# Can you use dye sublimation ink on regular ink jet transfer paper?



## papermama

Can you use dye sublimation ink on regular ink jet transfer paper (JPSS)?

Thanks,
J


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## D.Evo.

For dye-sublimation process to work you need to use dye-sublimation paper.


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## coastalbusiness

Through testing, we've found that you actually can transfer using sublimation ink with regular transfer papers - you'll end up with very brilliant colors. However, you would be wasting very expensive sublimation ink and not getting the sublimation result - the image will still by laying on top of the shirt rather than embedding itself into the shirt (whether the shirt is cotton or polyester). 

I would definitely suggest having a separate inkjet printer for inkjet transfers. Don't waste the sublimation ink.


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## papermama

Thank you! Right now we do ink jet transfers and I am about to purchase a printer to do sublimation. The printer will be larger format than we currently have. I just want to be able to print some things larger on regular ink jet if I have too before buying yet another printer. LOL!

Thank you for the info!


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## k m toydarian

Im in the same boat as papermama - Large format sublimation printer, small inkjet. I would like to print on inket paper for cottons, but with my existing sub printer, before I buy another large format printer. It would only be a few special one offs, or prototypes, so I don't mind "wasting" the sub ink. It's cheaper than buying a bew set up right now.

I was thinking inkjet paper with sub ink might work well on 50/50 shirts. I'll have to experiment.


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## sublidesignz

Did you ever do any experimenting with this?

I was thinking inkjet paper with sub ink might work well on 50/50 shirts. I'll have to experiment.


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## splathead

sublidesignz said:


> did you ever do any experimenting with this?
> 
> I was thinking inkjet paper with sub ink might work well on 50/50 shirts. I'll have to experiment.











jpss + sublimation ink + 100% cotton?


Hey, I am just starting out, I ordered 160 100% cotton shirts and a printer with sublimation inks, and some rubbish transfer paper. I printed my first t-shirt using the set up I have (Sub Ink, Xfer paper, Tshirt and Press) it didnt look too bad when I pressed it on apart from the hand was pretty...




www.t-shirtforums.com







GordonM said:


> It actually makes some sense to sub with JPSS when using 50/50 blend shirts. The sub ink will transfer into the poly fibers, and the JPSS polymer will hold the color well to the cotton. Best of both world. But as I said, the blacks weren't as black as I'd like. I used a specific piece of art for my test -- the German version of the 'This Island Earth' movie poster -- and it had a deep black background. The colors though came out quite brilliant.
> 
> I transferred to the same shirt -- front and back -- one side with sub, the other with pigment. After the first wash the dye side leached a bit more ink than I had hoped, but it hasn't faded since the initial wash. And the initial color loss was quite minor.
> 
> In the end, proper application of JPSS with pigment makes the experiment moot, as I can easily get dozens of washes with a pigment JPSS pressing. I just had to learn the right technique for the JPSS, which took lots of tries. The trick is to really drive that polymer deep into the fibers.


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## PatWibble

Some inkjet 'papers' claim to be suitable for sublimation ink The only one I tried (UK brand) was not very succesful.
The print was very susceptible to humidity, which was a problem because it need to be left for several hours before pressing. Washability was very bad.
The same paper worked reasonably well with regular pigment ink so I didn't pursue the process. Interestingly the supplier no longer recommends the paper for sub ink.

There are some specific sublimatable htv films, such as siser Easi subli, but they are very thick.


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## DrivingZiggy




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