Sublimation Plates

[derek]

Hi

I have a query with regards to Sublimation on plates.
Does anyone know if once a plate has been printed with Sublimation inks, whether they are then safe to use as dinner plates, or if the inks are likely to lift off, as I would not like someone to end up with a mouthful of ink LOL.
But seriously this could be a health issue.
Has anyone ever had any problems or am I quite safe doing this?

Thank you to everyones help

Derek

[JSR]

If the plates you buy are Orca-coated, then they can be washed in a dishwasher. If they're not Orca-coated, then you wouldn't want to even wash them by hand. If only for that reason, plates are really just for display purposes.

Even if you buy Orca-coated plates, it's still not wise to eat off them. If you're hacking away at your dinner with your knife and stabbing away with your fork, there's the risk that the coating (including print) will be damaged at some stage. You certainly wouldn't want a mouthful of coating to go down with your chips.

I always state that plates are for display purposes only. But I do occasionally use rejected small ones as sandwich plates, when it's not required to attack the food with knives and forks.

[derek]

Hi JSR

Thank you for quick response and help in this matter. You have answered my exact concerns with this, as I have been asked if I would be able to produce a dinner set with a certain design on it. I guess the answer has to be not for use as a dining set only for decoration :frown:

Derek

[bms]

If the plates you buy are Orca-coated, then they can be washed in a dishwasher. If they're not Orca-coated, then you wouldn't want to even wash them by hand. If only for that reason, plates are really just for display purposes.

Even if you buy Orca-coated plates, it's still not wise to eat off them. If you're hacking away at your dinner with your knife and stabbing away with your fork, there's the risk that the coating (including print) will be damaged at some stage. You certainly wouldn't want a mouthful of coating to go down with your chips.

I always state that plates are for display purposes only. But I do occasionally use rejected small ones as sandwich plates, when it's not required to attack the food with knives and forks.

There is an option now as the new polymer 8" plates are arriving with us next week. These ARE NOT coated so there is nothing to come off, the image CANNOT flake or peal as you sublimate directly into the plate itself. The downside is the material - it is a polymer (a hard white plastic material) rather than ceramic.

[JSR]

There is an option now as the new polymer 8" plates are arriving with us next week. These ARE NOT coated so there is nothing to come off, the image CANNOT flake or peal as you sublimate directly into the plate itself. The downside is the material - it is a polymer (a hard white plastic material) rather than ceramic.

I'm sure they'll sell well ... as soon as we can convince everyone to use plastic plates. I haven't used a plastic plate since I was in short trousers, and I'd have a tough enough time convincing myself to use one, never mind convincing a customer.

Given how little support there is from suppliers for ceramic plates, I foresee polymer plates being withdrawn for reasons of "lack of interest" just like the ceramic ones were. If we have the facility to do polymer plates, we have the facility to do ceramic and china ones, yet the only non-plastic plates available are the grotty looking white ones either with or without gold rings. We've never had decent plates in this country, which means no one buys them, which means suppliers feel there's no interest and so don't sell any better ones. It's the ultimate catch-22.

I see no reason to believe that there will be this sudden huge interest in plates just because plastic ones become available.

[mgibbs]

Plastic plates are good for the camping & bbq market but would have to be a good price.

Mark

[Paul]

Plastic plates are good for the camping & bbq market but would have to be a good price.

Mark

when I do bbq in my place I buy cheapest paper plates for couple of quid for 20 of them
so you need to hit posh market for those plate to be used on bbq's I will buy them and print them as a normal display gifts...

[JSR]

when I do bbq in my place I buy cheapest paper plates for couple of quid for 20 of them
so you need to hit posh market for those plate to be used on bbq's I will buy them and print them as a normal display gifts...

Same here. We either use paper plates or paper napkins (kitchen towels) - in fact *anything* that doesn't need washing up afterwards! :biggrin:

[Paul]

:redface: same reason here I just did not mentioned it as dont want to hear "another lazy pole". also £2 for plates is cheaper then run dishwasher

[mgibbs]

Do you not have wives?

Hat..coat..door.....:biggrin:

Mark