How Long Does Sublimation Ink Last?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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A printer’s sublimation inks have a shelf life. Leaving them in the printer too long will cause issues such as color shifting, head clogs and banding. Many people agree that you can print past the “use-by” date without any issues, but a good rule of thumb is to use the cartridges

within six months of installing

them.

How long can sublimation prints last?

A high-quality dye sublimation printer should have a lifespan of

10 years

. Q: How long with my dye sublimated item last? A: Since the sublimation process involves the inks being chemically bonded to a material, decorated items permanent and washable.

How many shirts can you make with sublimation ink?

Depending on how big the design is, the ink quality, how much squeegee pressure is applied, the number of strokes and the mesh count, you can print

from 200 to as many as 500 t-shirts

with just a gallon of printing ink.

How long does sublimation ink last on a shirt?

Best Colour Retention. Because of the way ink penetrates the polyester fibres when sublimated, colour retention of dye sublimation can easily last

up to 10 years

! And because the dye is transferred IN the fabric rather than ON the fabric, the print will never crack.

Does sublimation ink fade?


Sublimation prints easily fade in the direct exposure of sunlight

due to ultraviolet radiation. It has nothing to do with the sublimation paper and ink. The primary reason is long-term exposure to print under direct sunlight. It fades the sublimation print faster.

Can you sublimation A 50/50 shirt?


Sublimation will bond to blended shirts

, though the colors will not be as bright as with 100% polyester. With a blend, the more polyester you have, the brighter the color, so with a 50/50 you typically end up with a “washed out” or “retro” look – which can be useful.

Is sublimation better than screen printing?

If you are making many T-shirts, screen printing is a more cost-effective approach.

Dye sublimation is better for small projects of just one or two T-shirts

. The reason for this is because dye sublimation is more expensive and time-consuming. … Small orders, on the other hand, are not very practical for screen printing.

Can you sublimate twice?

FAQs – Can I sublimate a mug twice?

You can sublimate the mug any times you want

. It won’t damage the mug, but remember that the existing image will ghost when it’s reheated.

Can sublimation be done on cotton?

sublimation prints were normally used for polyester and similar synthetics, but sublimation on

cotton is possible with a special treatment before

. First option is to use a special polyester surface coating on cotton.

Can you sublimate on dark fabric?

While

it’s not possible to sublimate dark colors directly

, with a Silhouette CAMEO, Sawgrass Sublimation Printer, and white glitter HTV you can make it work! … The process to sublimate on dark t shirts is the same as the process to sublimate on cotton shirts that are other colors – including white.

Can I sublimate on any glass?

1. Can glass be sublimated? If you would have asked this question a few decades back, the answer might have been negative but

today you can sublimate almost any kind of glass

.

Can you sublimate on aluminum?

Sublimation on aluminum, hardboard, MDF, glass and fiberboard. Sublimation can be applied to various materials as long as there is only a

polyester coating

. In addition to aluminium, we also sublimate on MDF, hardboard, fiberboard and glass.

Can you sublimate on regular mugs?

If the coffee mug is glazed

ceramic you should be able to sublimation print without any coating at all

. … If the product that you want to print on is not ceramic, there are other techniques available, such as water-slide decal, ink transfer and many more.

What happens if you sublimate on 100% cotton?

This is why true sublimation bonding results in dye will not crack, peel or fade when laundered. In the case of products that allow cotton sublimation,

the resulting image will be on the surface instead of in the surface

, and may crack, peel or fade over time.

Can sublimation be done on 100% cotton?

sublimation prints were normally used for polyester and similar synthetics, but sublimation on

cotton is possible with a special treatment before

. First option is to use a special polyester surface coating on cotton.

Can you sublimate 60% cotton 40% polyester?

It’s not

just polyester

but certain other man made fibres that sublimation will take to…… as long as it can withstand the heat. I have used 60/40 poly regularly and it works fine, as for 40% getting washed out I can say it has never happened. You must have a decent tight knit on the material.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.