Sublimating Tees and Polo shirts

[twinsgran]

I bought some 65% polyester shirts in a variety of colours to sublimate but after trying 2 it isn't as good as I'd hoped. They looked very "washed out". So, I will try and source some good 100% polyester ones, but I do have a question for you. Is it possible to sublimate on any colour as long as it's 100%? Can I expect a good finish?

[Justin]

You can only sublimate onto white and light pastel colours with a high polyester content. That said, there are certain specific colours that will show on darker shirts through sublimation, Sawgrass showed some of these at the UK Fespa show but I never heard any more about them.

[twinsgran]

The ones I sublimated with the 65% content were a light blue with navy text. Not bad but could be better. Then I did a red shirt with black text, very pale finish. It doesn't help that the thermostat on my press is on the blink, so I can't guarantee the correct heat. Next major purchase is a new press.

[Justin]

Laser temp. gun would help you there but any excuse to get a shiny new press is always good :-0

[JustBeGood]

What heat press do you have ?

[twinsgran]

Nothing special. I got it from ebay from a company called Signzworld a couple of years ago. It's one of those with a mug press attachment. Funnily enough, the temperature stays fairly steady when we use the mug press but when using the main press the temperature will go up much higher than we set it to go, then it drops down very quickly.

[pisquee]

With sublimation you are dying the fabric. You can't dye something to be a lighter colour, you are not covering up the underlying colours, just adding dye, so anything you print onto a coloured fabric will be majorly effected by the fabric colour.
Sublimation inks will only dye polyester fabric, so a 65% poly shirt, will only dye the 65% of fibres which are poly - this is why you colours are washed out.

[twinsgran]

Thanks. Great explanation.

[soulclaimed]

Gildan have some well priced polyester shirts comfortable too the white ones are pretty see through though but the rint comes out great