Your Cart Total
{{price(cart.total || cart.subtotal_with_discount)}}
The 5 Best Sublimation Papers for Beginners and Beyond
Sublimation gives you the opportunity to create durable, vivid, fade, and scratch-resistant designs on a variety of sublimation-ready materials and blanks. Johnson Plastics Plus provides all needed materials, including blanks, printers, ink, tape, gloves, and paper!
Whether you’re printing your sublimation design on fabric or a hard surface blank, sublimation requires a specific paper, one designed to withstand the high temperatures needed to transfer ink onto your substrate. There are also different types of sublimation paper. Papers can be tacky, cut specifically for mugs, designed for fabric, or have many other specific variations.
To see our full selection of sublimation papers, look here. But if you are new to the process or need fresh recommendations, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will review the best sublimation paper options for all skill levels.
#5 JPPlus Premium Tacky Sublimation Paper Roll
This JPPlus Premium Tacky Sublimation Paper Roll is a great choice for fabrics. The high tack grade means that this paper is compatible with smooth and hard fabrics. The tack becomes slightly sticky when heated, meaning the paper will not shift when you open or close the press. This minimizes ghosting, leaving you with crisp, clear images.
The thick bond of this tacky paper allows more ink to transfer to the substrate, resulting in a very vibrant print on your substrate. This product offers flexibility through multiple size options, catering to the scale of your project.
Helpful Terms to Know When Choosing the Right Sublimation Paper for Your Projects
Tack Grade: How sticky the heat-activated adhesive is on the paper. Having a higher tack grade, like the JPPlus Premium Tacky Sublimation Paper, ensures that the paper will not shift during printing.
Substrate: The blank that you print your image onto. Johnson Plastics Plus offers many blanks, including mugs, shirts, plates, leather bags, and more.
Ghosting: When the paper shifts around during printing and causes there to be two of the printed image, like a shadow or a “ghost.” Choosing a tacky paper is a great way to prevent ghosting during the sublimation process, particularly when printing on fabric.
Bond Thickness: The heavier the paper, the thicker the bond. A thicker paper bond means that very little ink soaks into the paper. The printer can then produce a more vibrant image on the substrate and you use less sublimation ink!
• This paper is compatible with all sublimation printers. Recommended for use with soft substrates.
• Roll core size: 2" core; 95gsm
• Sizes: 24” x 328’ ; 36” x 328’ ; 44” x 328’ ; 54” x 328’
Using tacky sublimation paper results in clear images and minimized ghosting.
Sublimation Beginner Tip: Tacky sublimation paper is for use only with fabric.
#4 Neenah Coldenhove Jetcol® DHS Sublimation Paper
The Neenah Coldenhove Jetcol DHS Sublimation Paper is an incredible choice for efficiency. This paper is thick, like the Tacky Sublimation Paper Roll in our #5 spot. This paper delivers the optimal amount of ink to your substrate. This saves you up to 40% in ink costs compared to other sublimation printing paper. The product also promises up to a 50% shorter transfer time. Because of this, the Neenah Coldenhove Jetcol paper is perfect for large-scale products.
The variety of sizes provides you with options and increased efficiency. This paper shortens trimming time with a convenient mug size (4″ × 9.5″). Its efficient, thorough ink transfer produces vibrant, detailed sublimation. Finally, this product strives to be eco-friendly. Leaving less ink on the sublimation transfer paper generates less waste. You can also recycle the transfer sheets after use.
• Compatible with Sawgrass and Epson Sublimation Printers. Recommended for use with hard substrates and soft items.
• Available in 100 sheets per pack, 120gsm
• Sizes: 11” x 17”, 13” x 19”, 4” x 9.5”, 8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 14”
Eco-friendly by generating less waste and recyclable transfer sheets.
Sublimation Beginner Tip: This paper is compatible with a limited number of printers. Confirm your printer will work with this paper.
#3 The TexPrint MP 95 Sublimation Roll Paper
The TexPrint MP 95 Sublimation Roll Paper is similar to Neenah Coldenhove Jetcol® paper but comes in a roll format. This paper dries fast, meaning that you don’t have to wait long to see your incredible designs and you can increase your production speed. TexPrint sublimation paper achieves this by allowing heat to migrate through the print sheet faster, also quickening transfer speed. This paper has a clay-coating, which results in smudge free printing and less residual ink. This process applies the highest amount of ink to your substrate, increasing vibrancy.
This roll of sublimation paper is formaldehyde free which helps in preventing textile yellowing that results from heat. It also has high tensile strength to reduce rips or tears around the edges. Finally, the paper achieves eco-friendliness by using only natural color and 100% recyclable materials.
Helpful Terms to Know When Choosing the Right Sublimation Paper for Your Projects
Tensile strength: How much force the material can handle without breaking. High tensile strength is ideal, as this reduces the chance that the material tears in stretched areas.
Formaldehyde: A chemical that reacts poorly during the sublimation process and can lead to yellowing. Ideally, papers use a high-quality alternative.
• Compatible with Epson, Roland, and Mutoh Sublimation Printers. Recommended for use with hard substrates and soft items.
• Available in rolls with 3" core; 95gsm
• Sizes: 24’ x 328’ ; 44” x 328” ; 44” x 460’
Quick-dry clay coating eliminates smudges, regardless of printer speed.
Sublimation Beginner Tip: Sublimation does not work well on dark substrates. Ensure you’re using a sublimation-ready blank that is a white or light colored item for the best results from your sublimation paper.
#2 JPPlus Multi-Purpose Sublimation Paper Roll
The JPPlus Multi-Purpose Sublimation Paper Roll offers many of the same benefits customers love, with a few additional perks. JPPlus’s new high quality sublimation paper has a special coating that reduces smudging to give the clearest, most vibrant print possible on either side of the paper. It also saves ink through a higher ink release and reduced ink bleeds. This unique coating means that your print dries quickly and is available for you to use, sell, or store away.
This paper for sublimation works effortlessly with both hard and soft materials, making it perfect for a wide variety of projects. The biggest perk is that with this paper, you can use either side for high-quality sublimation! You no longer need to spend time flipping the paper to determine which side is which. Both sides will help you to achieve the same vibrancy, efficiency, and convenience you’re looking for.
Helpful Terms to Know When Choosing the Right Sublimation Paper for Your Projects
Ink Release: The paper's ability to release the highest possible amount of ink onto the substrate for optimal results.
Ink Bleed: Unwanted blurring or movement of ink beyond the intended scope of the image.
• Compatible with Epson SureColor F570. Recommended for use with hard substrates and soft items.
• Available in 100 sheet per pack; 117gsm
• Sizes: 17” x 150’ ; 24” x 150’ ; 17” x 100’ ; 24” x 100’
Most notable advantage is that you can print on either side of the paper.
Sublimation Beginner Tip: Most sublimation papers are printable on one side, some have writing or are brighter white on the printable side to help you determine which side is printable.
#1 Johnson Plastics Plus Sublimation Paper (100 Sheets)
The Johnson Plastics Plus Sublimation Paper is perfect for an affordable, diverse paper option. We love this paper because it shares many features with the papers we’ve previously discussed. The paper maximizes ink transfer efficiency and provides better results than other leading sublimation paper brands. It also reduces ink waste by transferring as much ink to the substrate as possible. Like other products on our list, this paper also promises high-quality, crisp color results.
The beauty of this product is in how widely applicable it is. This paper works with many sublimation printers, several inks, hard or fabric blanks, and it’s available in a variety of sizes that suit an array of printing needs. This paper is a great choice for a wide range of project types or experimenting with your printer. Finally, this sublimation paper is extremely durable, allowing the paper to withstand heat and minimize print defects like warping and ghosting.
Helpful Terms to Know When Choosing the Right Sublimation Paper for Your Projects
Warping: The blank distorts or bends because of uneven heating/cooling during the heating process of the sublimation printer.
• This paper is compatible with most sublimation printers. Recommended for use with hard substrates and soft items, meaning most sublimation-ready blanks.
• Comes in sheets; 100 sheets, 117gsm
• Sizes: 11” x 17” ; 13” x 19” ; 13” x 21” ; 3.5” x 9.125” ; 4” x 9.5” ; 8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 14” ; 8.5” x 21”
This paper is ideal for a wide variety of projects.
Sublimation Beginner Tip: Use mug paper to save time on cutting and trimming papers!
Feeling Confident in your Choice of sublimation paper
When you look at webpages of sublimation paper options, it may seem daunting. Hopefully this article was able to give you an idea of the best sublimation paper for your printing needs. Below, you will find some more resources to help as you start or continue your sublimation journey!
Sublimation Paper Resources
• Video resource comparing two sublimation papers (JPP sells both!): Johnson Plastics Plus Sublimation Paper vs. TexPrint Sublimation Paper
• Recorded webinar on sublimation paper types and a demo on how to use sublimation paper: Sublimation Paper + Demo
More Tips and Tricks for Sublimation Beginners
What do I need to buy for sublimation?
• Sublimation Paper and Sublimation Paper Guide
• Sublimation Printers and Sublimation Printer Buyer’s Guide: Find the Best Model for Your Business
• Sublimation Supplies
• Sublimation Blanks