# Ordering in sublimation transfers to get started?



## Jri (Jan 20, 2017)

Hi all,

Like many - I really want to get a little business going, selling my illustrations on T-shirts.

Because I don't know what the level of interest will be or how long it will take to gain sales momentum - for the time being it makes sense to me to print the tops as they are ordered.

I don't really want to use a POD/dropshipper because I want to maintain as much creative control as possible and would like the ability to sew on sleeve tags and add other little details that would otherwise bump up the cost if I farmed out the production.

I noticed this guy exploring a similar thing, asking about sublimation printing.

My question is this - to cut down initial costs, is it a viable move to find a company who will print/deliver sublimation transfers and invest in my own reasonably priced heat press to apply them?

Is this a good idea? Do such companies exist and if so - who is a good choice (in the UK)?

As I have several different designs, I would need the ability to print a number (unsure of quantities at this time) of each one. That way I could store them and apply them as needed.

The long term goal would be to eventually invest in my own sublimation transfer printer after it took off.

Sincere apologies if I have duplicated a question that has been asked before. Kindly point me in the right direction if this is the case.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

First you need to determine the largest size print you plan on making and get a heat press that will do the job. Second are you going to do only sublimation prints? Do you understand what products you can sublimate on and what ones you cannot? You could be limiting your market. Third, there are many people that do sub transfers, I'm sure others will post here but before I got my own setup I used Sublimation Transfers in the US...and was always satisfied. I'm not familiar with the UK.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

With your own heat press, you're not limited to just dye sub, which as my neighbor Larry indicates, is limiting.

The good thing about having your own press is you can do screen printed plastisol transfers too. You may even be able to get them from the same source. Many plastisol transfer printers are also branching out into selling dye sublimation transfers.

Here is a list of all the known UK transfer makers. http://www.t-shirtforums.com/plastisol-transfers/t77081.html Contact them and inquire if they have started selling dye sub transfers yet too. And they'll all send you samples.


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## Jri (Jan 20, 2017)

Just checking in to say thanks for everyone's replies.

As it happens, my illustrations lend themselves quite well to single colour reproduction and I am aware of at least one reasonably priced screen transfer provider in the UK.

My initial interest was in producing the transfers myself - but this appears to be fraught with a lot of high start up and maintenance costs. From a few early enquiries it seems that the most sustainable start up for me would be ordering transfers and pressing _in-house_ as it were.

My next step will probably to try and source a reasonably priced heat press and start clearing a little workshop out. A few threads on here have covered this question, but if anyone has any suggestions on entry-level-priced heat presses that are roughly A3 in size (420mm x 297mm) - I am all ears.


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## Jri (Jan 20, 2017)

After having played around with a plastisol transfer, they seem to have a vinyl-like quality when pressed, in that they sit on top of the garment.

Are there any transfer alternatives for printing onto cotton that would give a 'DTG' smooth feel (something professional, not like a stag night iron-on?)

Failing that, is it realistic to start a tee brand using plastisol transfers - i.e. What is the general consensus on their quality?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Jri said:


> After having played around with a plastisol transfer, they seem to have a vinyl-like quality when pressed, in that they sit on top of the garment.
> 
> Are there any transfer alternatives for printing onto cotton that would give a 'DTG' smooth feel (something professional, not like a stag night iron-on?)
> 
> Failing that, is it realistic to start a tee brand using plastisol transfers - i.e. What is the general consensus on their quality?


You should not be getting a vinyl-like feel on 1 color transfers. You want to use hot-split transfers. They are peeled hot, as opposed to some on the market that are cold-peeled, and will give you a screen print feel. A cold peeled transfer leaves more ink on the shirt and gives you a plastic feel.

Plastisol transfers will not give you a DTG print feel. For that you need waterbased inks, which is what DTG is too. I am not aware of any waterbased transfer printers.


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## Jri (Jan 20, 2017)

What you're describing sounds perfect, the DTG softness was just on the off chance.

The plastisol transfer I tried involved a little trial and error, peeling it hot caused the design not to apply properly (coming away with the paper and shrivelling into a rubbery mess that was not adhered to anything). On a second attempt, after a thirty second wait in a cool room - the paper peel was fine, but revealed a print as described in my post (vinyl-esque, plasticky).

This leads me to assume that this was a cool-peel as you described.

If hot peel, as you say, gives a screen printed feel - then this would be perfect for what I need. Is there a cost difference between cold peel and hot split transfers?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Jri said:


> Is there a cost difference between cold peel and hot split transfers?


Not sure. Depends on your source I guess. Why does it matter if hot peel is what you need?


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