Everything You Need to Know About T-Shirt Sublimation

06 Apr Everything You Need to Know About T-Shirt Sublimation

T-shirt sublimation has exploded in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. The sheer creativity possible to emblazon across t-shirts using the dye sublimation printing method has made it a very appealing choice, especially for print-on-demand. Here is everything you need to know about t-shirt sublimation, which happens to be one of the many methods YBA Shirts uses when designing shirts.

Materials Needed

In order for a t-shirt to be made using dye sublimation, a few different tools and materials are needed. These are vital for the process. Here is what goes into making a t-shirt using this method:

Polyester or Polymer Textiles

Cotton is the enemy of dye sublimation due to the way cotton soaks in dyes. The ideal textiles will be made out of polyester or another kind of synthetic polymer.

Sublimation Printer

One of the most obvious tools needed is the printer itself. Without it, there is no way to create a t-shirt. A sublimation printer will be specially designed for printing designs on t-shirts. It will be either an ink or laser printer. It can even be a small-sized printer that you have in your home.

Sublimation Ink

Sublimation printers are the key to making high-quality printers but they need ink. Not any kind of ink will do. You need to buy the highest quality ink possible if you want the best results. Just like with regular paper printing, you will need to get the basic colors, including magenta, yellow, cyan, and black. This will allow you to print in the full color spectrum.

Transfer Paper

Another key material in the t-shirt sublimation process is transfer paper. This is special paper that a design gets printed on. Once that occurs, heat and pressure are applied to a shirt that has the paper pressed onto it in order for the ink to make a design impression onto the shirt. This paper has to also be high-quality, just like the ink, if you want to see the best results.

Heat Press Machine

The heat press machine is how the ink gets from the transfer paper onto the t-shirt. It is as essential of a component to the entire process over any other one we mentioned so far. There are many different sizes when it comes to these machines. When it comes to printing t-shirts, a plate that is 15″x15″ will work the best. It also has to be flat in order to produce the best results.

Conclusion

This is what you need for making t-shirts using the dye sublimation process. When you have the right tools and materials, you can print vibrant and long-lasting prints on t-shirts very easily. YBA Shirts provides a wide array of sublimation options. Come and browse our wide selection to see what we have to offer!