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I just purchased a heat press to start doing shirts for my customers, and I am looking into different processes.
Can someone explain dye sublimation? I understand that it is a dye that will print on to the tee shirt (or whatever your printing) with heat and pressure.
My question is: is it an ink finish? I have seen some things from Unlimited Transfers that you can do multiple colors etc... but it is on a carrier sheet, and it can be uncomfortable for a lot of people since it feels like a big sheet of plastic on the shirt.
Is it more like screen printing, or heat press film?
Thanks, Mark
-------------------- Mark Kottwitz Kottwitz Graphics Ridgely, MD www.SeeMySignWork.com -------------------------- Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein Posts: 746 | From: Ridgely, MD | Registered: Oct 2000
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Mark, I started making Ts last winter. I am presently using transfers, and have not yet ventured into dye sub. However these sites have a wealth on information. http://www.dyesub.org/ http://www.t-shirtforums.com/
-------------------- Ron Costa Sign and Design 28 Ingerson Road Jefferson, NH 0358 Posts: 620 | From: New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2002
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I use laser dyesub.... The ink actually dyes the fabric so there is no feel what so ever.. Ink jet dyesub you have to use 100% poly fabric.
with my laser i dye sub on 50% cotton / 50% poly fabric. the disadvantage to what i use is the size of the transfer being legal sized paper (8.5 x 14)... We sell alot of tshirt to our sign customers and do alot of mouse pads and other products.. Its nice to be able to offer a variety of products to the same customer. we have done alot of brushed gold metal name badges also.. they have been a good seller.-
-------------------- sue brown american instant signs pasadena, calif Posts: 90 | From: southern california | Registered: Jul 2006
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Years ago I had a friend who screen printed dye sub transfers. It's an ink in an inert state. When activated by heat it turns into a gas and "sublimes" into the fabric where it returns to an inert state again. That's how he explained it.
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It actually defies the laws of physics...by going froma a solid to a gas without going thru a liquid state it impregnates the substrate then returns to a solid and remains permantly...Inks are getting better with very little fade over long periods.
Anything with "poly" will take an image... Fibreglass...even polyester paints on hard surfaces as well as fabric...the technology has been around for a long time and has never seen its full potential.
Spend the time to experiment and you will be amazed what a little heat and pressure will do.
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
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yeah roland has a media for heat transfers on the versacamm....i hate it...it feels like plastic and doesn't take washes well...plus it makes your back sweat like a pig when you're out in the sun. hence the reason my heat press has sat here for 2 years with about 6 uses. i think dye sub feels better but is limited to white(?)shirts.
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Karyn... I do all color shirts.. depending on the art work.. i print alot on natural color.. sand color, yellow.. light blue.. It all depends on how your art is made.. (what colors are in it) Ive dyesubed black line art and words on red t's and they look fine..
Here is a picture of t printed on heather grey.
I
This thing has been washed about 50 times so far..
[ May 20, 2007, 12:27 PM: Message edited by: Sue Brown ]
-------------------- sue brown american instant signs pasadena, calif Posts: 90 | From: southern california | Registered: Jul 2006
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Sue, I use inkjet dyesub. I need to use the shirts from Hanes specifically for dyesub. They are heavy duty shirts, but it's a pain because of the price.
Anyway, what do you use for your laser dyesub? Do only certain laser printers work with special toners?
Can you fill us (me) in on a little more regarding laser dyesub? Laser is probably a lot faster than my old Epson 3000!
Thanks!
-------------------- Randy Graphic Details Promotional Merchandise Distributor South Glens Falls, NY Posts: 381 | From: South Glens Falls, NY USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Randy.. I have the okidata 5200.. I actually have two of them .. one of them has dyesub toner in it, the other has white dyesub toner.. I got the toner and get the paper from http://atttransfer.com/ the draw back to laser dyesub is that the biggest you can print is legal sized prints..
For the best information on using this system i would recommend checking out this yahoo group.
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