What is sublimation printing: our complete guide

Sublimation printing is one of our favourite photo printing techniques, so we use it on fabrics, wood, metal, plastic and all kinds of other materials.

But what exactly is sublimation printing and how does it work?

Since we use sublimation printing on so many of our personalised gifts, we’ve put together a guide that covers the meaning of sublimation printing, why it’s so popular and how the sublimation printing process actually works!

Let’s dive right in. 

Sublimation printing is a process that uses heat and pressure to transfer photos, designs or other pictures onto your chosen product. 

The sublimation printing process requires specialised equipment, such as special inks, sublimation paper, advanced printers and a heat press. Unlike other printing methods, the heat and pressure fuse the inks with your product or fabric to deliver a vibrant, high-quality and long-lasting print every time.

If you want a more scientific definition of sublimation printing, then this process transforms inks from a solid to a gas (without a liquid phase) and bonds with the product/material at a molecular level. Similar to a tattoo, this means your print becomes one with the fabric and is less prone to fading, cracking or peeling over time!

The sublimation printing process uses heat and pressure to transfer pictures onto your chosen product. It can seem a little complex, so we’ve put together a complete step-by-step guide on how sublimation printing works. 

Here’s complete sublimation printing process works:

1. Your photo is printed onto special transfer paper, using sublimation inks and an advanced sublimation printer.

2. The printed transfer paper is placed on your chosen product and then positioned inside a heat press. 

3. The heat and pressure turn the inks into a gas, which is then absorbed by the material of your chosen product.

4. Once cooled, your photo/design is printed permanently on the product in vibrant colour. Instead of laying on top of it, your photo is now one with the material!

When compared to more traditional printing methods, sublimation printing offers all kinds of benefits. Here’s a list of the biggest pros to sublimation printing:

1. Vibrant print quality

Sublimation prints offer outstanding print quality and vibrant colour. The sublimation printing process delivers outstanding detail, sharp lines and brilliant permanent colours that don’t fade. 

2. Incredible durability

Unlike other printing methods, sublimation printing involves fusing the inks with the material (instead of printing on top of it). This means sublimation prints last a much linger time, since they’re far less prone to cracking, peeling and fading over time. 

3. Fast turnaround

Sublimation printing is incredibly quick and easy, which is why we use this process on so many of our same-day photo gifts. In short, this means you’ll enjoy high-quality prints but without any long waits!

4. Varied printing options

Sublimation printing can be applied to a huge range of materials, fabrics and products. From polyester t-shirts to ceramic mugs, sublimation printing is extremely versatile and opens up all kinds of creative possibilities. 

5. Eco-friendly printing

By using dry inks that are absorbed into the material, sublimation printing uses less water and produces less waste than other printing methods. Sublimation dyes are also non-toxic. 

The sublimation printing process is incredibly versatile and can be applied to a range of materials. This means sublimation printing is used on some of our most popular personalised gifts!

Here’s a quick guide on just some of the materials and products you can sublimate on with us:

Polyester T-shirts

Made from 100% polyester, our personalised T-shirts can be sublimated with photos, names, text or any other unique designs you’d like to create. 

Ceramic Mugs

Most of our personalised mugs are crafted from durable white ceramic, and feature a vibrant sublimated print that brings photos to life in vibrant colour. 

Metal Prints

The sublimated printing process is used on our metal wall art prints and metal wallet cards, which are all crafted from strong and thin aluminium. 

Plastic Keyrings

Sublimation printing is also used on our plastic personalised keyrings, along with our plastic photo fridge magnets. 

Wooden Coasters & Keepsakes

Made from quality MDF, all of our wooden photo coasters use the sublimation printing process, as do our super-cute wooden hanging decorations. 

Photo Slates

Crafted from authentic natural slate, all of our photo slates feature a sublimated print that’s packed with vibrant colour and detail.