# Sublimation vs Laser Transfer vs Inkjet Transfer



## arf3420 (Mar 1, 2014)

I could really use some advice please! 

Currently my business sells screenprinted and vinyl transfer shirts, and I'm looking to add new products - mainly mugs and cotton tote bags. 


I've found an overwhelming amount of info and can't determine which fits my needs best. Dye sublimation, laser transfers or inkjet transfers?? I already have inkjet and laser jet printers, and I plan to purchase a mug press on Amazon. I also have a vinyl cutter and regular heat press.

Dye sublimation seems the most costly - the mugs themselves cost more, and I would need to buy sublimation ink for my printer. Would inkjet or laser transfers work just as well? I do want nice vibrant colors.

I know the sublimation wouldn't work on cotton totes, so which of the transfers would be best? I'd be using natural colored 100% cotton totes. Some designs will be black ink only, but I do always want to be able to make some with vibrant colors.

I'd prefer to just go with one of the transfer types, so I can use the same paper and printer for the mugs and the totes, and buy less expensive regular mugs. Unless there would be a huge advantage to sublimation over transfer??


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

You will need sublimation ink for the mugs. You will need a printer dedicated to just those inks. You can screen the bags.


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## Artistic Impress (Jun 2, 2015)

There are two ways of decorating mugs. Silk Screen and Dye sublimation. You cannot do short run mug silk screening, best to dye sub. There are a number of small table top dye sub printers on the Market. I know Conde has a good one. For one color black imprints on cotton bags vinyl and silk screen is the way to go. Uncoated "regular" mugs can only be printed via silk screen.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Printor said:


> You will need sublimation ink for the mugs. You will need a printer dedicated to just those inks. You can screen the bags.


Technically you can make mugs using OEM laser toner and hard goods paper, however, sublimation is a better practice for those.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Artistic Impress said:


> There are two ways of decorating mugs. Silk Screen and Dye sublimation. You cannot do short run mug silk screening, best to dye sub. There are a number of small table top dye sub printers on the Market. I know Conde has a good one. For one color black imprints on cotton bags vinyl and silk screen is the way to go. Uncoated "regular" mugs can only be printed via silk screen.


There are more than 2 ways to do mugs.

Mugs can also be done (short runs or one-ups) using either regular laser toner or lasers/copiers retrofitted with special ceramic toner and fired in a kiln.

There is also "pad printing", but it's not something I know much about.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Yes there are many ways to put images on mugs, I was just suggesting the best way to get a quality product with the equipment already in hand. A sharpy will also put a picture on a mug.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Printor said:


> A sharpy will also put a picture on a mug.


I actually did that once. LOL Wrote something obscene on a co-workers white coffee mug.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

A few years back, on TV, I saw a guy selling one of a kind sharpy art on foam cups at coffee shops and people were payin big bucks for them, and collecting them. he was getting kinda famous.


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## arf3420 (Mar 1, 2014)

Thanks for the help guys! I guess sublimation it is then...

And maybe I'll try laser transfers for the totes. Screenprinting won't work for me for all the one off designs, and vinyl will work for the black ones. But there are some I'd like do that almost look like handpainted watercolor graphics. I don't think there'd be any other way to get that look besides digital printing or a transfer. And I don't have the budget for a digital printer :-(


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## DaarkOne (Jan 24, 2018)

Printor said:


> You will need sublimation ink for the mugs. You will need a printer dedicated to just those inks. You can screen the bags.


Why not printable laser jet vinyl pages? You have a vinyl cutter and a laser printer. It seems to me this sublimation thing is another way to spend unnecessary money.


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