Want To start the T shirt Printing Business but Confused about the Method to choose heat transfer printing or Sublimation printing, the wonderful world of T shirt making and Personalized Gifting.
The Both Printing Method are good and Excellent, however it the technology and the Equipment and machinery you choose depend on the material the Market size and the Printing design. Each method has its own advantage and Disadvantages. Lets discuss more about it.
The Sublimation Transfer Printing Method.
The sublimation process is simple and easy just print from your sublimation printer and Heat press the same. 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 only difference is the science behind sublimation. Sublimation inks when Heated turn into gases and transfer to substrate and embed into it. Sublimation is transferring from solid to gaseous state and vice Versa. This means they are very durable and perfect. The Sublimation work with Polyester fabric and the Polyester Blends and also work with the Poly- Coated Material ex mugs, stone, puzzle, coaster, kitchens etc.
The Basics of Heat Transfer Paper
Heat transfer paper is a specialty coated 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?
Garments You Can Customize and Print
With sublimation, you’re more limited to polyester blend types of fabrics you can Customize compared to heat transfer paper. First, sublimation only works with polyester fabrics. No 100% cotton! 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. The Sublimation provides excellent Durability.
On the other hand, with heat transfer paper, you can customize on light and dark-colored cotton, polyester and cotton-poly blends. And it adds an extra layer. The Durability compared to Sublimation is less.
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, soft texture and great durability.