Dye-Sublimation is the process of transferring dye to polyester or other synthetic fabric by converting the solid of the ink into a gas using heat and pressure. Most often, the printer prints onto a specialty sublimation transfer paper, which is then transferred or sublimated onto the fabric in a heat press. During the process, the ink bonds with the fibers of the media. This process is unlike other inkjet printing technologies where there is just a layer of ink on top of the media.
Dye-Sublimation is becoming a growing industry of inkjet printing in North America. (It already has a strong foot hold in Europe and South America.) More and more countries are requiring dye-sublimation for apparels due to it being less harmful than solvents, as well as its eco-friendly and biodegradable properties.
Dye-Sublimation has many advantages over other traditional inkjet printing technologies. One of the strongest advantages is that the images are permanent. Images printed with dye-sublimation will not peel or fade and the dyes do not build up on the fabric, but instead bond to the fabric. Vibrant colors can be achieved through bonding that is equivalent to photographs.
Anything made with polyester can be used for dye-sublimation. 100% polyester materials work best for transfer of color and vibrancy, but a poly-blend of at least 60% is recommended. Synthetic fibers such as nylon, rayon, spandex, and Kevlar may also be used with dye-sublimation as well, but these fibers would need to be able to withstand the 400°F temperature of a heat press.
Another feature to sublimating is the amount of time that it takes to sublimate. Sublimating time varies based on the type of material. The harder a substrate’s sublimation coating, the longer it takes for the substrate to sublimate. For example, a t-shirt will take less than 1 minute to sublimate, whereas a larger, harder surface could take over 10 minutes.
To get started with dye-sublimation, you will need a few things. First you will need a dye-sublimation printer such as the Epson or Mimaki series printer. You will also need a polyester fabric or a rigid media with a polyester coating, sublimation transfer paper, a heat press, and finishing products like a hot knife, industrial sewing machine, sign frames, banner stands, and hanging frames.
There are many types of products that can be used for dye-sublimation. Below are a few examples of different types of products and items that are available.
- Apparel (shirts, hats, socks, sportswear, hoodies, scarfs, bandanas, towels, etc.),
- Promotional items (mouse pad, beverage cooler, key chains, magnetics, coasters, clocks, license plate frames, plaques, phone cases, etc.)
- Rigid boards (aluminum, steel, plastic, and wood may be printed on through the dye-sublimation process as long as the product or material has a polyester coating.
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