Your cart is currently empty!

Experiments in Sublimation on Fabric
—
I started working at the Makerspace at Sacramento City College in the Fall of 2022 right around the time we received a Mimaki large format sublimation printer. This machine prints directly on fabric or on sublimation paper that you then heat-press onto fabric.
I really like the sublimation printer! I’m exploring upcycling clothing and image transfer techniques using sublimation. It feels like a natural combination of my love of printmaking, technology and reuse/altered clothing. Below is an overview of my first couple months of experiments in heat pressing sublimation prints onto various fabrics and combining some other tool sand techniques.








These samples above are made with heat transfers at 380 degrees for 45 seconds on polyester fabric (bedsheets, tablecloths, and remnants).
Sublimation Prints on Fleece with Embroidery
My idea was to embroider over sublimation images. I like the results. The whale has “dive deeply” embroidered on it’s side.






These samples are made on other types of fabric



Test prints on clothing
Early tests on previously washed clothing of various fabric types. Its tricky to find an area where you can lay the print on the fabric without pressing non-fabric parts. Sometimes the heat press leaves a scorch mark or changes the color.

390º / 45 sec

390º / 45 sec



390º / 45 sec
Print stayed post wash but so did the heat press mark- it changed the gradient-ombre color (fabric is white inside)

390º / 20 sec

Comments
2 responses to “Experiments in Sublimation on Fabric”
Hello,
I’m searching for a fabric to use as a seatbelt wrap other than neoprene that’s soft and not full of chemicals or that can cause an allergic reaction. I understand that cotton doesn’t work well for my purpose but polyester does work. Based on what I read above, it doesn’t seem that you’re in agreement that polyester works either. Any suggestions? I’m really hoping to find something inexpensive and soft, yet, not with tons of chemicals. Please, let me know.
Thank you!
Sublimation printing only works on non-natural fabrics like polyester, poly fleece, neoprene… For a seat belt wrap a felted wool might work but will not take sublimation, you’d need to print on it with ink or use embroidery.
Leave a Reply