# Another word for Sublimation?



## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

Hello,

When explaining what you do (sublimation), what do you call it to the average individual who may not know what sublimation is? I am looking for that 1 word to explain it.

When you say vinyl cutting or screen printing everyone knows what that is. When you say sublimation they look at you like "what the hell are you talking about".

Thanks
Steve


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## Sacman (Jan 20, 2014)

Technically sublimation is the process of a material going from solid to gas without forming a liquid in between. For descriptive purposes, you are using heat activated dye to transfer an image from the paper to the item. The heat causes the dye to sublimate and the gas is absorbed by the item it is in contact with.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

I just tell them it's Magic....)


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Sacman said:


> Technically sublimation is the process of a material going from solid to gas without forming a liquid in between. For descriptive purposes, you are using heat activated dye to transfer an image from the paper to the item. The heat causes the dye to sublimate and the gas is absorbed by the item it is in contact with.


Technically the process we use is both sublimation and deposition (de-sublimation).

The gas will return back to a solid state (deposition).

The process just reverses as energy (heat) escapes and undergoes another "phase" change back to solid.

For whatever reason the "Powers that be" only adopted the 1st half of the process as to what to call what we are doing. LOL


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

Perfect Mike!!


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## ModernTreasures (Jul 9, 2014)

Maybe I didn't make my question clear. 

All we do is sublimation and I am trying to find another word other than sublimation to tell people what we do.

So when people ask "What do you do for a living?" I can say "________". Instead of sublimation and get the deer in the headlight look from them. 

I appreciate the answers so far and I know the process of sublimation I am just trying to find that 1 word to use. Printing, imprinting don't work, then they think I am a print shop to do their flyers for them.

Thanks
Steve


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## api (Nov 22, 2009)

We tell the customers that the shirts are *"digitally printed"* so they are NOT "screen printed". If the "deer" wants to know more, we explain that we have 2 ways of printing:


DTG - which is a water based ink printed directly on the t-shirt
Sublimation: which is a transfer, using special sublimation ink.
If the "deer" is still not satisfied, we can explain how the sublimation works, and we continue with words like "solid", "liquid phase" and "gas phase" until the "headlight look" appears on their face... 

As you see, we print poly shirts with dye-sub and DTG as well. DTG is a bit less washfest and the image is a bit less vivid but they still pretty nice, definitely sellable. Printing light colored poly shirts with DTG is way-way easier than with desktop sublimation. Sublimation is PITA comparing to DTG.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Sstraley01 said:


> Maybe I didn't make my question clear.
> 
> All we do is sublimation and I am trying to find another word other than sublimation to tell people what we do.
> 
> ...


Interesting question. how about "On demand product personalization"?

If you specializing in a narrow range of product then you could specify what products you personalize.


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

...Just thinking out loud...You do "customized specialty (pick one or make up your own)printing/embellishing/decorating".


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## tippy (May 27, 2014)

Sstraley01 said:


> "What do you do for a living?"


I make custom printed t-shirts, mugs, mousepads, nametags and a bunch of other things. Here's my business card. Check out my website and give me a call or send a message so we can talk about prices.


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## medleyom (Jan 27, 2011)

I just refer to it as "digitally printed" and/or "heat-printed"


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## Viper Graphics (Mar 28, 2009)

Sstraley01 said:


> Hello,
> 
> When explaining what you do (sublimation), what do you call it to the average individual who may not know what sublimation is? I am looking for that 1 word to explain it.
> 
> ...


Call a spade a spade....it's sublimation, just like screen printing is screen printing...you don't call that finger painting do you?
Then when they ask _"what the hell are you talking about"_ that gives you the opportunity to educate the customer on the "process" otherwise I think you simplify your work and the customers thinks that's all you do is "print out of a printer" and they think so how hard is that?...why do you charge so much for such a simple print?? 
again, I'd just call it what it is. (really I do tell them it's magic!) Call it ironic because a lot of customers thing we're magicians anyway...just wave our magic wands and the artwork appears! wave it again and it's on the shirts! Wow..how easy is that )


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## Leg cramps (Feb 9, 2009)

you are in marketing products.


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## SunState (Mar 5, 2014)

When I say "sublimation" and they get that far away look, I say:

I print my artwork on special paper, with special ink & use heat, time & pressure to vaporize it & dye the product permanently.

They usually nod in agreement & buy.


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## puw (Apr 12, 2015)

It's a little hard I think to find a synonym for such a specific word that they'll suddenly understand because the other word is more simple and in more common usage, because I don't think there is. That then requires a new perspective in searching for words they would understand easier through the image they represent. So saying something (totally off the wall) like I'm a t-shirt teacher, I teach t-shirts how to do calculus - teacher image, t-shirt image, calculus image & you're good to go lol.


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## paradepretty (Nov 22, 2013)

I've never found a way to tell people what I do for a living, so I take it as far from the technical terms as I can. I just say I do custom apparel. It's a little bit of a blow to the ego to not be able to brag about the technical aspects, but it's the easiest way to introduce myself to new people. I also wish I had a job that could be described in one word, but that's the problem with a niche. It's so ... niche-y.

I think my linked in profile says "Custom Apparel Sales and Production Manager" or something like that, if that helps. "Production manager" is something a lot of people can relate to, at least.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Exactly. I've been finding that ''Custom Apparel Printing'' is working best for us. Then you can discuss options. No matter what type of printing you do, your going to burn up much time with people asking about all types of printing. Do you do vehicle wraps, wedding invitations, flipflop? That's sales.


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