Is heat transfer better than sublimation?

The print business is a thriving space to be in right now &#; people are always on the lookout for customized products, and high-quality stationery, wearables, and accessories with unique designs are trendy.

Want more information on sublimation vs heat transfer on mugs? Feel free to contact us.

Besides, according to a Smithers report, the global printing market is predicted to be valued at $821 million this year. The technology used by printers is also changing &#; whether it is web-to-print solutions or printing techniques.

If you are planning to add personalized garments to your product portfolio, there are two sublimation and heat transfer printing methods that you can opt for &#; heat transfer printing and sublimation printing.

Both have their respective pros and cons, and you can choose either as you like. Here is a short guide to help you decide on your online design studio:

What is Heat Transfer Printing?

Heat transfer printing uses a particular type of paper that transfers a printed design to a garment surface when the heat is applied. You use a laser or inkjet printer to print the design onto the heat transfer paper.

It is then placed on the garment surface and pressed with a heat press (a home iron will do at a pinch too). Afterward, the paper is peeled off, and the image adheres to the garment surface. Is it not fascinating?

Heat transfer printing is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to start with custom garment printing, and many print businesses begin with just the printer they have at home. It is the perfect choice for home entrepreneurs.

What is more &#; you can use this method for both cotton and polyester fabric and both dark and light-colored garments.

Read Later: Digital Vs Direct Mail Marketing: Guide to Choosing the Right Option

What is Sublimation Printing?

The sublimation printing process is almost like that of heat transfer printing &#; the design is printed onto sublimation paper, to which heat is then applied. The difference is in how the science of sublimation works.

When you heat sublimation ink, it turns into a gas from a solid-state and embeds itself into the fabric. Once it cools, the gas goes back to solid but becomes a part of the material permanently.

Your transferred design feels the same as the rest of the garment &#; there is no added layer on top. The design is also highly durable and can last as long as the garment itself under regular conditions.

Sublimation printing can only be used on polyester garments (not cotton), but you can also use it on hard objects with poly-coating, such as mugs, jewelry, or coasters.

 Request a Demo Now: Unlock the Power of Personalization with Our Sublimation Design Software

What&#;s the Difference Between Sublimation and Heat Transfer Printing?

When you start in the garment printing business, it is best to pick one of these two sublimation vs heat transfer printing methods and invest in it. Here, we discuss the start-up considerations for each to help you choose wisely that is both efficient and economical:

1. Costs and equipment

Heat transfer printing is exceptionally cheap to start with, as you can make do with any inkjet or laser printer you have at home.

Besides, you will need the heat transfer paper, the garments you will be decorating, and a heat press, which you can get for around $300 to start with.

Sublimation printing is more expensive by contrast, although it has reduced in recent years, and the cost of the heat press remains the same.

A cost-effective option is to invest in a sublimation printing starter kit, which comes with the sublimation printer, the paper, the necessary product designer tool, and a sample set of products to print on.

2. Feel and durability

With sublimation, the printed design becomes an actual part of the fabric rather than a layer on top, which means you get a superior feel to the garment and unmatched durability.

With heat transfer printing, you can feel the layer on top, and it can get cracked or faded with multiple washes. However, by investing in higher-quality heat transfer papers and an online web to print designer, you can achieve and sell print items with a softer feel and more durability &#; relatively quickly.

3. Types of garments you can make

Sublimation ink will only bind to polyester material, so you cannot use it on 100% cotton garments. You can work with poly-cotton materials to some extent, but the transfer quality would not be quite as vibrant.

Plus, since sublimation does not involve any extra layers on top of the fabric, you need to work with white or light-colored garments for the design to show up clearly.

On the other hand, heat transfer printing works for garments in all colors and polyester, cotton, and blended fabrics.

4. Colors produced

Sublimation printing lets you pick full colors, making it ideal if you want to create a specific design, like a brand logo or a photograph. Heat transfer printing may not always produce the same full-color effect.

If you want to print photos or logos through heat transfer, you will need to invest in higher-quality heat transfer paper. Inkjet transfer papers are typically your best bet for photo printing. Implement a web to print software and start selling today!

5. Weeding

With sublimation printing, the design is directly transferred to the fabric, so the process is naturally self-weeding. Heat transfer papers are typically not self-weeding except for certain &#;two-step&#; laser transfer papers.

That means that with most heat transfer papers, there will be a prominent background in the paper&#;s shape around the design.

You will need to trim around the image to get rid of this background, particularly for dark-colored fabrics where it will show up clearly. With white or light-colored fabrics, the background is less visible, although you will still be able to feel it physically.

Heat Transfer vs. Sublimation: Choosing the Right Printing Method for Business

According to us, sublimation printing is the perfect choice for you if you want your printing business to scale massively. But if budget is an issue, then heat transfer printing is not a bad option either.

In the print industry context, having an online web2print design tool can make all the difference. The innovative technology will help you set up an eCommerce storefront, and you can sell multiple custom print-ready templates for products you like to your customers.

FAQs on Heat Transfer and Sublimation Printing

Which materials are suitable for sublimation printing?

Sublimation printing works best on polyester fabrics or items with a polymer coating, such as mugs, cases, and mousepads.

Can I use sublimation on cotton fabrics?

Contact us to discuss your requirements of what does dtf mean on fb. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Sublimation doesn&#;t work well on natural fibers like cotton because it requires polymers to bond with the dye. However, there are blended fabrics available that contain both polyester and cotton.

What types of designs are suitable for heat transfer printing?

Heat transfer is versatile and suitable for various designs, including graphics, text, and photographs.

Is one method more durable than the other?

Sublimation printing tends to be more durable since the ink becomes part of the material, while heat transfer printing may fade or crack over time, especially with frequent washing.

Which method is better for intricate designs?

Sublimation printing offers better results for intricate designs due to its ability to capture fine details and produce high-resolution images.

Can I print on dark-colored garments using sublimation?

Sublimation works best on light-colored materials, requiring a white or light background for the colors to appear vibrant. Heat transfer with special opaque transfer papers is more suitable for dark garments.

Which method is more cost effective for small quantities?

Heat transfer printing is usually more cost effective for small quantities since it doesn&#;t require the specialized equipment and setup that sublimation does.

Can I use both methods for my printing business?

Many businesses use sublimation and heat transfer methods to offer their customers a wider range of customization options.

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*This post has been updated on Dec .

So, you're entering the wonderful world of T-shirt making and personalized garments - that's exciting! You may be asking yourself which garment decoration method is better: heat transfer paper or sublimation printing? The answer is that both are great! However, the method you go with depends on your needs and what you're looking to do. Plus, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's dig into the details to help you decide which is the right fit for you and your business.

The Basics of Heat Transfer Paper

So, what is heat transfer paper exactly? Heat transfer paper is a specialty paper that transfers printed designs to shirts and other garments when heat is applied. The process involves printing a design onto a sheet of heat transfer paper using an inkjet or laser printer. Then, you place the printed sheet on your T-shirt and press it using a heat press (in certain cases, a home iron will work, but heat presses provide the best results). After you've pressed it, you peel away the paper, and your image adheres nicely onto the fabric. Great - you now have a custom T-shirt! That was easy, right?

Garment decoration via heat transfer paper is super easy and carries one of, if not the lowest, start-up costs in the industry. In fact, many decorators get their start using nothing more than the printer they already have at home! A few other important notes about heat transfer paper is that most papers work on both cotton and polyester fabrics - while you'll learn that sublimation only works on polyesters. In addition, heat transfer papers are designed to work for either dark or light-colored garments while sublimation is exclusively for white or light-colored garments.

Ok, How About Sublimation

The sublimation process is quite similar to that of heat transfer paper. Like heat transfer paper, the process involves printing a design onto a sheet of specialty paper - sublimation paper in this case - and pressing it to a garment with a heat press. The difference lies in the science behind sublimation. Ready to get science-y?

Sublimation ink, when heated, turns from a solid to a gas that embeds itself into the polyester fabric. When it cools, it goes back to a solid and becomes a permanent part of the fabric. This means that your transferred design adds no additional layer on top, so there's no difference in feeling between the printed image and the rest of the fabric. This also means that the transfer is incredibly durable, and under normal conditions, the images you produce will last as long as the product itself.

Bonus! Sublimation not only works on polyester fabrics - it also works on a wide variety of hard surfaces with a poly-coating. This opens up an entirely new world of items you can customize - coasters, jewelry, mugs, puzzles and much more.

Heat Transfer Paper vs. Sublimation

By now, we hope you have the gist of heat transfer paper and sublimation, so let's get down to the nitty gritty and compare these two garment decoration methods in a few important areas.

Startup Costs and Equipment Requirements

Garment decoration via heat transfer paper is one of the least expensive methods for starting out. To get started, you will need an inkjet or laser printer (which you may already have), a heat press, heat transfer paper, and the shirts or garments you'd like to decorate. That's it! A hobbyist heat press will typically run you around $300, and that will be your biggest initial investment. If you don't already have a printer, we would recommend an inkjet printer with pigment based ink for starting out - such as the Epson EC-

Sublimation carries a higher start-up cost than heat transfer paper, but that cost has greatly come down in recent years. Sublimation starter packages such as the Sawgrass SG500 contain everything you need to start sublimating - minus the heat press - at a very affordable price. This includes the sublimation printer, sublimation paper, essential software and a sample pack of products you can sublimate. Outside of this, all you need is a heat press, and a hobbyist heat press starts around $300.

For additional information and help picking out your first sublimation printer, check out our other blog, "Which Sawgrass Sublimation System is Right For You?"

Durability and Feel

Sublimation uses a process where the ink becomes part of the fabric rather than adding a layer on top. This results in a transfer that is unmatched in both durability and feel. On the other hand, heat transfer paper adds a layer on top of the garment. This additional layer can be physically felt and is less durable than sublimation and can become faded and cracked over time with numerous wash cycles.

It is important to note that heat transfer papers are not created equally, and you will find some that offer a softer feel and greater durability than other transfer papers. For folks just starting out with an inkjet printer, we recommend JET-PRO Soft Stretch for its soft texture and great durability.

Types of Garments You Can Decorate

With sublimation, you're more limited in the types of fabrics you can decorate compared to heat transfer paper. First, sublimation only works with polyester fabrics. No 100% cotton! This is because sublimation ink only binds to polyester material. You can get away with sublimating on some poly-cotton blends, but the transfer will not be as bright and vibrant as when you use 100% polyester. Because sublimation adds no extra layer on top of the fabric, the material also needs to be white or very light-colored for your transfer to show.

On the other hand, with heat transfer paper, you can decorate on light and dark-colored cotton, polyester and cotton-poly blends.

While heat transfer paper may be the clear winner on the types of fabrics (material and color) that you can decorate, remember that sublimation can also be used on a wide range of hard and soft surface substrates. For the most part, heat transfer paper cannot.

Other Factors to Consider

Colors You Can Produce

Sublimation allows you to print full colors, which is especially great if you are wanting to print photos or have customers that need a very specific color (such as for a company logo). Depending on what type of heat transfer paper you use - inkjet or laser - you may not be able to achieve the same full-color, photo-quality transfers as with sublimation.

For photo-quality prints with heat transfer paper, your best bet will generally be inkjet heat transfer paper for light-colored garments or laser heat transfer paper printed with an OKI white toner laser printer. For more information on this topic, check out our other blog, "3 Things You Must Know Before Buying Heat Transfer Paper."

Weeding

Sublimation is also naturally self-weeding as only the ink is transferred to the fabric. The process is easy as printing, pressing, peeling!

Most heat transfer papers are not self-weeding with the exception of "two-step" laser transfer papers such as FOREVER Laser Dark. With heat transfer paper, a transfer layer carries the print to the garment, and unless you want a noticeable background the shape of the paper on your T-shirt, you will have to trim around the image with scissors or a cutting plotter.

On transfer papers for light-colored garments, the transfer layer is clear and mostly invisible, and trimming is optional. However, if you don't trim it, you will be able physically feel the transfer layer even where the image is not present. On "one-step" transfer papers for darks, unprinted areas will show a white background, so trimming is essential.

Bottom Line

Both heat transfer paper and sublimation are wonderful ways to decorate apparel, and which method you choose ultimately depends on your needs. Hopefully this blog has helped you further your path to T-shirt and garment decoration! If you still have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our Customer Success Team who are more than happy to help you find the best solution. Call us at (800) 562- or us at [ protected].

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit which is better sublimation or heat transfer.