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What is sublimation? Sublimation is a process of printing a design on sublimation paper, using sublimation ink, and then using a heat press to transfer the ink to your chosen medium. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t. Basically, you buy a new printer, put special ink in it, and use special paper to print. It’s the same process as regular printing. We’ll get into the heat press stuff later.
Getting the right printer for your goals
The first step is to get a printer. Lot’s of printers will work for sublimation, but you need to do your research to figure out which one will work best for you and your goals. The key is to get an ink tank printer. I use the Epson EcoTank ET-4800. I picked this one mainly because I caught it on sale on Amazon.
I wasn’t looking to spend a lot when I got started. I was trying to make money, not spend a couple hundred dollars on stuff to collet dust. There are always sales on Amazon and you can save yourself a lot of money if you have a little patience!
You don’t have to use this printer. There are plenty of other options. My best advice is to research ink tank printers and find one that works in your price range. Then go to Amazon and search for sublimation ink for that specific printer. For example, for the printer I have, I would search “Sublimation ink for Epson EcoTank ET-4800.” That’s how I found my ink.
Another piece of advice, READ THE REVIEWS. Chances are the other customers that have bought these products were trying to do the same thing you’re trying to do now. You’ll figure out pretty quick that creative people want high quality products to make their art and they aren’t afraid to call out bad quality.
Find the right ink for your printer
This is the ink that I use for my Epson EcoTank. Pay attention to the model numbers included in the title. These are the model numbers that this ink will work with. My printer is an ET-4800 so I know it will work. All ET models are Epson Ecotank. This ink works well for my projects. I’ve used it to make t-shirts, sweatshirts, tumblers, car coasters, and hats. As a disclaimer, all the products I used were from a different brand or company.
Again, read the reviews. You want to look for good reviews and pictures of peoples creations are a good indicator too. The second most important thing is to make sure that the ink will work with your printer. The first time I ordered ink, I realized it was the wrong kind right before I put it in the printer. It would have been really bad if I hadn’t realized it. It’s possible to tank the ink back out of the printer, but it’s a way bigger pain than it’s worth. It’s better to take your time and do it right the first time.
Sublimation paper
The next step is to find sublimation paper. I use a popular brand, A-sub. There’s other brands, but this is the one that I was told to use. My best friend actually had a side hustle making sublimation items for a few years, so she was able to give me some tips and tricks.
She used second hand everything, essentially, and she made a great side income from it. I bought some of my stuff new, but she still walked me through the process. We actually learned how to use a tumbler press together. It was all trial and error over here!
So, now you’ve picked a printer, you’ve found your ink, and you know about paper. Another thing that you’re going to need is butcher paper. It’s the same white paper that they wrap meat up in at a butcher counter. You’ll use butcher paper in between your items and your heat press. This prevents the sublimation ink from staining your heat press. If the ink stains your heat press, it can transfer to other items when you press this. This will ruin your projects. Let’s avoid that.
There are plenty of options for butcher paper, but I like this big roll. I cut pieces to size based on what I’m making. This roll will last a long time. Especially for smaller projects, like hats or coasters.
That’s all you need to get started, besides products
These are your basic supplies. We’ll talk about different products later. My final piece of advice is to watch videos and do your research. Sublimation definitely has a learning curve. If one video tells you to set your heat press at a certain temperature, but your design comes out faded at that temperature, then you have to adjust. We’ll talk about cheap ways to practice later too!
Let me know if this helped or if you have questions! I’d love to help you get started.
