# Question about Sublimation and Rash Guards



## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi All

I posted this question in the wrong place so my apologies for this double post, I am trying to get a line of Rash Guards going and would like to know if I can do it myself using Sublimation transfers and a heat press. They are 80% poly and 20% spandex and Im confused as to if the heat press will burn through them or not and where I can get my art work put on sublimation paper. Thank you in advance for your replies.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

wilcomail said:


> Hi All
> 
> I posted this question in the wrong place so my apologies for this double post, I am trying to get a line of Rash Guards going and would like to know if I can do it myself using Sublimation transfers and a heat press. They are 80% poly and 20% spandex and Im confused as to if the heat press will burn through them or not and where I can get my art work put on sublimation paper. Thank you in advance for your replies.


With a poly/spandex blend you may have to experiment a little for the right temp. Keep in mind many heat presses are 10+ degrees off between displayed temp and actual temp. 

There are people here on this forum that should be able to assist you in printing your designs.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> With a poly/spandex blend you may have to experiment a little for the right temp. Keep in mind many heat presses are 10+ degrees off between displayed temp and actual temp.
> 
> There are people here on this forum that should be able to assist you in printing your designs.


So it can be done then, would I need some sort of teflon paper between the heat element and the garment? Thank you very much for the reply I was starting to think I would have to have them printed overseas


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

wilcomail said:


> So it can be done then, would I need some sort of teflon paper between the heat element and the garment? Thank you very much for the reply I was starting to think I would have to have them printed overseas


You will a barrier inside the shirt between front and back as ink will blow through otherwise. As far as between the shirt and the heating element it really depends on the paper. We use Beaver Tacky paper and it has neverpblown through to the top heating element since the day we used it. I would guess it has something to do with the tacky treatment . Some of the thinner less expensive paper will blow through to the upper platen.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

It should work, however some synthetic fabric don't take sublimation well because of different treatments applied by manufacturers. I have tested some poly-lycra before that looked fine to start with, but the next day there was migration of ink in all directions from the print. I would recommend getting an extra shirt and doing some test prints first.

Keep in mind Spandex and Lycra blends shrink a bit, which could cause ghosting. 
You may need to pre-press the rashie before applying the design and use either tacky positioning spray or tacky dye-sub paper to avoid ghosting.

Good luck with it!


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

D.Evo. said:


> It should work, however some synthetic fabric don't take sublimation well because of different treatments applied by manufacturers. I have tested some poly-lycra before that looked fine to start with, but the next day there was migration of ink in all directions from the print. I would recommend getting an extra shirt and doing some test prints first.
> 
> Keep in mind Spandex and Lycra blends shrink a bit, which could cause ghosting.
> You may need to pre-press the rashie before applying the design and use either tacky positioning spray or tacky dye-sub paper to avoid ghosting.
> ...


Thank you both very much I really appreciate the help, I ordered some samples just to do testing now i just need to get the art work printed to transfer sheets.


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Vapor Apparel sells these type of shirts - a more relaxed fit but they print well.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

Riderz Ready said:


> Vapor Apparel sells these type of shirts - a more relaxed fit but they print well.


The ones im getting are tight compression fit like the under armor stuff.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

So where can I get the transfers made with the sublimation ink? Does transfer express do it?


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

Riderz Ready said:


> Vapor Apparel sells these type of shirts - a more relaxed fit but they print well.


 Vapor Defender is a compression shirt - skin tight with 7% Lycra.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

wilcomail said:


> So where can I get the transfers made with the sublimation ink? Does transfer express do it?



You may want to post this question in service request section - I'm sure there are a few people who could help you out.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

D.Evo. said:


> Vapor Defender is a compression shirt - skin tight with 7% Lycra.


Oh thats sounds nice but the ones Im getting has custom color combos like the one for my dojo will be black and red. Does Vapor do that as well? like the one in this image


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

You can't sublimate on black and only very dark prints will stand out on red. 
DYe sublimation DYES the design into the fabric - dark colours can not be dyed into anyother colour.

When you see sublimated shirts with dark background - they actually started as white panels that were printed before garment assembly.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

D.Evo. said:


> You can't sublimate on black and only very dark prints will stand out on red.
> DYe sublimation DYES the design into the fabric - dark colours can not be dyed into anyother colour.
> 
> When you see sublimated shirts with dark background - they actually started as white panels that were printed before garment assembly.


So the printing on this would need to be something other than sublimation. Ok thank you very much for the info.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

So something like these are plastisol?


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## Riderz Ready (Sep 18, 2008)

Dye sub - cut and sew.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

These were definitely printed on white panels before assembly.

Plastisol probably not the best option for stretchy garment. For this type of fabric dye-suib is the best because the print is permanently dyed into the fabric and will never deteriorate no matter how many times the shirt is stretched and washed.

Another issue with your sample designs - printing on the sleaves and shoulders of already assembled garments will have big difficulties and limitations:
You would have to raise the printing areas not to interfere with the rest of the garment; 
When pressing onto coloured garments you are risking some discolouration in places where the image is pressed (i.e. some original colour could be "lifted" by transfer and there might be a lighter patch around the design;
Not even mentioning the fact that the more prints you do one one shirt - the higher your chances of something going wrong - ghosting, bleeding, shine...

Like Riderz said - cut and sew.


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

D.Evo. said:


> These were definitely printed on white panels before assembly.
> 
> Plastisol probably not the best option for stretchy garment. For this type of fabric dye-suib is the best because the print is permanently dyed into the fabric and will never deteriorate no matter how many times the shirt is stretched and washed.
> 
> ...


I'm really starting to love this place, you guys really know your stuff. Thank you very much all that replied. Now I'm not so confused


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## Worthy1 (Mar 1, 2012)

Hi Wil,

How did you go with working out sublimating on the rashies. Just looking for ideas on temperature, time, tips etc?

Thanks


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## wilcomail (Feb 22, 2012)

Worthy1 said:


> Hi Wil,
> 
> How did you go with working out sublimating on the rashies. Just looking for ideas on temperature, time, tips etc?
> 
> Thanks


Sorry it took me so long to answer, i actually ended up listening to the advice and i ordered them sublimated already. I ordered from a place in Pakistan and it actually worked out pretty good.


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## D.Evo. (Mar 31, 2006)

Worthy1 said:


> Hi Wil,
> 
> How did you go with working out sublimating on the rashies. Just looking for ideas on temperature, time, tips etc?
> 
> Thanks


There are different fabrics and fabric blends that rashies can be made of - nylon/Lycra, poly/Spandex, poly/Lycra, etc. You may find the % of Lycra or Spandex also differs between brands. You will need to experiment with the particular garments you are going to print.

I think, you will be safe to start with 180-190C on light pressure for about 45-50 sec. Some of these fabrics shrink - to avoid ghosting you may need to pre-shrink the garment and/or use tacky spray or tacky paper.

If I'm printing on lycra/spandex-rich garments I'm not familiar with - I usually print one (or a swatch) and put it aside for a day to make sure the print didn't start bleeding (unless I'm sure the garments are dye-sub friendly).


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