Rich, saturated colors and complex designs can be achieved with Sublimation printing.

Sublimation opens up an endless array of designs, patterns and colors.

Sublimation is a process in which a substance (in this case ink) goes from printed paper directly to a gas by applying the right amount of heat and pressure.

As it converts to gas, the ink then penetrates and fully embeds the pigment into the fibers of synthetic materials, like polyester or a substrate with polyester coating. The molecules of ink revert to a solid state upon cooling, leaving your design printed just the way you envisioned.

Your imagination is truly the limit!


   

What Materials Can Be Sublimated?

Sublimation can be a great method for decorating polyester garments.  Because sublimation dyes the fabric, anything but a white garment will interact with and affect the color of the finished design.    Sublimation also has no option for white ink, so it doesn’t work well on dark colors.  Sublimation dyes into the fabric, so you don’t feel the ink on the fabric.  Because designs are dyed into the garment, the design is also pretty much guaranteed to last as long as the garment does. 

We can sublimate on anything polyester or with polyester resin coating like fabric, textile items, hard goods and other surfaces.

Fabric and Textile Items


  • 100% Polyester: The gold standard; yields the most vibrant, permanent, and crisp photographic colors.
  • Polyester Blends (at least 65% polyester): Works well, though colors will look slightly more muted, vintage, or heathered.
  • NOT ON 100% Cotton and Natural Fibers (linen, silk, wool): Will not work for direct sublimation because they lack polymer pores for the gas to bond to (though you can use workarounds like sublimation glitter vinyl sheets)

 Hard Goods & Surfaces

 Hard items must be manufactured specifically with a specialized polyester/polymer coating.


  • Ceramic: Coffee mugs, tiles, and plates with a sublimation coating.
  • Metals: Aluminum blanks, stainless steel tumblers, and bare metals with a poly layer.
  • Glass: Specially coated glass blanks or cutting boards.
  • Wood and Cardstock: Must have a polymer finish or sublimation-ready coating applied.
  • Plastics and Neoprene: Acrylic, polypropylene, silicone, and neoprene (like mousepads or gaming mats) work if they are sublimation-compatible or coated.

 

Important Color Rule

Because sublimation ink is translucent and there is no white ink, you cannot print on dark or black surfaces. The design will only show up clearly on white, silver, or very light pastel backgrounds.