Dye sublimation printer, a market that seems to be widespread and familiar in appearance, is actually that is worth billions of dollars. Today, the printing market is getting crowded. The data shows that traditional printing equipment shipment dropped 5.4% in the fourth quarter of 2019 roughly 25.3 million. Because of this, the new dye sublimation printer technology is now one of the major directions of printer giants to expand their market beyond traditional printers. This article will provide answers to 8 questions regarding sublimation print.
Images on your T-shirt posters in the mall high-end customization at the exhibition and even parking signs. Have you ever thought about how these images pop up everywhere? The reason likely comes from the large sublimation printer that is large in size. Contrary to the home or office printers, large format printers are industries that are far from users, yet they are a major influence on the lives of people and their production. If you are looking to begin your business with a dye sublimation printer, this article about 8 common questions concerning dye sublimation printers could help you understand the sublimation market better.
What kinds of products can I use to sublimate and what is the best way to do it?
Some examples of materials that have been treated for sublimation include hardboard (compressed wood cut into various shapes to serve different purposes), glass cutting boards, aluminum and ceramic Christmas ornaments, and cellphone cases made from a special plastic that can take the heat. You can also sublimate on polyester clothes. I’ve had luck using polyester shirts bought from department stores, but your vendor will also supply these.
2. What’s better? Dye sublimation or screen printing?
Sublimation vs. screen printing
Print Runs with dye sublimation printers have high setup costs, initially. Screen printing is expensive every time. After you’ve paid the initial outlay, dye sub is more cost-effective for smaller runs. It’s not an issue with larger print runs too.
dye sublimation printer provides a great level of detail. Screenprinting is known for its sharp edges. However, the digital methods used by dye sublimation printers can be very precise. You can print in high-quality photographic quality, and the detail is so great that you can even show the strokes of a brush.
Colors- Dye-sub can print any number of colors in one swoop, however, it is limited to the colors you can print on computers. It’s a lot of colors. Screen printing only allows one color at a time, and mixing multiple colors can result in alignment issues or bleeding But you can mix any color you like.
Longevity- Screen printing rests on top of the material it prints on. However, dye-sub penetrates deep into the fibers. dye sublimation printer is a great method of printing because it has superior fade resistance. It is likely to outlive every other method of printing even the most.
Do the shirts have to be made of 100 percent polyester?
Sublimation shirts must be at least 50% polyester. The more polyester you have, the more effective. Sublimation only works on poly fibers. Apart from 50/50 cotton poly shirts, various kinds work. One of my personal favorites is known as tri-blend. Tri-blends are composed of 50% polyester, 25% cotton, and 25 percent Rayon. The combination creates a very soft shirt. Be aware that you should only make use of a light-colored shirt. The design may fade due to other fibers. I’m about to make tri-blend raglan (baseball sleeves) shirts with designs for fall. I prefer the faded appearance for fall. Teens tend to like the faded look of their clothes as well.
One of the main reasons why sublimation is so sought-after in the printing business is the fact that it allows the colors to come out so well and also doesn’t fade off in the wash.
It is generally recommended to stick to white shirts to get the most out of this along with saving money. White shirts are not just more affordable than colored shirts but they are also able to be printed in any color you want… except for white. Another common complaint of polyester shirts is that they can “shine” and reflect a lot of light off of them and this can detract from the design you’ve printed on them. This issue isn’t as prevalent with white shirts since it’s much more difficult to tell if the shirt is made of polyester or cotton if you are not the one wearing it.
Similar to this A4 model, Port & Company has a fantastic budget sublimation tee that is geared towards youth.
4. Is it possible to apply sublimation to 100% cotton T-shirts?
There are some variations to the basic question “Is sublimation feasible on cotton shirts?” Since sublimation forms the chemical bonds to polyester fibers embedded in the shirt, it is not a great option to choose a shirt that is 100% cotton. There are exceptions to this, such as the sublimation items that are on the market. However, some people complain that even with the coating, colors don’t look good. Even though the world of sublimation and cotton may seem similar to Tom and Jerry there are ways to work around this.
The makers of polyester t-shirts focus on producing an item that is comfortable and performs well. This is directly connected to the polyester’s content. One of the main factors that makes a shirt a polyester one is how it feels someone’s skin and its related quality of the wearer’s comfort.
5. What equipment do I need to begin my sublimation industry?
If you are just beginning to learn about sublimation the primary equipment you’ll require is a high-quality heat press a printer for sublimation, and a tablet or computer to design. If you plan to add cups and hats to your business, you’ll also require a mug press and a hat press. These smaller pieces of equipment will usually come with your heat press or printer. They include:
Heat transfer tape
sublimation paper
Ink
Sublimation adhesive spray
butcher paper
Teflon sheets as well as pillows and blankets
parchment paper
6. Is a convection furnace necessary to sublimate?
A convection oven is only required in the sublimation industry if you plan to sublimate items that require a wrap. It is not advised to use a stove in the kitchen because of health issues. I’ve never owned an oven that uses convection. There are plenty of substrates available to sell that do not require wrapping a placing in the oven. Dishes for pets, shot glasses, and various drink glasses are just a few of the items that need wrapping. I’ve made a few shot glasses using the normal oven in my kitchen (before I realized it could pose a health risk – yikes!) The shot glasses turned out gorgeously, however, the process took a long time as I only had one wrap, and required baking each glass individually at a given time.
My suggestion is to look through the hundreds of blanks available from your vendor. It is possible to purchase pet bowls or whatever you’d like if that’s what you plan to sell.
7. Do I need a special sublimation paper?
You will indeed require special paper designed specifically for dye sublimation. Paper used for printing is usually too absorbent. There are numerous brands from which to choose.
I’ve always gone with the cheapest and haven’t had a problem. When you’ve loaded the paper into your Sawgrass and then put the white side up into the drawer.
8. Do I have to purchase heat gloves from my vendor?
You will definitely need gloves to shield yourself from burns, however, it is not necessary to purchase these from your retailer. In fact, I don’t wear the gloves that were supplied in my original box. The rubbery (possibly plastic) tips would melt on my surfaces. I believed I was doing something incorrectly using the press since I noticed black splotches all over my creations. It took me some time to pinpoint the issue. Now I just use some winter mittens. It is ideal to have gloves with a thicker material, but since moving this year, I’m unable to locate these gloves. I’m thinking of investing in the latest pair of “sublimation” gloves for winter. Better than that, I’ll keep my eye out for winter clothing that goes for sale! Not all clothing items will require gloves. Only those that generate warmth do. Talk to your high-school science teacher about that!
After reading this article about 8 FAQs about dye sublimation printers, I am sure you will know better about your sublimation business.
Digital Printing Technology 