The Big Rusty Horse offers sublimation printing. What is it

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MARCH 5 2016

Written by Bro-Sis and from Overblog

What’s Sublimation ?
In Sublimation is a Physical phenomena and process, where a solid state changes to gas state by heating without becoming liquid. Just like dry ice changes to gas without ever becoming liquid. Sublimation is an endothermic reaction, and occurs when the right amount of pressure and heat are applied to a solid.

What is dye sublimation printing?
Dye Sublimation printing is a digital printing technology. It is a method of applying a printed design to specially coated ceramics, metals, and polyester garment. This involves a transfer process which uses heat and pressure to take the design from sublimation paper to the surface of the fabric - giving you total freedom over the design and colour. Firstly , print the image onto the sublimation transfer paper with dye sublimation ink. Then heated with high temperature at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, but 380-420 degrees is recommended for most substrates to attain maximum color, the sublimation ink will become gas and penetrate into the intended medium permanently. The time and temperature of the sublimation process is dependent on the type of fabric used for digital sublimation printing

What is the usage for dye sublimation ?
Dye sublimation is always done on a polyester, polymer, or polymer-coated item, in the case of team uniforms 100% polyester garments. At high temperature, the solid dye vaporizes into a gas without ever becoming a liquid. The same high temperature opens the pores of the polyester fabric and allows the dye vapor to enter. When the temperature cools, the pores close and the gas reverts to a solid state trapping the dye into the fiber of the fabric. It has now become a permanent part of the fabric.

This is why dye sublimation can’t be done on natural materials, such as 100% cotton. Natural fibers and non-coated materials which have no "pores" to open cannot accept the gas vapor. The dye particles are designed to bond with polyester, and ignore everything else. It is like trying to mix oil and water with most natural materials.

Also Dark materials cannot be used with the sublimation process so all of our dye sublimated apparel starts out as solid white fabric. Garments decorated with a dye sublimation transfer cannot be removed like images on shirts decorated with screen printing. Again, this is not ink that sits on top of the fabric; it is a dye that penetrates the fiber of the fabric. 

See more at: http://www.brosublimationpaper.com  ***Article credit goes to brosublimationpaper.com***