Sublimation
Sublimation printing is a process that uses heat to permanently bond a special ink into a material. First, you design your project (in Canva, Illustrator, etc.) and print it onto sublimation paper using a sublimation printer. Then, using a heat press, the ink turns into a gas and embeds directly into polyester fabric or polymer-coated surfaces (like mugs, keychains, or aluminum panels). Because the ink becomes part of the material—rather than sitting on top like vinyl—the finished product won’t peel or crack and feels completely smooth to the touch. It works best on light-colored, polyester-based items and produces vibrant, long-lasting results.
Custom Socks
Check out this video to learn the basics of sublimation while creating your own fun custom pair of socks!
FAQS
-
Students, faculty, and staff may sublimate up to 20 items per semester at no cost.
If you go beyond the 20 free items, the cost is $1.50 per linear foot of sublimation paper.
-
All students, faculty, and staff of Union University are welcome to use the printers.
The sublimation printer and swing-away heat press are marked yellow (Supervised Use). This means you should plan to use them when a HubTech or Hub faculty/staff is present.
-
Watch a video above, attend a workshop, take the UNI 295 course, or talk to a HubTech to learn how to get started.
-
Sublimation works on materials that contain polyester or a special polymer coating.
Common sublimation projects include:
Apparel (polyester shirts, jerseys, socks)
Drinkware (coated mugs and tumblers)
Hard goods (coasters, keychains, ornaments)
Soft goods (tote bags, mousepads)
Keep in mind: sublimation does not work on cotton or dark fabrics.
It is usually best to buy products specifically made for sublimation, called sublimation blanks.
-
Hobby Lobby is a great local place to find them. You can also find them online at amazon or heatpressnation.com.
Tools Available
-
Epson SC-F570 Sublimation Printer
This sublimation printer is able to print up to 24” wide. It is generally stocked with 17” or 24” wide sublimation paper.
-
GeoKnight Swing Away Heat Press
The GeoKnight Heat Press can press items up to 16” x 20” and up to 2” thick. The swing-away design allows you to easily position items and gives consistent pressure across the entire surface.
-
Cricut Autopress
The Autopress allow you to apply heat transfer vinyl with speed and precision. You can automatically set the temperature and the time, taking the guess-work out of applying transfers to shirts, bags, and more. Max size: 15” x 12", Max thickness: 2”
-
Tumbler Press
The tumbler press allows you to press your designs onto cylindrical shapes, like tumblers and mugs. We have two cuffs available. The smaller one has a compatible diameter of 7.2 - 8.8 cm (20-30 oz tumblers), and the larger one is compatible with items with an 8.8 - 10.2 cm diameter (40-oz tumblers).