Impressions - May/June 2022 - 45

know sublimation works best with polyester,
as that's the fabric to which sublimation
dye bonds - not cotton or any other type
of fabric. Poly-blends can be used, but
the images may appear somewhat dull or
washed out, the degree of which is based
on the percentage of polyester in the fabric.
Remember, however, that this effect can
be useful when you need a faded or retro
look for an image. With sublimatable HTV,
you can apply sublimation to virtually any
fabric, which means sublimated cotton
shirts now are possible for your shop.
Another factor with sublimating fabric
- or any product, for that matter - is
surface color. White is the most compatible
color, as sublimation dye has a high degree
of transparency, meaning the surface color
can affect the image color. It can work
on light-colored items, but when it comes
to dark fabric, a sublimated image will be
almost invisible.
The EasySubli vinyl is white, so when
sublimation is applied to it, it is being printed
on a white background. This essentially
creates a white barrier between the image
and the surface such that the color of the
surface will not affect the color of the
ink. Suddenly, dark colors are within the
realm of what you can decorate with your
sublimation system.
Other Products & Applications
At this point, you're probably thinking:
" It's vinyl, not sublimation, which means
a heavy 'hand.' " Traditional sublimation
has no hand because the ink bonds at a
molecular level with polyester; think of it
as infused color. Vinyl, on the other hand,
is a physical material on top of the fabric.
So, yes, you will feel it when you touch it.
However, like many other new-age
HTV materials, sublimatable vinyl has
a light feel, so it's not bulky like some
other vinyl products. It's a trade-off, but
don't write it off because it's vinyl. It still
can provide you with excellent results.
Moving past fabric, the EasySubli
product can be used with all kinds of
hard-surface products, too. Because it
The EasySubli product allows
materials like wood to be sublimated
via a special heat-transfer vinyl.
Photo provided by Sawgrass.
SPE CIAL T Y PRODUCT S AND PRESSES
Curved and rounded products require special heat presses, such as a mug or cap press, which have curved surfaces designed to fit those products.
Combination presses also offer flat- and curved-pressing capabilities with specialized attachments.
Specialty 3-D heat presses also are designed for products with curved surfaces. In addition, they can apply images to multiple surfaces of a single
substrate, such as the top and sides of a cellphone cover. This type of press uses a vacuum system, not a platen, to pull a membrane tight around the
substrate and then applies convection heat.
Wraps can be used with some rounded products as an alternative to presses. Transfers are secured to the substrate using a special high-temperature
wrap that surrounds the item and latches into place. The substrate is then placed in a convection oven for an extended period of time - typically 1215
minutes. Wraps are available in multiple sizes and can be used for products such as mugs, pet food bowls, cookie jars, etc.
Finally, a rotary press - also known as a calender press - is a continuous-feed unit used for pressing fabric as it comes off a roll-style sublimation
printer. The fabric passes through a series of heated rollers that also " press " the sublimation. It is typically used for large-volume fabric pressing.
MAY/JUNE 2022
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Impressions - May/June 2022

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