# New to sublimation and I am lost !



## Emp1315 (Apr 16, 2020)

So I am new to sublimation. I used to use the iron on heat transfer paper to make shirts for my self and my kids with my HP EnVy printer. After a few washes the shirts went into the trash. Today I bought a EcoTank ET-2760. I wanted to use it for regular printing and sublimation printing. After hours of reading different things and watching different videos I am so confused and lost. I am only doing this as a hobby for my family. I do want professional looking shirts though, as is why I stopped the iron on transfer paper. IMO after a few washes it looks like garbage. So, here are my questions and I’m located in the U.S.

1.) Can I use my EcoTank ET-2760 for regular printing and sublimation printing? I know about the CIS system but don’t know if I can use it with this printer.

2.) If the answer to question 1 is no, then can I use the sub ink to print regular everyday stuff on regular printer paper. (I’m in nursing school and have to print a lot of stuff on a regular basis.) 

3.) What is the best sub ink and sub transfer paper for my EcoTank ET 2760? 

4.) I have seen that you need to have a program specific to your printer to get the best quality transfer/application. What would be one for my printer if so?

5.) I’ve also read on here about pigment ink and sub ink being used... what is the difference? Which is better? All I am doing as of now are shirts. 

Thank you all in advance!!


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## PatWibble (Mar 7, 2014)

1/ You can use the Epson for either regular or sublimation ink, but not both together.


2/ sublimation ink will print onto regular paper, but the results will not be good. Colours and blacks will be much duller than regular ink because sublimation colours only develop when heatpressed. The ink might take some time to dry on regular (uncoated) paper. Stick to you HP printer for regular printing.



3/ Not in US so don't know what paper or ink to recommend. Cobra is a name that crops up regularly.



4/ There is no special 'program', but you will need an ICC colour profile that is speciffic to your printer/ink/paper combination. A good ink supplier should have one for most common printers. The ICC profile ensures that the printed colours match the colours in the original image.
To use an ICC profile you will need 'proper' graphics or photo software, such as Photoshop, Corel Draw or Affinity.
Affinity currently has a 90 day free trial/half price purchase offer at the moment, if you don't have any design software.
https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

5.) Comparing pigment ink to sublimation ink is comparing apples to oranges. They are both intended for entirely different areas of work. 



Pigment inks will have to be printed to a sheet of heat transfer paper and will be pressed *ONTO* the garment.


Sublimation inks will have to be printed to a sheet of special sublimation paper and will be pressed *INTO *the garment. Sub inks do not wash out, but you will be limited to materials containing a high polyester content and light in colour ( white, 100% poyester for best results).


Of course, many other items can be sub-printed if you have the necessaryy presses: mugs, caps, plates, keyrings, bags, aluminium sheet, door hangers, coasters, placemats, ... to name a few.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Cobra Ink I believe is the company everyone buys from. I've bought in the past and will probably buy if I start sublimation again. 



100% polyester t-shirts/products works best for the Sub ink. 



Some people use a combined cotton/polyester but I couldn't tell you the blended amounts. 



Let me know what you do. I'm probably going to break out my sublimation printers and clean the heads this weekend. Maybe buy a new printer.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

You are obviously confusing different printing methods. 

For cotton fabrics you need pigment based ink and polymer film transfer papers. The polymer film is what holds the pigment and will be transferred along with the ink.

For polyester fabrics you need sublimation ink. The ink will dye the fabric.

1.) EcoTank is a CIS system.
2.) The printer will either have normal ink or sublimation ink. You cannot have both at the same time.
3.) Most branded inks will work. The paper is not so important... There is a small difference from paper to paper, but even regular printer paper will work.
4.) No special program needed, but color profiles from your ink supplier will help.
5.) sublimation inks are dye inks.


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## LancerFlorida (Mar 20, 2018)

Congrats on the new printer. 
Unfortunately, you replaced the wrong component in your hobby array. Your home iron just is not going to reach the right temperature nor will you be able to apply even pressure for a secure transfer. It was NEVER about the printer.

But, now you have a new printer so I'll address those concerns.
1. Office printing AND sublimations. Sure you can. Well, at least you can run office copy paper through the maching and it WILL put ink on the paper. Whether the outcome is suitable for you can only be judged by you. I do it all the time but only for internal use.

2. Seems like the same question as number 1. However, you will need to evaluate if the quality is sufficient for hand in work for your studies.

3. About the stuff....
I use Cobra 4.3 inks. Todate I have not had to install any ICC to get the results I want.
If you really dig into your printer software control panel you will see where to install the ICC. Just make sure you load in into the right folder on your puter.
InkXPro is a secondary choise I used before Cobra. 
All my sublimation papers are sourced from Coastal Business. Image Right and Neenah EMULATE.

4. Give GIMP2 (it is free) a try if you want to try printing using ICC profiles. (Warning: there is a learning curve)

5. COTTON is the difference. Pig and Dye if wanting to put ink on cotton.
Sub ink of putting ink on Polyester. NO, you can not use both inks on the same printer. Well you can if you want to get an new printer.

Get yourself a good heat-press and enjoy the embrace of SUCCESS! ProWorld staff is very helpful.


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## Emp1315 (Apr 16, 2020)

Thanks to everyone who cleared up my confusion! I Will use a 50/50 blend cotton/polyester at least. The shirts I have found for a great price are 65% poly the rest cotton. I just don’t like the 100% polyester shirts. Also I did not intend to use my home iron for sublimation transfer. I ordered a clamshell heat press. For the heat transfer onto cotton I did use my home iron lol. It did work. My shirts looked great! Until the second or third wash then they went into the trash. My friend does some sublimation so that’s why I am switching over.


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

Just remember that anything containing less than 100% polyester will produce a more faded print with the amount of fading inversely proportional to the amount of polyester.

This faded 'retro' look may be what you are after, or maybe not. 

The fading occurs because the ink only penetrates the polyester fibres and washes straight off all the cotton fibres. So, you may have a great print on a 50/50 shirt but much of it will wash out in the first wash.


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

Emp1315 said:


> Until the second or third wash then they went into the trash.


Noooooooooo! Save them for future experimentation. Do not waste a perfectly good brand new shirt for every experiment.


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## LancerFlorida (Mar 20, 2018)

Like Ziggy advises, if the shirt has some white space, keep it for testing. If it has no white space, in some cases the result actually looks pretty cool.


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## PedalJustPedal (Nov 26, 2019)

Emp1315 said:


> Thanks to everyone who cleared up my confusion! I Will use a 50/50 blend cotton/polyester at least. The shirts I have found for a great price are 65% poly the rest cotton. I just don’t like the 100% polyester shirts. Also I did not intend to use my home iron for sublimation transfer. I ordered a clamshell heat press. For the heat transfer onto cotton I did use my home iron lol. It did work. My shirts looked great! Until the second or third wash then they went into the trash. My friend does some sublimation so that’s why I am switching over.


Dye sub is all about vibrant colors that explode off a substrate including shirts. You are defeating the biggest advantage of dye sub going with a 65/35 shirt. Price does not matter if you cant sell a faded out design. Sure there nay be the occasion to do an old vintage look shirt but it is not the norm. If you want cheap go vinyl.

There are plenty of poly spun shirts, Vapor Apparel has some of the better ones, that the vast majority of people could never tell whether it is cotton or not. Get a sample and then compare it to your cheap 65/35 shirt - the results will speak for themselves.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

Emp1315 said:


> So I am new to sublimation. I used to use the iron on heat transfer paper to make shirts for my self and my kids with my HP EnVy printer. After a few washes the shirts went into the trash. Today I bought a EcoTank ET-2760. I wanted to use it for regular printing...


what color tee's are you using?

if you stick with white/light colors you can use jetpro sofstretch with the ink in your printer,
very nice feel on the tee and outlasts the tee itself

if you would like darks you can use 3g opaque paper with the ink in your printer
(it is pretty thick on a tee and does not last like the jpss above, but if it is just for family...)

then you can use the ink already in there for regular printing and tee's


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

Dang it! Coastal has a webinar coming up in ONE HOUR--so 10:00 AM Central, but I can't find a link. I only have the one in my e-mail and I believe it will only be good for me. Wish I could be more help. Sign up for Coastal Business's e-mail and you will get notifications of upcoming webinars. FREE.


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