Sublimation: What is it?
Sublimation is a decorating process that can truly up your game. With sublimation, your design is infused into the item you are working with as opposed to being on the object surface like many other decorating methods. For example, silkscreening is paint on top of the surface and HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) or DTF (Direct to Film) transfers is adhered to the surface using heat and glue. Sublimation allows for rich, full-color images like photos or art containing shadows and gradients and it is a permanent process that will not rub off, wash out, crack, or peel. There are, however, a few caveats to using sublimation as well as some limitations that you must know.
For starters, sublimation requires the use of special ink and paper that is formulated specifically for sublimation. There are printers specifically made for this such as the Sawgrass models, but some people may choose to convert tank-based inkjet printers, such as the Epson Eco Tank series, for this as purpose as well. The important thing to know is that you cannot use regular printer ink as it is not made for sublimation. You will specifically need sublimation ink which is specially formulated to react to high temperatures, around 400ºF (about 204ºC).
When first starting out, you should perform some print color tests. It is very likely that you will need to make some color corrections to your image and/or printer settings to adjust for saturation, brightness or hue shifts. Like HTV, sublimation requires that you mirror (flip) the image horizontally when printing. This is because the print will be placed face down on your item when pressed. Also, the printout will appear faded, but don’t worry… this is normal. It is due to the special ink being used. Once sublimated, the final image will yield amazingly vibrant and deep colors when processed properly.
Specially finished like metallic, opalescent and glitter (with an exception below) are not something you can do with sublimation itself, but you can always embellish your design with vinyl or other decorating methods, should you so choose to do so.
What can I sublimate?
What you sublimate on makes a huge difference in quality. Sublimation requires the use of specially coated materials called blanks that can withstand the high temperatures you will need to apply. These blanks have a special coating that the sublimation ink will fuse with. Blanks can be mugs, coasters, tumblers, mouse pads, jewelry, keychains and more! There are many, many options out there. Most blanks are white, but sublimation can be used on any light colors to provide a different effect. Since sublimation does not print in white, any white areas of your design will be the color of the item you are working with. Sublimation should not be used on dark colors. You can also sublimate on specially coated glass that may be either clear, colored, or frosted. You may want to look into a specialized heat press if you will be sublimating on a certain product on a regular basis (ie: mug or tumbler press). In the case of mugs and tumblers, you may also be able to use a dedicated oven (an old toast-r oven perhaps) as long as it can reach the necessary temperatures and you have a way to apply enough pressure. Just keep in mind that you can no longer use the oven for food after this!
Clothing such as T-shirts, socks, hats, etc. can also be sublimated on, but there’s a catch: The fabric must contain a high polyester count. Ideally 100% polyester, but some blends such as 95% polyester, 5% spandex are ok too. The lower the polyester count, the duller the image will appear. Sublimation ink infuses extremely well into polyester. This is why you cannot use sublimation on 100% cotton. If you try to sublimate on cotton or fabric with a low polyester count, the image will appear very faded – if it appears at all. This may work for a worn or vintage look, but you should test to see if/how it works for you.
There is, however, a possible workaround to sublimate onto cotton. You can try applying a specialized sublimation spray coating onto the apparel. This may provide acceptable results but not as good as polyester. Also, it can be pretty expensive and may below or fade over time. An alternate way to sublimate cotton garments is by using specially treated HTV made for sublimation. There are some printable sublimation HTV options as well. Also, certain glitter HTV has been known to work with sublimation (this is the exception mentioned earlier). Just note that this method is really just adding layer of vinyl on the surface and may not last as long or hold up as well as direct sublimation would.
You can also use some other special tricks to sublimate onto wood or other uncoated glass products by using lamination sheets. We won’t go into the details here, but there are videos on the internet that explain how that process works. A great example of this is to sublimate onto glass cutting boards or even create sun catchers that look like stained glass!
How does sublimation work?
First, your design is printed on to special paper using sublimation inks. This is where the magic begins: when heated to about 400ºF, the design will go from a solid (dry ink) directly into a gas phase, bypassing the liquid phase altogether. This change from solid to gas is called sublimation, hence the term.
With some pressure applied, gas is transferred to the substrate and is actually infused into the polyester fibers or coating. This process is permanent. The time it takes to completely infuse varies by the object being sublimated but this is roughly about 1 minute for a T-shirt to several minutes for harder surfaces such as tumblers or mugs. Check the instructions that came with the blanks for specifics. When the sublimation process is complete, you should allow the item to cool completely before removing the paper. When the paper is removed, it will reveal the amazing rich design you’ve desired.
There are a few things you should be aware of during the sublimation process. Here are a few important things to keep note of:
1.) Because sublimation becomes a gas, it will permanently transfer onto your heat press pads. To avoid staining your heat press, you should cover the entire sublimation area with a couple of layers of butcher paper or even plain copy paper. This will protect your investment.
2.) Sublimation can stink! When materials are heated to the high temperatures needed for sublimation, they may give off unpleasant fumes. You should sublimate in a well ventilated area and perhaps have a fan running. It is also a good idea to wear a face mask or respirator.
3.) Any small shift can ruin your design! When sublimating, you should securely tape down the paper or, in the case of tumblers and mugs, you can use heat shrink film or silicone bands in your special tree (or dedicated oven). This will keep the paper on tightly and (hopefully) prevent ghosting or blurring. If using a traditional heat press, try to press in one steady motion to keep the garment from shifting. You should sublimate your entire image at once and avoid reheating a sublimated area.
4.) Time and temperature are important. If your time or temperature settings are off, the result may be a faded image transfer. Also, do not leave the heat on for too long as you can potentially burn the item or even start a fire! You should wear heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands when handling the heated items. Always check the instructions provided with your blanks if you are not sure or check online to find what settings others use. YouTube can be of great help in this area. For reference, a 100% polyester T-shirt usually sublimates well at around 400º for approximately 60 seconds.
When done properly, sublimation is one of the best decorating methods available because your image is permanently infused into the item and will not wash off. The colors are rich and deep. Glossy items look particularly amazing and PU leather blanks come out with a matte finish that looks very classy as well! It may take some practice to execute successfully but when you do the results are second to none.