Dye Sublimation

NOTE: You must get certification from the resource manager before using the sublimation equipment

What is Dye Sublimation? 

Dye Sublimation is a transfer method that uses heat, pressure, time, special ink and special paper to transfer a design onto an object that is compatible with sublimation ink. It produces bright colors and becomes permanently bonded to the object, leaving a design that is washable and durable. Dye Sublimation can be used to place designs on fabrics such as T-Shirts, tote bags, hats or hard substrates with special coatings, such as Mugs, keychains, tumblers, water bottles, coasters, hard mousepads, and more! 

When sublimation ink is heated, it undergoes a phase change from a solid into a gas. The gas can then bond with the substrate and form a permanent design. Dye sublimation only works with polymer substrates. Natural fibers, such as cotton, wood, glass, and ceramics will not work well with sublimation without a special polymer coating. You can buy objects with these special coatings (such as the coffee mug examples in the maker space) to use with dye sublimation.

Sublimation Equipment

The sublimation area in Textiles provides the following pieces of equipment to sublimate various substrates:

Sublimation Printer - Epson ET-15000
This printer is a converted inkjet printer that prints sublimation ink. NOTE: You must use paper designed specifically for sublimation printing. 

Key Printing Size Limits

• Rear Paper Feed Max Width/Length: Up to 13" x 19"

• Standard Paper Cassette Max Size: Up to 8.5" x 14" (Legal size)

• Maximum Copy/Scan Size (Flatbed/ADF): Up to 8.5" x 14" (Legal size)

WORK IN PROGRESS