What Is Dye-Sublimation Printing?

Dye-sublimation is the latest evolution in large format printing. A dye-sublimation printer is a computer printer which uses heat to transfer dye onto materials. The printer uses a very long roll of transparent film in blue, yellow, red and gray colored cellophane. There are dyes in yellow, black, cyan and magenta within the film. The printer heats up as it passes over the film, causing the dyes to vaporize and spread through the material before they cool and return to a solid form.

These printers allow us to print on textiles with vibrant colors, without changing the feel of the fabric. When fabrics are printed on with a dye-sublimation printer, the ink becomes part of the structure of the material, rather than being printed on the surface. This means that the dye is permanent and won’t fade or crack, even after multiple washes.

Why Use A Dye-Sublimation Printer?

There are two factors that set apart dye-sublimation printing from other printing techniques, continuous tone and unedited color. The Mimaki JV5-320S utilizes eco-friendly water-based ink in a highly efficient paper transfer process that permanently embeds images into a variety of fabrics and textiles up to 126” wide. Images are printed onto a special coated paper and then heat sublimated into textiles, which can later be washed and folded without a trace of lost image quality. This final product is scratch resistant, and many of the textiles are wrinkle resistant for easy packing and shipping. Printed textiles display a smooth, premium appearance in any environment, expanding the creative boundaries of other materials and processes.

What Can A Dye-Sublimation Printer Print On?

Dye-Sublimation Printers can print on almost any surface:

• Rigid substrates – brass, aluminum, glass, acrylic, plastic and metal.
• Rigid Products – from mouse pads, to key chains, to phone cases and more!
• Soft-Signage – create high-impact trade show displays.
• Fabrics – print on indoor flags, banners and table covers!
• Sports/Fashion Apparel – everything from t-shirts to baseball hats.
• Photo Printing – create backdrops, wall-mounts, or magnets!
• Ceramic Tiles – customize tiles for kitchens, bathrooms, etc.

Here at Grand Image, we distinguish ourselves from other large format printing companies by utilizing our high speed and high definition Kayo T3200 and Mimaki JV5-320S printers. These grand format dye sublimation ink jet printers are capable of super-wide printing widths at the highest resolution of 720 x1440 dpi. An excellent choice for large, high quality close-view fabric signage, the printer is among the widest offered at such high resolution and speed, prints up to 126” wide on most fabrics. Our sublimation printing services are virtually endless! What can we make for you? Call us today for a free price quote! 888-973-2622