Dye Sublimation Printing
Dye Sublimation printing, is only for 100% Polyester fabrics. The technique can be used on some other substrates, like metal, paper, glass and ceramics, but require a special surface coating for the special dye to adhere to.
In the textile space, the process is used for printing to 100% polyester for garments like, swimwear, activewear and sportswear. The process is suitable for knitted, woven and stretch apparel, and due to the costs of textiles like Silk, synthetic silk substitutes have become popular.
There are many benefits with dye sublimation:
- As the dye is sublimated to the fibres in the textile, the colour becomes abrasion, heat, chlorine and UV
resistant. If the garment printing has been set at the right temperature to fully fixate the dye, then your garment - is ready to wash and wear, and the colours will last a long time.
The colour gamut of dye sublimation is very vibrant. However, there are limitations, due to the software, the - number of coloured inks used, and can be effected by the environment and climate at the time of printing. The process is generally very competitive and fast, as mostly it is a matter of printing and heat pressing.
You cannot use Dye Sublimation to print onto Natural fibres or Nylon.
Sublimation
Dye Sublimation Printing
Sublimation is a chemical process where a solid turns into a gas without going through a liquid stage.
-https://www.yourdictionary.com/sublimation
When anything solid turns into a gas without first becoming liquid, that’s sublimation. When the surface layer of
snow or ice turns into fog or steam without melting, this is an example of sublimation. The verb sublimation is
from the Latin word sublimare, meaning “raised to a higher status.
-https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/sublimation
Dye Sublimation Printing
Pressure is applied
Ink Droplet
Ink Droplet dries to surface of substrate (paper or textile)
Substrate is heated to between 170-210°
Ink sublimates and becomes a vapour
As the vapour cools, the dye particles form around the yarn
Dye Sublimation Printing
There are generally 3 different methods of achieving Dye Sublimation on Textile in Australia
Process 1
Transfer Dye Sublimation
Process 2
Direct Dye Sublimation
Process 1
Direct Dye Sublimation
Print directly onto a pre-coated transfer paper
Print directly onto a pre-coated textile (PFDP)
Print directly onto a pre-coated textile (PFDP)
Sandwich the transfer paper to the target textile (PFP)
Sandwich the textile with a blotting paper
Fabric feeds into an inline Calendar/ heat press/ heat chamber
Feed into a Calendar/heat press
Feed into a Calendar/heat press