Sublimation Printing
Heat-transfer dye printing for polyester fabrics. Vibrant, permanent color with no ink layer on top of the fabric.
Technical Difference vs. Inkjet Printing
Process
- Print design onto special transfer paper with sublimation inks.
- Place transfer paper onto fabric and apply heat and pressure.
- The inks turn to gas, fuse with the polyester fibers, and lock in color.
File Submission and Setup
- File Formats: AI, PDF, PSD, TIFF
- Image Quality: Minimum resolution 300 DPI. Artwork should be created at actual print size.
- Pantones: We color match using Pantone+ Solid Color. For specific brand colors please provide Pantones.Dimensions: Send files in final desired printing dimensions
Pros
- Vibrant detail: Produces sharp, colorful prints that remain bright wash after wash. On textured or fuzzy fabrics, very fine details may appear less crisp.
- Durability: Because the ink embeds into the fibers (instead of sitting on top), prints resist fading, peeling, and washing out.
- Lower waste: Sublimation uses dry inks that infuse directly into fabric, minimizing excess ink, solvents, and water waste compared to other methods.
Cons
- Fabric limitations: Works only on 100% polyester or blends with high polyester content. The lower the polyester percentage, the more faded the result.
- Base color restrictions: Only effective on white or very light fabrics. Since there’s no white ink, the process can’t lighten dark bases.
- Creasing risk: On finished garments, folds or seams can block the dye, leaving unprinted white streaks.
Difference between sublimation printers and regular digital printers.
Unlike traditional inkjet or laser printers that deposit ink or toner on the surface of the paper, sublimation printers use heat to vaporize and permeate dye onto paper or fabric surfaces. The process involves converting solid dye particles into gas using heat without going through a liquid phase. Read more about the differences between Direct Digital and Sublimation Printing here.
Standard inkjet printing deposits an ink layer on top of the fabric. Sublimation, by contrast, transforms the ink into a gas that becomes part of the fiber itself. This is why sublimation prints have no texture or raised surface — the color is inside the fabric, not on it.