Printing T-shirts with Sublimation Heat Press

Are you entering in the t-shirt printing businesses and confused about how to start as you are a novice to this field? No need to be worried about it anymore. Thanks to the internet which has provided us easy access to the information? You have landed on the right page where you will get a guide about where to start from, stepwise procedures, and much more.

It has been many years since the evolution of style and designs. The introduction of heat press has made printing fun rather than a chore. Gone are the days when people used to sign an agreement with a printing industry to start a t-shirt customization business. Now you can jump into the printing business with a small investment without lending a hand from someone else.

What is a Heat Transfer Printing Machine?

As the name suggests, these types of machines are designed in a way that combines heat and pressure for transferring the design onto the material. Unlike conventional ways of painting the colors by hand, it follows a completely automated procedure. Now you can renovate old fabrics or customize the news ones to look different without getting into the hassles of learning to draw.

The heat press has a flatbed and heated plates right above it. The lower plate of the machine is adjustable so that you can change as per your product’s structure. The item to be printed on is placed on the lower plate and the upper plate is pressed onto it with a specified temperature. Controlling temperature and heat is crucial to avoid burning out the material.

For beginners, it is preferred to get a digital heat press. It comes up with a digital screen and easy control buttons. The readings of temperature and pressure are available on the digital screen for your reference. You can also choose a heat press which is programmed to work according to the product type. Just select the item from the screen and it automatically adjusts its controls. Many of the latest heat press machines can also print multiple items like tshirts, mugs, hats, caps and more with more accuracy and efficiency.

Heat Transfer Paper for Heat Printing

The paper which is used for transferring a design onto garments and other materials using heat is called transfer paper. The required graphics or text style is printed on a heat transfer paper with the help of a laser or inkjet printer. The transfer paper is then placed on a T-shirt facing downward and pressed with a heat press to get design details traced onto the garment.

Heat and pressure transfer the design onto the shirt. After doing so, safely remove the shirt as plates are extremely hot so you should be careful while placing and removing the t-shirts. Peel away the paper as the design is already adhered to the fabric. This process has varied implications as you can pint hundreds of designs using your computer and customize T-shirts effortlessly.

Designing T-shirts with a transfer paper is easier, faster, and simpler procedures. Unlike other heat printing processes, it involves fewer start-up costs. Most often, there is a printer available in every home so you can wisely use it without buying a new one. The heat transfer paper used with a heat press works best with light-colored cotton and polyester garments.

The Sublimation Printing Process

Sublimation heat printing involves the use of a heat transfer paper. Just like other heat press printing processes, it also involved printing the design onto a sheet of paper and then the paper is used to transfer the image or textured graphics onto fabric or other hard-coated materials. Pressing paper to a garment with heated plates transfers the design leaving a detailed and vibrant imprint.

The sublimation heat press uses sublimation print for customizing T-shirts. The ink, when heated, changes its state from solid to gas to embed itself into the fabric. After cooling down, the ink changes back to a solid-state to become a permanent part of the fabric. The design is engraved into the fabric so it does not add an extra layer making the printed areas feel smooth.

T-shirts designed with this form of a heat press are durable. The print will last as long as the product itself because the ink is embedded into the fabric threads. Polyester t-shirts and poly-coating hard surfaces show the best results when designed using sublimation printing. You can also customize puzzles, mugs, and multiple other items after getting your hands on a cheap heat press.

To Wrap up

A heat press lets you use a splash of color for customizing T-shirts, mouse-pads, cell covers, and multiple other items without even learning a new skill at all. Gone are the days when companies used to send lengthy user manuals or a CD with tutorials about how to operate the appliance/tool. Once you use it, you can always do it like a pro and make best-selling items.

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.