Impressions - August 2019 - 41

New developments in the
marketplace have yielded
products that can be used to apply
sublimation dye to a cotton
fabric's surface.

Take the time
to experiment
with the transfer
papers and the
production
processes
so you can
determine
what works
best for each
application.
transfer papers have many different characteristics that affect the image's quality
and color.They have to absorb the dye and
release it properly, and each one does it
differently.Take those issues into account
when using the products.
The Software Factor

All of the currently availale papers
use some form of polymer, providing a
"go-between" link that enables sublimation to adhere to cotton. Essentially, the
entire sheet is coated when manufactured.
When applying an image with a heat press,
the coating releases from the paper with
the ink to bond it. However, with some
products, the non-printed area's coating
also transfers to the shirt.
Picture a rectangular sheet of transfer
paper with a small logo printed in the
center. During the heat-pressing process,
that logo - as well as the paper's empty
area - also transfers. You end up with
a printed logo surround by a faint, offwhite rectangular box that has the paper's
dimensions. This "polymer window" is
not desirable.
With these papers, trim away the excess
paper around the printed image so that
only the dye transfers. This can be done
with scissors; however, if you plan to do
a lot of sublimation-to-cotton printing,
look into buying a cutter that can be set

up to automatically do this. Using a cutter
will add a few extra steps, but it's worth
the effort.
The second type of paper is known
as "self-weeding" because the polymer
component only transfers where dye is
present on the paper.Though it sounds like
a better solution, there also are drawbacks
with this type of paper.
First, it uses a "wet process" for production, which means you must print and
quickly apply the image with a heat press.
The second issue is that it works best with
dark images. Light colors and pictures don't
transfer very well.
In comparison, the other paper style
tends to do quite well with lighter colors.
Translation: No paper option is perfect.
Thus, take the time to experiment with
them and the production processes so you
can determine what works best for each
application.
There's more to using sublimation-to-cotton transfer papers than
simply choosing the correct product.Digital

The key is using color-management/
printing software that makes it easy to
correct such issues. For example, software
exists that enables different "profiles" to be
created for different papers. The profiles
set up parameters within the printer and
control how the dye is delivered to the
paper based on its characteristics and the
dye's characteristics.Too much ink leads
to waste; in the case of the wet transfer
paper, it also could cause streaks.Too little
ink may lead to images that have dull or
incorrect color.
When the correct profile is used, the
best quality will be achieved.With this in
mind, ensure you use the correct settings
each time. If your software offers specific
profiles for specific products, then it's simply
a matter of choosing the correct profile
for the job.The software and printer will
do the rest.
If you're using a raster image processor
(RIP), try experimenting to find the proper
settings for each type of transfer product.
If you don't have a RIP or system-specific
software, then contact your sublimation
system's manufacturer for advice.
AUGUST 2019

P.41
Impressions - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - August 2019
