Sublimation
Sublimation is one of the most popular and more durable methods of marking clothes. It is perfect for printing on sportswear – the main condition that the material must meet in order to be able to print on it using the sublimation method is a high content of polyester (min. 80%). For this reason, it is also great for printing, for example, on pillowcases, lanyards, umbrellas or bags. Only light colored polyester materials can be marked with this method. Sublimation can be used for complex designs with many shades, colors and tones, such as photos. The print perfectly reproduces colors and details, and at the same time looks extremely realistic. We are the best in providing dye sublimation printing services if you want any product printed by sublimation you can reach us out.
Sublimation printing uses sublimation ink, which is applied to sublimation paper (so-called transfer), and then the print is transferred from the paper to the material using a special sublimation press. For this process, high temperature is necessary, which allows the dye to be heated – then it changes its state of aggregation from solid to gas and then penetrates the fibers of the polyester material. After the entire print has penetrated the material, the temperature is lowered and the fibers with the ink are closed. The print is not only painted on the surface, but rather “imprinted” into the substance. Thanks to this, it is imperceptible and also very durable – it can easily withstand many washings, which is especially important for sportswear that often ends up in the washing machine.
Examples of sublimation
Clothing marked with the sublimation method can most often be found in the sports department. It is this method that is widely used for all kinds of sports shirts, leggings and sweatshirts. This is because sportswear is very often made of polyester, and it is this material that is best suited for sublimation printing. An additional advantage for people wearing sports clothes is the fact that a T-shirt or sweatshirt with a sublimation print will look great for a long time, because the print does not wash out even after many washings. In addition to sportswear, sublimation prints can also be found on cups or pillowcases – mainly wherever we are dealing with polyester material.
Full print sublimation printing
Would you like a unique t-shirt entirely printed with your graphics? No problem! Sublimation is also suitable for printing all over the garment, i.e. full print. It’s a bit more complicated than other methods, but definitely doable. In this case, the sublimation print is made on a previously prepared pattern, before sewing the T-shirt. After printing the graphics on individual parts of the T-shirt, such clothing in pieces is delivered to the sewing room and only there will it be sewn together.
What equipment do we use for sublimation printing?
In our studio, the basis for sublimation prints is a plotter with a large print format – up to 1100 cm! We use professional Epson plotters, which are valued for their efficiency and extraordinary precision of printing. Before your project reaches the target product, we first print in high resolution on special paper. The print prepared in this way is transferred to the material using a transfer press or a calender at a very high temperature (up to 200 degrees). Such a treatment makes the ink penetrate into the material and permanently binds to it, thanks to which the whole is very durable and will not argue or fade.
The most important features of the sublimation technique:
Digital quality
Sublimation printing, as well as digital printing, allows you to fully reflect the color range of the project, while preserving all shadows or tonal transitions. The difference lies in the material – for sublimation it must be polyester, and for digital printing it must be cotton.
Print from one piece
This method is great for both large and smaller orders – it is profitable even from one piece. So it will be perfect for individual orders – maybe you would like to have an original gym T-shirt with your own print?
The best print quality
The print is extremely realistic, and every, even the smallest detail is visible. Due to the fact that the dye penetrates the material, there is no possibility of washing the print. Weather, abrasion, washing, and hand cleaning have no effect on sublimation.
