Sublimation printing is a transfer printing method in which sublimation dyes are used to heat transfer an image or design onto a medium such as a fabric, metal, or ceramic.In this, sublimation printing is the printing of the image onto sublimation paper and of course the ink is not ordinary ink, it has to be sublimation ink. Finally the image printed on the sublimation paper is transferred to the d polyester fabric by high temperature
This type of printing is popular for its vibrant and permanent color results. It is an excellent choice for apparel and accessories due to its cost-effectiveness, high-quality color results, and speed.
However, there are limits to the type of fabric that can be used for sublimation printing. Sublimation is limited to polyester fabric, and it must have no more than 40% cotton content. This means that 100% cotton fabric is not compatible with sublimation.
The reason why 100% cotton cannot be used for sublimation printing is because of the dye components. Polyester absorbs the dye more easily than cotton, so the process will not work properly with 100% cotton fabrics. The dye particles must be absorbed before they can be heated and transferred to the fabric. Without the right absorption rate, the design will not achieve the same intense color and vibrancy of sublimation.
The other issue with sublimation on cotton fabric is the design results. Cotton fabric can suffer from ghosting and shadowing due to the lower dye absorption rate. This will result in the design not transferring correctly onto the fabric and can look blurry or wash out after a few washes.
In summary, sublimation printing cannot be used for 100% cotton fabric due to the limitations of the fabric. Cotton does not absorb the dye molecule quickly enough for the transfer process to occur and the results will be subpar anyway. For the best result with sublimation, polyester fabric with a maximum content of 40% cotton should be used.
