Impressions - April 2022 - 51

The key to avoiding ghosting is a tight
fit between the transfer paper and the
substrate. Use heat-resistant tape to
secure the transfer to the product.
ghosting. This occurs when the transfer paper shifts during the
sublimation process, such as when you open or close your heat press.
For this reason, you should tape down hard substrates to the
sublimation paper using thermal tape. For fabrics, try an adhesive
spray to prevent the paper from moving. After pressing, make
sure you remove the transfer paper immediately. For sublimation,
avoid using an auto-open press, as they tend to pop open too
fast, causing the paper to shift if it's not taped down well enough.
3. Why is my substrate not accepting sublimation ink?
It's important to note that not all products accept sublimation
ink. For dye sublimation to work, the product blank needs to
have a polyester coating or be made of polyester material.
For fabrics, 100% white polyester yields the best transfer results.
You can sublimate on polyester/cotton blends, but the transfer
will appear less vibrant and result in a vintage look. In general,
the higher the polyester content, the better.
4. Why am I getting ink from a previously transferred
image onto a new blank transfer? Sublimation ink has the
tendency to bleed onto the bottom and top platens of the heat
press during the transfer process, which is why it's important
to protect them with the proper material. To prevent this from
happening, use a Teflon wrap for each platen, as well as a Teflon
sheet. Both are reusable, and all you have to do is wipe away the
excess ink after each press. You also can use silicone-treated sheets
that can be discarded after use.
5. Why am I seeing small dots in my transfer? If you
notice small dots on a finished product, this likely is due to excess
moisture. Try pre-pressing most substrates to ensure you get all
the moisture out. Then, let the substrate cool, place the transfer
on and press like normal.
6. Why are my transfers blurry? If you notice a blurry image
when you pull the transfer paper off, this may be because your
substrate received too much time and temperature in the heat
press, and now the image has started to bleed out. If this happens,
reduce the pressing time and attempt it again.
7. Why are my images faded? Image fading usually is caused
by too much time, temperature or pressure in the heat press.
Double-check the recommended settings from your sublimation
blanks supplier. Every heat press is different.
Also, double-check the top-platen's temperature using heat strips
to ensure it aligns with the temperature shown on the heat press.
Incorrect Output Colors
The problem of color mismatch is not the result of a defective
system. Rather, it comes from multiple pieces of imagerendering
equipment being involved in the process, with each
having different methods and ranges of color management.
APRIL 2022
P.51
Impressions - April 2022

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