Sublimation Printing

If you find yourself wondering what sublimation printing is, ponder no more! We have got you covered. Sublimation is one of the most sought-after forms of printing designs on various materials.

If you find yourself wondering what sublimation printing is, ponder no more! We have got you covered. Sublimation is one of the most sought-after forms of printing designs on various materials.

Sublimation is used in numerous industries because of the vibrant results you get from the process. It is a process that uses heat to transfer designs from sublimation paper to the material of your choice, but we’ll get into the details in a bit!

Sublimation printing has various advantages and a few disadvantages. One of the biggest factors that make sublimation printing stand out is how you can use it to print multiple designs at the same time. It is used by many businesses to fulfill their needs, and the results are stunning.

Let’s look into sublimation printing in more detail!

What Is Sublimation Printing?

If we were to describe sublimation printing in simple terms, it is a process in which the ink is embedded in the pores of the material instead of printing it on the surface of the material. One of the reasons it is preferred by many people is because it is incredibly durable, and lasts a long time.

Sublimation is used in numerous industries because of the vibrant results you get from the process. It is a process that uses heat to transfer designs from sublimation paper to the material of your choice, but we’ll get into the details in a bit!

Sublimation printing has various advantages and a few disadvantages. One of the biggest factors that make sublimation printing stand out is how you can use it to print multiple designs at the same time. It is used by many businesses to fulfill their needs, and the results are stunning.

Let’s look into sublimation printing in more detail!

What Is Sublimation Printing?

If we were to describe sublimation printing in simple terms, it is a process in which the ink is embedded in the pores of the material instead of printing it on the surface of the material. One of the reasons it is preferred by many people is because it is incredibly durable, and lasts a long time.

The step-by-step process of sublimation process includes:

With the use of sublimation ink, the design is printed on the sublimation paper and allowed to dry.

The sublimation paper is then placed on the material you want the print to be on.

The material that you want the print to be on is placed in the heat press along with the sublimation paper.

While in the heat press, the sublimation ink embeds itself in the pores of the material and bonds with it.

The material and sublimation paper is taken out of the heat press and the sublimation paper is removed and discarded.

The material and print are allowed to cool down and you have a vibrant print that will not fade or crack.

The Uses Of Sublimation Printing

Sublimation is a process that is mostly utilized in the fabric or textile and ceramic industry. The materials on which you can carry out sublimation printing successfully include:

Polymer

Ceramic

PVC

Polyester

Poly-cotton

Polyester-coated aluminum

Polyester-made fabric

Polyester-coated metal

Polymer-coated plastic

When you are working with sublimation printing, you need to avoid natural materials like 100% cotton. These materials are not suitable for sublimation printing because they don’t have the correct pores that can expand to allow the ink to get absorbed.

Sublimation printing is one of the most used techniques for printing sports jerseys and other custom prints on fabrics. It is also used to print uniforms. There are various other uses of sublimation printing like:

Beanies

Shirts

Pants

Socks

Phone covers

Mugs

Ceramic plates

Ceramic decoration pieces

Advantages Of Sublimation Printing

There are various advantages of using the sublimation printing technique. It is one of the most preferred methods of printing vibrant designs. Let’s look at some of the advantages.

Customize And Personalize

One of the biggest advantages of sublimation printing is that you can add a personalized touch to anything you want to print. You can create products that are special for other people because you can personalize the items and designs for them. Personalization is something that is incredibly valuable in today’s day and age. and it can help you sell products.

Customization is also an excellent advantage of sublimation printing. By customizing, you get to change the size and quality of the print. It can help you fix any errors that may be present, and you can get the best possible results. You can let your creative juices flow and print what you want to print because you can customize the prints based on your preferences.

High-Quality And Durable Prints

One of the reasons why sublimation printing is appreciated and loved by many people is because the quality of the prints is incredibly high, and you get vibrant designs with stunning colors. Since the sublimation ink is absorbed into the material and pores, it creates a seamless print.

The way the sublimation ink is embedded in the pores of the material is also a reason why the prints are extremely durable. The results you get from sublimation printing last a long time and don’t peel off the way prints from other techniques might. You don’t have to worry about how many washes the print will survive, because the design is not going to fade.

Fast Process And Less Human Effort

If you work under strict deadlines and you have to bring designs to life in the form of prints in a quick time, sublimation printing is an excellent option for you. It uses technology rather than human power. You have a machine for every process involved in sublimation printing, and it takes less effort.

Although, you have to keep an eye on the print and material, especially when it is in the heat press. You have to make sure that the heat press is placed accurately and the quality of prints is sustained throughout. Even then, it is not a process that takes a long time.

Disadvantages Of Sublimation Printing

Like any other printing process, sublimation printing also has some disadvantages. However, the pros mostly outweigh the cons. Let’s look at some of the disadvantages of sublimation printing you might have to face.

Not suitable for a wide range of materials

Ghosting can occur when sublimation paper moves during the process

White creases can appear in areas of the material where the design hasn’t reached

Business And Industries That Use Sublimation Printing

Even though the range of materials that can be used for sublimation printing is not very vast, there are still a lot of industries and businesses that use sublimation printing. Some of the most prominent businesses that use sublimation printing include:

Merchandise companies that make mugs, mousepads, etc

Signage companies

Textile industry

Graphic art prints

Sublimation printing is an excellent technique that creates long-lasting prints that can be used to create various products. UniPrint offers you all sublimation printing solutions. You can get the highest quality sublimation printers and all the related equipment like transfer paper, rotary heater, and sublimation ink from UniPrint.