How-To Video Training Series: Sublimating A Place Mat

Our How-To Video Training Series is designed to help you create new products and make more money!

 

Two minute preview of the “I Want To Start A Sublimation Business – What Do I Need To Know” webcast presented by Sawgrass Technologies. Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how the sublimation process works.
2. Learn what equipment is required to start a sublimation business.
3. Learn what it costs to get started and what it costs to produce sublimation.

View the entire video at www.sawgrassink.com/education-events/digital-decoration-webcasts

Sublimation – The Truckers Cap Decoration Solution

Oh no, it’s back – the dreaded “Trucker’s Cap”.  Many veteran apparel decorators remember the challenges of putting logo’s on this unique style of headwear built around a polyester foam front panel.  The polyester aspect made it difficult to screen print, as traditional inks wouldn’t bond properly and the foam aspect made it an extreme nightmare for embroiderer’s due to stitches sinking into the fabric.  It was a happy day when the Trucker’s cap finally hit the road and left town.  But what goes around comes around and this particular product is back in the spotlight, racking up the dollars in retails sales while wracking the brains of decorators scrambling to find a reliable and reasonable decoration application.

Believe it or not, there is a relatively simple solution: sublimation!  The poly foam front is the ideal platform for sublimation printing, as the dyes easily penetrate and bond with the polyester fibers, yielding vivid, full-color images without distortion.  And unlike other forms of printing, sublimated designs will not fade when washed, which means sustainable image quality over the life of the product.

The cap sublimation process is exactly the same as for any other sublimation substrate, with the only difference being that you will need a heat press designed for caps.  Just create the design with your favorite graphics program, print it out onto transfer paper using SubliJet or ArTainium sublimation inks, then apply it with your cap press.   Total print press time is less than two minutes and the ink and media costs are in the $0.50 range.

Sublimated Trucker’s Caps – quick, simple and profitable!

Jimmy Lamb, Sawgrass Technologies

For additional info on How to Sublimate Caps – Read This Article by Impressions Magazine

A Lesson on the Basics of Photoshop

In case you missed a live webinar, Sawgrass provides the webcasts for you to watch anytime, anywhere!  Check out this webcast trailer on Photoshop Basics for Digital Decorations.

To view the entire video click here! It’s a one time registration that will give you full access to all our past webinars. 

Ever wonder how to sublimate flip flops?

Ever wonder how to sublimate flip flops? Check out our how-to video. Flip flops can be sublimated with photos, your favorite sports teams logo and so much more! They’re great for spirit wear, fund raisers, and make a very unique gift item

Sublimation flip flops come encased in an 11″ x 13″ package cushion making for easy sublimation. Design the entire cushion for great presentation or to add your company logo or information. What could be more fun than personalized than flip flops!

What Is A Sublimation Blow-Out Sheet?

What the heck is a sublimation blowout sheet?  It’s that sheet of Teflon that came with your heat press and it has two purposes in the sublimation process.  The first is to protect the surface of the substrate from any dirt, grease, stray ink, or whatever on the heat press during pressing.  The second is to prevent any stray ink on the transfer paper or substrate from migrating onto the pressing surfaces of the heat press.

While most people use the Teflon sheet supplied with the press, eventually it can become soiled in which case it loses its effectiveness.  A great alternative is to use blank newsprint or butcher paper.  It’s cheap and quite absorbent, but also a one-time-use product, so discard after every pressing.

By the way, if you are pressing both sides of an apparel product like a bag or shirt, you will want to add a second blowout sheet underneath when you flip it over to do the second side.  You may also want to add a third one inside the item to prevent any unwanted transfer of ink from the previously pressed side over to the side bring pressed.

The New Age Of Digital Heat Transfers

For many, the word “transfer” conjures up visions of a rubbery-looking, printed patch of sorts that is applied to a garment with a heat press.  Besides looking cheap, such transfers have a tendency to crack and peel after one or two washings, and thus have developed a bad reputation.  But it’s a brand new day, and high quality digital transfers have entered the marketplace and put the transfer of yesteryear out to pasture.