# Is Epson C88 ink a pigment or sublimation ink?



## HHR (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi, I'm a newbie. I just bought a Epson C88 and I need to buy inks and system. I had a few questions.

I want to do sublimation to mugs, koozies, pvc, possibly fleece.

I thought pigment ink is the best. However I was told that if I want to do sublimation, it is not a pigment ink rather it is a dye. Is that true? C88 advertises the Durabrite Pigment ink; however, a lot of people in the threads use the C88 for sublimation: what kind of ink are they using?

I also do iron-on transfers with an HP 6210, I was told if I want to use pigment ink then I would have to use an iron-on transfer, not the sublimation ink.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

The OEM ink is pigment and it won't work for sublimation. Yes several use the Epson C88 printer for sublimation including me but you have to change out the inks to sublimation ink.

The pigment ink (durabrite) that comes with the c88 is great for heat transfers especially JPSS transfer paper but if you want to do sublimation then you will have to use sublimation paper and sublimation ink.


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## HHR (Nov 9, 2010)

Thank you so much for your help!! I thought that might be the case but you definitely cleared it up for me.

I am thinking I should buy two Epson C88: one for sublimation ink (sublimation jobs) and another one for pigment ink (iron-ons).

I think i want to get a CISS, do you recommend it, and where do you buy your sublimation ink and what is the names to look for.

Oh one more question: In this link and video it said he used DTG inks, is that another whole different thing? http://www.t-shirtforums.com/diy-dtg/t32499.html YouTube - Print using DTG inks


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

HHR said:


> Thank you so much for your help!! I thought that might be the case but you definitely cleared it up for me.
> 
> I am thinking I should buy two Epson C88: one for sublimation ink (sublimation jobs) and another one for pigment ink (iron-ons).
> 
> ...


Yes DTG is a totally different process altogether. I have a CISS for my Epson C88+ but I never got around to installing it. The carts I use are refill carts and I just add a few ml each time I start a job and that works well for me but if you are going to be doing high printing then yes a CISS may be best. I only use mine maybe a few times a month.

Here are a few places that sell ink:
Best Blanks
Coastal Business
Sublimationink.net
Alpha Supply


Good Luck!


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

for more on learning about sublimation....go to DyeSub.org - An educational site for dye sublimation and digital transfer printing.


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## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

buy 2 they are cheap. we use refillable carts for our sublimation, less hassle then ciss. good luck


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## marvi (Jan 2, 2009)

Where do I get the best price for refillable carts for sublimation?
What is ciss?


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## uncletee (Feb 25, 2007)

check out LGPinks.com just got a set of refillable carts from them. good luck.


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## tonyasmall4jesus (Sep 14, 2018)

if I use the ink that comes with the espon c88+ can I use sublimation ink and then change back to the other ink?


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

tonyasmall4jesus said:


> if I use the ink that comes with the espon c88+ can I use sublimation ink and then change back to the other ink?


https://www.t-shirtforums.com/dye-sublimation/t136108.html#post803107

Quote:

The OEM ink is pigment and it won't work for sublimation. Yes several use the Epson C88 printer for sublimation including me but you have to change out the inks to sublimation ink.

The pigment ink (durabrite) that comes with the c88 is great for heat transfers especially JPSS transfer paper but if you want to do sublimation then you will have to use sublimation paper and sublimation ink.


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## Waiting (Feb 25, 2018)

Yes, you can switch inks. Just do a couple of head cleanings to flush out the previously used ink.


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## LancerFlorida (Mar 20, 2018)

tonyasmall4jesus said:


> if I use the ink that comes with the espon c88+ can I use sublimation ink and then change back to the other ink?


Yes, you can switch from Pig to SUB ink as your printing projects change.
However, as mentioned by others you need to do several head cleanings and TEST the end print before going into production.

NOTE: Be aware of where the ink goes when a head cleaning takes place. There may be an internal counter in the EPSON that will disable the printer when the 'dump' exceeds a predetermined capacity.


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