Producing Mugs choice between Sublimation or Digital colour laser

[Hillman]

I am looking at producing mugs and then moving onto T shirts, 100% cotton.

What produces the best images on mugs? Sublimation printing or Images produced with a Laser printer.

I want to avoid buying twice, as I want to move onto producing images on 100% cotton T shirts would it be better for me to buy a laser set up from the start?

[logobear]

we started with laser, but moved to sub, and imho sub is MUCH better, more reliable, more mug choices, better wash, better colours, faster, etc etc etc

[Hillman]

Thanks logo bear, sub it is.

[ArferMo]

Floods of tears from TMT I expect.

[AlanD]

I've tried sub and laser, sub is significantly better

[logobear]

ArferMo, - Magic touch sell both, you can do either on most presses, using their cpm laser product, maybe combined with the white printer, but imho sub it better for most cases.
P

[AlanD]

I wouldn't even contemplate doing mugs with any process other than sublimation, not so clear cut for garment printing as you are restricted to high polyester content garments and best suited to white or light coloured garments. The new generation of laser printers with white and a new selection of papers opens up some interesting prospects though

[ISub-Sarah]

Sublimation is definitely the way to go when printing mugs, you get much better durability and the colours are vibrant and don't fade.

[AlanD]

Sublimation is definitely the way to go when printing mugs, you get much better durability and the colours are vibrant and don't fade.

Just a side note, durability will be down to the mug coating. Some suppliers are confident enough to give a number of dishwasher cycles and some just say dishwasher safe which to my mind doesn't give as much confidence as having an independent test result. It is a great pity that there isn't a standard test or that suppliers cannot get together and have their product independently tested. A bench mark/recognised standard is good for users.

[James990]

And some say that they are dishwasher safe, when they are not!