Dye sublimation printing requires high heat, around 400°F, which is suitable for specific reinforced plastics, particularly fiberglass, while excluding other materials like nylon, wood, and dark-colored fabrics. Bright or true white substrates yield the best results, and there are polymer base coatings that allow sublimation on various items such as wood and leather. The process is increasingly popular in the promotional products and graphics industries for its high-quality photographic output.

1. Dye Sublimation
Printing on Plastics

2. The dye sub print process uses
heat. Lots of heat. About 400o F of
heat, give or take a few degrees.
Heat and plastic can be a bad
combination, as plastic has a
tendency to melt at that
temperature.

3. So, there are some plastics that can
be printed, but they need to be
reinforced with fiberglass. As of
this writing, I am unaware of any
formed plastics that can be printed.
Just flat FR reinforced plastics.
They can be cut to shape, of
course.

4. I’m also going to broaden my
answer to include some
things you didn’t specifically
ask about because inquiring
minds want to know, and I
like writing about dye
sublimation printing.

5. As stated in the first
paragraph of this
article, any product
that has a polymeric
base should be
printable using dye
sublimation. This
would exclude
nylon, cotton, wool,
leather, wood, etc.
As also stated in the 2nd paragraph,
these polymeric items must also
withstand high heat, which will
exclude a lot of plastics with the
exception of reinforced plastics, such
as fiberglass reinforced plastics.

6. The last exclusion would be
anything of dark coloration, such
as pre-colored fabrics or other
viable polymeric substrates.
Bright or “true” white substrates
work best for sublimation
printing. Light colors are not
forbidden, but you will lose 15-
25% of your color gamut,
depending on the color (light tans
or grays or the like).
Having said that, I also
alluded to the fact that
there are white and/or
clear polymer base coat
products that can be
sprayed or printed onto
various substrates such
as wood, leather, glass,
and much more that will
allow you to transfer a
dye sublimated print to
one or more of these
items.

7. Items that are now being
dye sublimated after
being treated with
polymer base coatings
include snowboards,
skate boards , skis,
mugs, mousepads, glass,
leather, wood products,
metal, badges, awards
using some of the above
materials, signs,
photographic plaques,
and more.

8. There are also many
printable fabrics that
can be printed using
dye sublimation
printing, but they
don’t require the
base coat spray as
they’re already
polymer-based, can
withstand high heat,
and are normally
white in color.
Sublimation printing
is also used for
microfiber style
fabrics that can wick
moisture away from
the body, and the
printing will not
inhibit moisture
wicking like all other
printing will do on
athletic or exercise
clothing products.

9. As stated
above, the
promotional
products
industry has
embraced the
high quality
photographic
processes that
dye
sublimation
affords.

10. Also, because of the photographic continuous tone
printing that dye sublimation can create on polymer based
fabrics, the graphics industry is turning more and more to
dye sublimation for trade show graphics, retail banners
and posters and other marketing related items because of
the beautiful prints created using dye sub printing.

11. Thank You
More info pls visit:
http://www.sublimationstar.com/
Company Name: Suzhou Full Color
Paper Industrial Co.,Limited
Website:www.sublimationstar.com
Email: sales@sublimationstar.com
TEL: 86-025-86628894