Which is better: Sublimation or Heat Transfer Printing?

 


If you are starting a personalized gift items and garments business, you want to know if you should use sublimation or heat transfer printing. It is not an easy decision to make, but here is some information to help you find the answer. 

Sublimation Printing vs. Heat Transfer Printing

With sublimation, a design for an image is printed onto a special type of paper. Special inks are turned into gas when heated. As it cools, the gas is transformed into a solid form and creates an imprint of the image. The effect of the printing is permanent. Since the ink becomes embedded into the fabric or whatever sublimation blanks are used, it will not fade easily. 

When it comes to heat transfer printing, a design is printed onto a special transfer paper. The special paper is coated with pigment polymer film and waxes that bond with garment fibres when heat is applied. The paper is then placed design side down atop a piece of clothing, and heat is applied via a heat press. Once the pressure is removed, the paper is peeled off, and the design gets transferred onto the item. 

Equipment and Materials Needed

Putting designs on garments using heat transfer paper involves fewer costs if you are starting your business. You will only need a laser printer or an inkjet printer, a heat press, heat transfer papers, and the garments you would like to print designs on. 

With sublimation, you will need a special printer, software, sublimation paper, a heat press, and sublimation blanks. It will involve more investment as compared to heat transfer printing. 

Feel and Durability of the Print

Sublimation printing uses a process that makes ink a part of printing instead of forming a layer on top of an item. The transfer of the design cannot be matched in feel and is not prone to fading. 

With heat transfers, the transfer paper puts a layer atop the garment. The layer can be felt, and the design is not as durable as it would have been with sublimation. The design can fade over time and tends to crack after many wash cycles. However, some transfer papers can create a softer feel and will last longer than others. 

If you are trying to decide between sublimation and heat transfer printing, you should know that there are no clear answers. Your personal preference will most probably be the deciding factor.

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