What is Sublimation?? Dye sublimation is a method of applying an photo, graphic or design on to specially coated sublimation blank products, such as mugs, tiles, crystals, fabric etc.

Sublimated images are where the image actually embeds into the product and becomes part of it and is not like a transfer that sits on top of the blank. Think of swim wear, mugs with photos on them, sports jerseys etc, these are usually sublimated products and there is no feel to where the images are on the blank.

Sublimation refers to the process of matter convering from a solid to a gas without going through a liquid form. In the case of sublimation printing, the sublimation ink turns into a solid once printed onto sublimation paper, and then into a gas once the heat and pressure from a heat press is applied. The process doesn’t happen until the inks have reached a certain temperature and usually requires at least 40 seconds as a minimum time to occur.

Using a specialised sublimation printer you can then create a vast variety of products. From mugs, bags, mousepads, crystals and more you can utilise both a heat press and the printer to create many different products using your heat press.

You can click here to read our step by step process for 100% Polyester Shirts and Fabrics, or click here for a general list of our sublimation times, temps and pressures for our other blanks.