wholesale options offer value for businesses planning on creating multiple items.
Beyond personal use, sublimation printing opens opportunities for creating customized gifts, home décor, and apparel, offering significant potential for business expansion. Imagine surprising customers with bespoke gifts or offering unique, personalized home décor items like wall art or photo canvases. The fashion industry also holds vast potential, with the ability to create custom t-shirts, hats, bags, and more that reflect individual style and personality.
With a sublimation printer, creativity, and high-quality blanks, the opportunities for personal projects and business growth are truly limitless. Plus, the longevity of sublimated images ensures your creations will stand the test of time, providing lasting value to your customers and boosting repeat business.
How to Use Sublimation to Create Your First Custom T-Shirt or Mug
If you're new to sublimation, the process can seem daunting at first. Luckily, with just a few simple steps, you can create high-quality prints on a variety of items.
Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
Before you begin, grab the essential items we talked about earlier:
Step 2: Create/Buy Your Design
You can purchase a sublimation design or use graphic design software to create your own design. Keep in mind that the design will be mirrored when transferred, so make sure to flip your image horizontally before printing.
Step 3: Run a Nozzle Check
Follow the procedure for your type of sublimation printer to check whether the print head nozzles are clogged up or not by printing a nozzle check test pattern.
After printing, examine the test pattern closely. This pattern helps identify any clogs in the print head and indicates which head is affected. Each color segment on the pattern corresponds to a print head number:
Refer to the illustration below to determine if a print head is clogged. If you notice clogging, initiate the Head Cleaning process. Should the issue continue, proceed with Head Flushing to resolve it.
Step 4: Print Your Design
Load your sublimation paper into your printer, making sure to feed the paper in the correct direction. Make sure to size and flip your design horizontally before printing. Print your design.
Step 5: Prepare for Transfer
Once your design is printed, you're ready to heat press your design to your garment!
To do this, first, load your T-shirt onto your heat press’s bottom platen. Pre-press your shirt for 5 seconds, removing any possible moisture. Then, align and place your transfer on top of the shirt, secure it with heat-resistant tape, and cover with a sheet of Teflon. Your transfer should now be facing the correct direction (no longer mirrored).
For A Mug, position the design on your mug, making sure it's properly aligned. Secure it with heat-resistant tape.
Step 6: Press Your Design
Turn on your heat press and set it to the recommended temperature for your material (usually around 400°F for mugs and 385°F for t-shirts). Place your t-shirt or mug in the press, making sure the design is facing down for t-shirts and up for mugs.
Close the press and set the timer (generally, about 250 seconds for mugs and 30 seconds for t-shirts). Once the time is up, pop open your heat press and carefully remove the item from the press using your heat gloves.
Step 7: Reveal Your Design
Immediately peel off the paper to reveal your custom design.
And there you have it! You've just created your first custom t-shirt or mug using sublimation. Practice with different designs and items to perfect your technique and create unique, personalized items.
Remember, sublimation requires specific materials and equipment, and it's important to follow safety guidelines when handling hot items. Happy crafting!
Heat Press Settings & Templates for Sublimation
For your convenience, we've compiled this handy-dandy chart, where you'll always have the right temperature and time for pressing sublimation blanks. In addition, Coastal provides free sublimation templates for all our sublimation blanks. You can find them here. With these resources, you won't have to guess the right settings anymore, ensuring perfect results every time. So, let's get pressing and make some awesome art!
To make your crafting process smoother, consider printing this table or creating a personalized reference guide to keep close to your heat press. With this at your fingertips, you'll always have the necessary sublimation temperature and duration details for pressing various blank types!
Alright, future sublimation superstars! Now that you're equipped with the necessary knowledge, it's time to get started!
Here's one last checklist to double-check to ensure that you're starting off on the right foot!
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That wraps up our comprehensive guide on sublimation printing 101! We hope this article has been insightful and beneficial as you embark on your sublimation journey. As you continue to explore and grow in this field, we recommend delving into our other resources: "Expand your HTV Business with Sublimation", “7 Tips for Sublimation Success”, and “7 Common Sublimation Issues & How to Fix Them”.
Back when I started with sublimation, my biggest question was, “Do you need a sublimation printer?” You may be wondering the same thing. I’ve learned a lot by trial and error while figuring out the answer (it might surprise you!) that I’ll share with you to make it easier! I WISH I’d had someone to clue me in to tips, tricks, and just the things that could have reassured me and built my confidence to sublimate all the things!
Want to save this? Enter your below and we’ll send the guide straight to your inbox.Watch my full video on all 21 things I wish I knew before I started sublimation printing:
First off, what exactly is sublimation? It’s a process that uses high temperatures and pressure to permanently transfer special ink into compatible surfaces.
It’s also a great way to create nearly any artwork you want. Blended colors, intricate patterns, photos, drawings — it’s all within your reach with the right plan and materials! But it can take a lot of work to get confident in all things sublimation, so I want to give you a head start with what I’ve learned. Here’s my top ten, but you can find the full set in my video along with excellent questions from crafters just like you!
For more information, please visit 24 Inch Heat Sublimation Paper.
1. There’s A LOT to Learn About Dye Sublimation
With several prominent printer, ink, and material suppliers in the industry, there’s a lot to keep track of when sublimation printing. Picking the best printer model, setting the right ICC profiles, finding the best paper for your machines, picking your favorite ink, etc. I cover it all in Sublimation Startup, don’t worry.
But, the answer to “Do you need a sublimation printer?” doesn’t have to be “Yes, immediately.” If you don’t want to make those decisions right now, just pick up some pre-printed sublimation transfers or play with sublimation markers while you figure it out.
2. Big Results on a Small Investment
If you already have a heat press that reaches at least 350 degrees farenheit (400 is better) like a Cricut EasyPress or Autopress, you’re nearly ready to sublimate. Even the mini Cricut EasyPress gets hot enough, though household irons don’t.
Grab some sublimation markers, printer paper, and some compatible blanks from the dollar store and you’re ready to give it a shot!
3. Mirror That Design Every Time
You want the ink to touch the project’s surface during the sublimation transfer, so always remember to mirror, flip, or whatever action your machines use to create the image backwards! This is one spot where sublimation printers shine with easy controls for even the most complex designs. You can even prepare a design correctly in Google Docs for Free!
But you can mirror designs without a printer, too! I tried some fun techniques in my Infusible Ink Pen Projects tutorial, including tracing designs onto the back of paper using Cricut Infusible Ink Markers. With some practice, you can even do lettering this way!
4. You Can Sublimate ALL THE THINGS!
If you’ve mostly looked at sublimation printing projects like I did early on, you might think sublimation is only for flat items smaller than a piece of printer paper and made of polyester fabrics. Nope! You can learn how to piece together huge designs, shape them to curved surfaces, or add a specialty coating to items that wouldn’t normally work with the dyes. Some projects work better with special presses, like tumbler, mug, and hat presses, as well as unusual things like convection ovens, air fryers, and even a heat gun, but with a little creativity, you can sublimate a TON of stuff.
5. Sublimation Printers Are Not Scary!
I was really intimidated before I experimented with dye sublimation printers! I thought there were all like over $1,000, hard to use, and HUGE. I was wrong! Sure, there are big, expensive printers made just for sublimation. But there are tons of other options to pick from, including inexpensive inkjet printers you can convert to dye sublimation printing! My favorite is an Epson EcoTank printer ET-. I’ve had a lot of fun comparing sublimation printers to help you decide which to buy when you’re ready! Definitely check out my reviews if you’re considering an answer to do you need a sublimation printer!
6. Still, You Can Sublimate Without a Printer
Creating crisp, bright colors and long-lasting sublimation projects doesn’t require a special printer! Did you know Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets and markers dye your item’s fibers in the same way? If (like me!) you’re not a strong drawer, trace designs from laser printers using dye sublimation ink markers to get beautiful images! Or, you can buy printed sublimation designs from other makers and press them on your own!
7. Sublimation Inks Are Transparent?!
Ok, now that I mention this in every sublimation project, I hope we all know that the ink isn’t opaque like normal printer ink. But I didn’t at first! Understanding that sublimation ink will be influenced by the color of the item’s surface is so important to creating the decorations you want. You really have to pay attention when Sublimating on Dark Colors, but it’s possible!
8. Sublimation Ink Gets Old
Not like boring, it expires! Keep track of when you open ink cartridges or bottles and check the package for how long it should last.
Cartridges for Sawgrass printers are good for 15 months, but the Hippoo ink I use in my Epson lasts about 18 months. If you print frequently, you’ll need to add more before the ink degrades, so don’t worry. But if not, the particles clump together and the prints will get spotty, so you’ll notice. It can also happen if the printer sits dormant for a while as the drink can dry up. If it does, carefully remove the old ink, then follow the manual’s steps to check your nozzles and print heads.
If you only want to sublimate occasionally, Cricut Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, markers, pens, and having designs printed elsewhere are great solutions!
9. Keep Clean and Sublimate Safely
Since sublimation ink will attempt to dye anything it touches at the right heat and pressure, it’s really important to remove lint that will intercept the ink on its way to your blank or other debris. I lint roll everything to be sure!
The ink actually turns from a solid into a vapor during heating, so it can spread! Protect your work area, press, and other materials you don’t want to dye with cardstock and uncoated white butcher paper. And since it’s a gas, always use dye sublimation in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling the fumes. At the minimum, I keep a gentle fan blowing to dissipate the fumes and don’t get too close to the press until the design has cooled. That also allows the dye to settle back into a solid in the fibers, minimizing the risk of smudged designs.
10. There’s Always Something New to Learn and I Love That!
I love all the new sublimation tools, materials, and techniques coming out! It’s so much fun to experiment and learn new ways to share sublimation with you. I try to stay on top of trends, but I’d love to hear about new ideas or tools you’d like me to try. I’m really proud of the smooth seams you can get with my Sublimation Tumblers tutorial. And there are lots of new techniques to try in the Sublimation on Canvas project!
Are you any closer to an answer for “Do you need a sublimation printer?” I hope these tips helped, and remember to check out the full video for more advice!
Do you need a sublimation printer? Ready to answer the question for yourself? You’re going to have fun coming to a decision! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.
I also have a Facebook group just for sublimation crafting where you can get help and tips from other crafters who love to sublimate, too! They have lots of ideas for how to sublimate on cotton! Come join us at jennifermaker.com/sublimationgroup to ask questions, share ideas, and get inspired. And you’re sure to find different answers to the question, Do you need a sublimation printer?
Q. Do I need to buy a sublimation printer?
No! Don’t rush to buy a new printer unless it’s the best option for you.
Q. Can I use my inkjet printer for sublimation?
You can convert a standard inkjet printer if it uses the right kind of printer head.
Q. Can I sublimate without a sublimation printer?
Yes! You can create a high-quality product without special sublimation printers. You can purchase printed sublimation transfer paper designs, use Infusible Ink, or draw with appropriate markers that will still last a long time!
Q. Can I use my HP printer for sublimation?
A regular inkjet printer that uses a thermal printing head isn’t compatible with sublimation ink. Unfortunately, Hewlett Packard (HP printers), Dell, and Canon use that technology. However, Epson uses a different style of printer heads for some types of printers, like the EcoTank printers.
Q. Can a Cricut do sublimation?
In a way, yes! You can use Cricut Design Space to prepare designs and print them on a sublimation printer, cut them out of Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets, or draw them using Infusible Ink Pens. You can also cut heat transfer vinyl in the shape of the printed design to add a sublimation-friendly coating to an item.
Q. What is the easiest printer to convert to sublimation?
I find Epson printers easiest to convert for sublimation. I covered all the steps in my conversion tutorial! The ink tanks are a little messy, but now I love my Epson sublimation printer.
Q. What equipment is needed for sublimation?
You’ll need sublimation blanks like a polyester t-shirt, paper that works with your chosen sublimation dye item, and a press that reaches high heat temperatures.
Q: How do I test my sublimation prints for vibrancy and color?
Use my free subliflower design to see how your colors look! It’s Design #385 in my resource library!
Q: What else can I put my sublimation prints on?
Here are just a few of the items I’ve sublimated and some tips I’ve learned along the way:
Need a little extra help understanding how to get started with sublimation? Join Sublimation Startup for a logical, step-by-step guide to getting setup for success with sublimation! You can ask questions and feel confident that you’ll get help! The Sublimation Startup mini-course is also great for those who enjoy learning from my easy-to-understand, calm, and clear method of teaching. This is a no-fluff, no-mess, no-distraction workshop … it’s like sitting down with me in my craft room! We work in logical steps to build your understanding and confidence with sublimation, and then provide support to keep helping you as you continue on your journey! Register now!
(If you do not see the signup form above, click here.)
So, what do you think? Do you need a sublimation printer? Watch for more sublimation tutorials and please ask any questions you have in our Facebook group or tag me on social media with #jennifermaker.
Love,
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