sublimation printer

Sublimation is a chemical process. In simple(r) terms, it is where a solid turns into a gas, immediately, without passing through the liquid stage in between. When questioning what is sublimation printing, it helps to realize that it refers to the dye itself. We also call this dye-sublimation, as it is the dye that changes state. So what is the opposite of sublimation? Well, it’s called deposition, although is sometimes known as desublimation. A deposition is when something transitions from gas to solid, not to be confused with condensation where it transitions to liquid form. The best example of deposition would be the formation of frost; air transitioning directly to a solid form and bypassing water. Another would be soot in chimneys. So, what is sublimation printing actually all about then? Firstly, your design is printed onto a specialist transfer paper. It is printed as a mirror image, using specialist dye-sub inks. These are water-based inks that have less of an environmental impact than harsher chemical inks. After that, the transfer is lined up with the fabric, and a combination of heat and pressure are applied. This causes the inks to transition from their current solid form, directly into a gas. The inks then penetrate into the fibers of the material and are permanently bonded to the fibers. The end result is a high-definition print with an extremely intricate level of detail.