What is Sublimation?

Dye Sublimation: A full colour image is printed on an inkjet printer using special dye sublimation cartridges. The image is then applied to the product (substrate) using a heat press.

The dye becomes a gas during the heating process, migrates to the substrate, then once cool changes back to a solid.

The basic dye sublimation process uses a special heat sensitive dye to print graphics and text onto paper. The paper is then placed on a sublimatable item and both are placed into a heat press. When the heating cycle is completed, the image on the paper has been transferred to the item and has actually become a part of the surface.

Dye sublimation allows brilliant colour reproduction on fabrics, ceramics, and specially coated metals and plastics. Fabrics must be polyester based. Our sublimation T-Shirts are a unique construction of 100% cotton on the inside, with an outer surface of 100% micro polyester. This unique construction allows fantastic colour reproduction.

The clarity of dye sublimation printing also makes it stand out from other processes. Achieving photo quality, this process outperforms screen printing for fine details and halftones.