# Is it possible to sublimate on all cotton shirts?



## sfancher2000 (May 20, 2015)

What heat setting do I put the heat press on? Will it work on heather grey shirts?


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## tippy (May 27, 2014)

This question gets asked here a LOT. It seems that no one knows the definition of sublimation printing. From wikipedia - "Dye-sublimation printing is a digital printing technology using full color artwork that works with polyester and polymer-coated substrates". Note the "polyester and polymer-coated substrates" part - not cotton, polyester. 

There are MANY other ways to print on cotton. Each with their own discussion area on this forum.


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## STPG Press (Jul 6, 2015)

Some will tell you that you can sublimate cottons and such. Technically, you could poly coat/prep the shirts area to be sublimated, but that's a lot of work, not very clean, and your results will vary widely.

As stated above, dye sublimation is specifically for polyester and poly coated materials only. I have sublimated a couple of blends, but anything with less than 80% polyester and the images really start to fade. I've only been doing this for a few months, but I've tested, tested, and tested some more.


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## ben9898 (Feb 15, 2011)

The simple answer is no


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

All great responses here.


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## Dekzion (May 18, 2015)

You can get this SubliCotton Sublimation Print onto Cotton
you can use your sublimation inks on THEIR sublimation paper with your heatpress which blasts a polymer powder into the garment which accepts the subli ink.

I have used it to great success on WHITE shirts. they were being worn yesterday when I visited the e-ig store and the image still looks _GOOD_ but not as good as it would have been if they wanted to pay just a few bucks more and buy decent wicking polyester shirts off me which are actually far better quality and fit.

There is a short video on the purchase page, one/two things it does not tell you is that when you shake the powder over the page, by shaking the page, that causes some colour to be moved, the black especially can travel, but you cant see it until its pressed! whereupon you get black spots all over the place. (I used a sugar shaker in the end and covered the image with the powder then turned it straight over in the air above a tray to catch the excess )
And also, you have one shot at putting it down on the image as it is still very wet and if you move the image or slide it the image WILL be blurred.

It is not sublimation! the end result is that you have melted poly powder into the cotton taking the colour with it. the resulting hand or feel of it is of a very delicate embroidery, it is there but not a non hand proper job.

a drop down will allow you to buy a sample pack of ten sheets with the powder.

I am quite happy to use it for pocket logos if required.

Hope this helps.


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## Budgetprints (Jun 20, 2016)

i am told an innerling of thin of few microns polyster fabic is to be fused on to cotton to sublimate


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