Full ink release

[Jerry]

Hi all, my colors on mugs/polyester seem dull and I'm going through a lot of supplies trying for the best results.

The transfer paper looks just as vibrant after sublimation as it did before.. should the ink fully release from the paper or will there always be some left? Would this suggest too much or not enough heat?

My colors seem to be correct, just very washed out dull.

[Adrian B]

On mugs the paper should retain a washed out image after the ink has released to the mug - there is always some that will not carry over. On t' shirts the same will be true, but you will probably find that less ink will transfer to a t'shirt that it not completely 100% polyester. It is quite common to see a 70% polyester/30% Cotton mix that would give you a more washed out look. You should look at your time/heat settings.

I advise using a couple of white dyesub t'shirts and try a small design about 2-3 inches square. Try different times/temps until you get really good results - always cover any existing test spots with a teflon sheet to prevent the upper or lower plattens from getting covered in contaminated ink which then transfers to everything that you try to print.