Unveiling the Magic of Dye-Sublimation

Johnson Plastics Plus offers a diverse line of Epson Sublimation Printers. While each printer will allow for high-definition production, we understand that each customer has different needs and expectations regarding their machines. Dye sublimation printing embeds your design into a product such as light-colored polyester fabrics, mugs, coasters, acrylic, etc., rather than having a layer on top of the surface. In other words, when you run your hand across the design, you will not feel it, which helps preserve and extend its longevity in everyday use.

There are a few things to keep in mind when doing dye-sublimation. To fortify the best quality, ensure you have access to high-resolution images with a minimum DPI (dots per inch) of 300 and compatible graphic design software. Most JPPlus customers use Affinity Designer, CorelDraw, and Adobe Illustrator or utilize the provided software with specific printers, such as Epson Edge Print. The ideal file type to use is PNG, so the design has no background; however, various file types are accepted, such as SVG, JPEG, PDF, etc.

When you have found and created a design, the artwork is ready to be printed. You can either print straight from the graphic design software and go through its driver to ensure paper settings, layout, colors, product, and landscape are correct, or you may export the file into a provided software to ensure you get accurate color results. After printing and confirming the image is dry, use a heat press, convection oven, or mug press to sublimate onto your product. Heat tape or a shrink wrap is needed to create a smooth and tight seal between the sublimation paper and product, and the instructions for specific time and temp settings must be followed (settings vary from product and brand). The ink activates once in contact with heat, turning into a gaseous state that is then absorbed by the fabric or sublimation coating on the blank. Carefully remove the print from the blank, as the sublimation product will continue until it is cooled off, and the paper can be discarded and not reused. When the product is cooled, you will be left with an item that is resistant to fading, running, and cracking.

Epson F170: Beginner friendly / good for smaller-scale business or hobbyists

The SureColor F170 Dye-Sublimation Printer is budget-friendly and takes up minimal space, weighing only ten pounds with dimensions of 13.7"x 13.7" x 7.4".

You will have the ability to print both Rigid and Textile materials. Rigid is a setting used when substrates require heavier paper to hold the ink load in the sublimation paper to promote a high-resolution finish. Textile is for lightweight papers and usually has no adhesive on it.

This printer is friendly for Mac and PC users; for PC, you must be running Windows 7 minimum, and for MAC, you need at least 10.6. This printer does not come with Epson Edge Print, it is like a regular inkjet where you just utilize its drivers to print from your design software. You can also print quickly and worry-free with the auto-feed tray, which holds 150 sheets and high-compacity Epson brand ink that requires minimal refill. This printer is Wifi, USB, and Ethernet compatible as well.

Paper Compatibility: Epson DS Multi-Use Transfer Paper. This will only use paper up to legal size.

Ink Compatibility: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black Epson T49M Ink Bottles; this printer does not have a white channel. JPPlus and Epson highly recommend only using genuine Epson ink. Failure to do so can result in poor printer performance and unsatisfactory prints. This can also void the standard 1-year warranty.

Epson F570: Beginner friendly / perfect if there is a need for doing larger prints.

Our most popular option in the lineup is the SureColor F570 Pro Dye-Sublimation Printer. This takes up more space. However, several unique features allow the F570 to have up to a 24-inch roll paper in the back, a 50-page auto sheet feeder, a built-in cutter, and an LCD touch screen. The Epson F570 weighs 84 pounds and has dimensions of 38" x 32" x 10". This product has a stand you can buy as an additive to save table space.

This high-performance sublimation printer comes with the Epson Edge Print software (this software is only compatible with PCs running a minimum of Windows 10) to ensure that your colors come out accurately to what you see on the computer screen. Do not worry; Mac users can still utilize this printer by working with design software and printing through the drivers. Macs need to at least be 10.7. This software and drivers allow for accurate color adjustments and final print results.

For maximum color accuracy, using the Epson Edge Print software is recommended. It is also essential to keep this printer on and make sure at least a nozzle check is printed every few days to keep the ink moving through the tubes to prevent anything from drying out. If you ever need to clean off the rollers from debris, a can of air typically does the trick.

Paper Compatibility: Epson DS Multi-Use Transfer Paper, and Epson SureColor F570 Sublimation Paper (1 Roll per Box). Maximum printing dimension of 11x17 for sheets up to 2400 x 1200 dpi.

Ink Compatibility: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black Epson T49M Ink Bottles; this printer does not have a white channel. JPPlus and Epson highly recommend only using genuine Epson ink. Failure to do so can result in poor printer performance and unsatisfactory prints. This can also void the standard 1-year warranty.

Sawgrass SG1000: Beginner friendly/ more ideal for a consistent small-scale business

Sawgrass’s latest printer, SG1000, is also mindful of allotting space to do work. It weighs 65 pounds and has dimensions of 20.8” x 20.0” x 8.3”, or if you are working with the optional bypass tray, 21” x 33” x 23.75”. The bypass tray allows you to print larger images by supporting paper sized up to 13x19.

Sawgrass provides its own design software and print driver. After creating a Sawgrass account, you can access Designmate, a one-stop shop for creating and printing in one spot. You can also choose from endless pre-made designs, backgrounds, and text and customize them to your own specific needs. Some features in this program require a membership subscription fee. The Designmate program assists Mac and PC users in expressing creative freedom in the same way. You can also have the SG1000 setup either through USB, Wi-Fi, or ethernet.

Selecting the correct substrate (the blank being sublimated) and paper type in the print driver can make or break your final printing results. Make sure you are selecting what it is that you are using first before trying other combinations to compare.

Paper Compatibility: Johnson Plastics Plus Sublimation paper, TexPrint DT Heavy, TexPrint DT Light, TruePix, and Jetcol DHS.

Ink Compatibility: Sublijet UHD 31Ml, Sublijet UHD 70Ml, and ChromaBlast UHD 31ml. JPPlus and Sawgrass highly recommend only using genuine Sawgrass ink. Failure to do so can result in poor printer performance and unsatisfactory prints. This can also void the standard 1-year warranty.

Unisub Sublimation Acrylic: Family photos, invitations, key chains, jewelry, coasters, magnet

Unisub White Rectangle Aluminum Yard Stake: Parties, gardening, event directing

6.5x6.5 Shadow bank box: Graduation or baby shower gift

Apple watch band: favorite band, designs, artists, cartoons, emergency information

Vapor Basic Tee: Specialized events, concerts, sports, gender-reveals, senior days

Black Mug: Great for holiday/birthday gifts and mementos

While all the above printers will deliver beautiful results, some key takeaways to ensure success are having high-quality images and graphic software. A high-resolution image or graphic will eliminate the worry of blurred prints, which would not be ideal to transfer onto products. Either of the design software above allows you to export/save as a PNG (and several others) file so you do not have a background in your artwork.

Make sure you are using the recommended products and accessories made by the specified vendor to stay within the warranty's limits should repair ever be required. Time, temperature, and pressure settings vary between products and company brands. Ensure you follow instructions paired adequately with items, and some adjustments and troubleshooting are not uncommon. Practice makes perfect; trial and error is expected!

Whichever one you choose, the Johnson Plastics Plus (JPPlus) Advanced Support Team will help you set up your new printer every step of the way. When you purchase a printer, JPPlus provides numerous videos to help you set up and adjust your new machine, and our team of experts is available to call and email if you need additional help. They are open for appointment-based calls Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Should you run into any issues or have additional questions outside of installing your new printer, they also assist in troubleshooting practices!