Sublimation is a printing process for light polyester textiles and for items with a sublimation coating, such as mugs. Your design is first printed onto transfer paper. In the press, the ink turns into a gas under heat and bonds with the material. Afterwards, the design sits in the fabric or in the coating and cannot be felt. In this article, you will find out which materials are suitable, why sublimation does not print white, what applies to mugs and when a DTF transfer is the better choice.
How sublimation works
The term comes from physics. There, sublimation refers to the direct transition of a substance from a solid to a gaseous state. How you use this effect in sublimation printing is explained in four steps:
- Printing: We print your design mirrored onto transfer paper. You create your file unmirrored, and we take care of the mirroring.
- Positioning: You place the printed side on the item and fix it with heat-resistant tape if necessary.
- Pressing: Under heat, the ink turns into a gas and bonds with the polyester or the sublimation coating.
- Result: The design sits in the material and not on top of it as a film or ink layer.
This is why you cannot feel the print, the fabric stays breathable and nothing can peel off. Large designs can extend right to the edges, and there is no film edge.
Good to know: On the transfer paper, the print often looks duller or paler before pressing. The final colour effect only appears on the item.
Which materials are suitable for sublimation?
Sublimation needs polyester in the fabric or a coating suitable for sublimation on the item. With cotton, normal ceramics or uncoated metal, you will therefore not achieve the result you want.
| Material | Sublimation | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| White and very light textiles with at least 80% polyester, for example performance shirts, jerseys, caps, drawstring bags, cushion covers, fleece blankets, aprons and lanyards | Yes | Not necessary |
| Items that are explicitly coated for sublimation, for example mugs, aluminium panels, mouse mats and puzzles | Yes | Not necessary |
| Cotton | No | Standard DTF |
| Blends with less than 80% polyester | No | A DTF transfer, see Which textiles are suitable for DTF printing? |
| Dark or strongly coloured textiles | No, no white print | Standard DTF or Blockout DTF |
| Normal ceramics, uncoated metal, glass and wood without a sublimation coating | No | UV DTF |
- When buying, check the polyester content on the label and, for blanks, look for the note that they are coated for sublimation.
- Before a series, always test on the same item how colour, sharpness and material react.
- Glass, ceramics, metal or painted and sealed wood without a coating can be decorated with UV DTF. These are rub-on stickers for smooth, hard surfaces that are rubbed on without heat.
Why sublimation does not print white
In sublimation, no white is printed. White parts of the design and fully transparent areas show the colour or surface of the item after pressing. The other colours also change if the background is coloured. Because there is no white underneath, they also look slightly less vivid than with DTF.
- Your design must fit this rule: Wherever there is white in your design, you will later see the item. On dark textiles, the design is therefore hardly visible.
- No special colours: Gold, silver, neon and reflective colours are not possible. Such shades can only be imitated with CMYK.
- For dark shirts, use Standard DTF for cotton or Blockout DTF for polyester. Both are printed in colour and backed with opaque white.
Printing mugs with sublimation
There is a separate format for mugs. Our mug transfer 100 x 240 mm is prepared for the wrap of a standard 330 ml sublimation mug, and the usable design area is 95 x 210 mm.
- Coated mugs only: The polyester coating of a sublimation mug absorbs the ink, but normal ceramics do not.
- No chipping: The design does not sit on the glaze but in the coating. It can therefore neither chip nor come loose at the edge.
- Pressing correctly: The transfer is done with a mug press or a suitable oven system. You can find the temperature and time in the parameter list of the mug supplier.
- Aligning the design: Before exporting, check where your design sits in relation to the handle and the drinking side. White areas show the surface of the mug, which is why white mugs are best.
Sublimation or DTF?
Both processes transfer your design with heat, but they work in fundamentally different ways. The most important differences at a glance:
| Sublimation | DTF transfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Light textiles with at least 80% polyester and items coated for sublimation | Standard DTF for cotton and blends with at least 70% cotton, Blockout DTF for polyester and blends with at least 40% polyester |
| Colour of the textile | White or very light | Light and dark |
| White | No white print | Printed in colour and backed with opaque white |
| On the textile | Cannot be felt, breathable | Noticeable layer |
| Mugs and panels | Yes, if coated for sublimation | No, UV DTF is available for this |
| Press settings | From the parameter list of your blank supplier | Fixed values on our heat press settings page |
In short: you decorate light polyester and mugs with sublimation, and cotton and dark textiles with DTF. You can find an overview of all our products in Which product suits my project?
By the way: Sublimation also plays a role in DTF printing. Dyed polyester can release dyes during pressing, which migrate into light areas of the design. This is called dye migration or resublimation. Blockout DTF is available for this. It works with a special adhesive that holds back dyes from the textile. It reduces the risk significantly, but cannot rule it out for every textile. You can read more about this in Blockout DTF transfer for critical textiles.
What you need for pressing
You do not need your own sublimation printer. We print your design onto sublimation paper, take care of the mirroring and deliver the finished transfer to you. For application, you only need:
- Press: a heat press, and for mugs a mug press or a suitable oven system.
- Blank: a light textile with at least 80% polyester or an item that is coated for sublimation.
- Tape: heat-resistant, so that the transfer does not slip during pressing.
Temperature and time: We do not specify general values for these. Follow the parameter list of the supplier your blank comes from, as textiles, mugs and coatings need different settings. First do a test pressing on the same item and check the colour effect, sharpness and material. If the result is right, press the series with the same settings.
If something does not work as expected, check the item, coating, temperature, pressing time, pressure and the position of the transfer. If that does not help, write to our customer service with your order number, photos, details of the material and the press settings you used.
Setting up print files for sublimation
- Format: PDF or PNG at the ordered size, as a single page and no larger than 500 MB. Create DIN A4 and DIN A3 exactly at the final size, as they are neither trimmed nor scaled.
- Resolution: Images ideally at 300 dpi.
- Colour: CMYK with the ISO Coated v2 300% (ECI) colour profile. It limits the ink coverage to 300%.
- Black: as C 0, M 0, Y 0, K 100. Black built from four colours puts too much ink on the paper, which dries more slowly and can smudge.
- Do not mirror: We take care of the mirroring in production.
- Plan for white: White parts of the design are not printed, and you will see the item there later.
Sublimation transfers are available as DIN A4, DIN A3, in the cushion format 400 x 400 mm, in the mug format 100 x 240 mm and as large sheets of 500 x 1100 mm and 1000 x 1100 mm, each from a single piece and with volume prices. You can find more about setting up your file under Setting up print files correctly and in the article RGB to CMYK. If you would like your file checked before production, add the Pro File Check. It checks the format, the colour mode with colour profile and the main transparency, and it cannot be added to express products.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print cotton with sublimation?
No. Sublimation needs at least 80% polyester or a sublimation coating. For cotton, use Standard DTF.
Does sublimation work on black T-shirts?
No. Sublimation does not print white, so the design is hardly visible on dark fabrics. Standard DTF and Blockout DTF are printed in colour and backed with opaque white, which is why they are also suitable for dark textiles.
Do I need my own sublimation printer?
No. We print your design onto sublimation paper and mirror it. You press the finished transfer onto the item with your own press.
What temperature do I need for sublimation?
The one from the parameter list of the supplier your blank comes from. There are no general values, because every material needs different settings.
How do I wash textiles with a sublimation print?
Follow the care label of the textile.
Can I test sublimation first?
Yes. The Sample Pack contains a sublimation print. Or you can order a DIN A4 sheet with your own design and press it onto your item.
View sublimationView the mug transferView the Sample PackView Standard DTF
Also useful: Setting up print files correctly, Pro File Check and FAQ.
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19/09/2024
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Wishing you every success with your projects,
DTF-King Team
