Selecting the Right Dye-Sublimation Paper

Bob Donahue, manager of Franklin University Mail & Print Services, shows off his in-plant's dye-sublimation equipment.

With more than 10% of in-plants using dye-sublimation printing to print garments, mugs and other specialty items, according to IPI research, it's important to understand the crucial role of dye-sublimation paper in the process.

Most dye-sublimation involves printing on a coated paper and transferring to a fabric or hard substrate. The picoliter-sized droplets that are placed on the paper tend to spread out. A proper coating on the paper controls the dot gain, allowing for clarity and fine detail in the finished product.

While uncoated paper may seem to be the cheapest method, bypassing the coating leaves one without the dot gain control of a coating and without the ability to control precisely how much ink can be absorbed and released. This will not yield the best quality final product.

A new article in the November/December SGIA Journal goes into detail on the many considerations involved in picking the right dye-sublimation paper.