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Dye Sublimation Print

Dye sub printing enables the production of photographic images onto a variety of fabrics for a wide range of applications.

Unlike direct printing to fabrics, dye sublimation produces vibrant colours and high resolution images. Fabric prints produced in this way are as commonly seen for large promotional print runs as they are for a single banner stand.

'Sublimation' describes the unusual way that a substance can turn from solid to gas (with heat applied) and back to solid (on cooling) without a liquid phase in between. This is important because the special dyes we use all 'sublime'. The gaseous dyes are very chemically reactive and are negatively charged. They are attracted to and actually bond to the positive surface charge of the polyester fabrics we use.

The process begins with the artwork you supply being printed onto a transfer paper. The print is then allowed to dry fully. The printed transfer paper is then fed over a heated roller along with the fabric to be printed. As the dyes reach their sublimation temperature, they become gaseous and the only destination for the reactive gaseous molecules is the fabric surface.

The dye sublimation technology can accurately predict how these dyes will sublime and a high resolution printed fabric results. Because there is an actual chemical bond between the dyes and the fabric, the image is there to stay and can be ironed at low temperature and even washed without affecting image quality.

When the fabric has cooled, it is then trimmed to size and finished to your requirements.