What materials can you sublimate on?

If you’re a crafter or a t-shirt printing business owner, you probably have your favorite methods for creating projects.

Since you like the quality and longevity that sublimation printing can give, you tend to apply it as often as you like.

As a result, you’ve probably sublimated dozens of t-shirts, tote bags, and coasters since they’re really great gifts.

But because there are only so many t-shirt designs you could do until your friends or customers start looking for something new, you want to know what other materials you can sublimate.

So can you sublimation print on anything?

Not necessarily. 

Being able to sublimate on any surface would be a dream come true, but sublimation ink can only infuse into a limited amount of materials. So if you want to find out what those mediums are, read more below.

What is sublimation printing?

Before we get to the fun part, let’s first break down what sublimation printing means.

It’s a type of transferring process that allows the ink to infuse into the fibers of your material when exposed to heat and pressure. So, as a result, it’ll give you a smooth and vivid pattern that won’t crack or fade over time.

That’s because its ink undergoes a chemical reaction that turns the solid ink into a gas without experiencing a liquid state. When the ink cools down, it turns back into solid and is permanently printed on your substrate.

Does sublimation work with all materials?

If you’ve tried sublimation printing before, then you know how impressive its prints can turn out when done correctly. So it’s not surprising if you want to explore other materials that can be compatible with the process.

So can you sublimate on anything?

If you want to get a successful sublimation project, the trick is to find a material that can absorb sublimation ink when it’s in a gas state.

That’s why polymer and polyester are the most recommended substrates for sublimation since their pores and fibers tend to open through heat exposure.

But if you feel like sticking to these materials for your sublimation projects can get restricting, there are also a few surfaces that other crafters have successfully experimented with.

What items can you sublimate on?

If you’re a sublimation beginner and don’t know where to start, get your sublimation printer, heat press, and sublimation papers ready as here are a few project ideas you can get creative with:

• Mugs
• T-shirts
• Coasters
• Tumblers
• Baby bibs
• Tote bags
• Keychains
• Dog collars
• Mousepads
• Pillowcases
• Hand towels
• Hanging ornaments

You might need a mug heat press for sublimating coffee mugs, but your home oven can also be an excellent alternative if you don’t have one.

But before you pick up any of these items, make sure their materials are compatible with sublimation ink.

If you’re not sure what surfaces will be great to sublimate on, you can follow the cheat sheet below.

What fabric can you sublimate on?

If you have a shirt printing business, sublimation can be an excellent method for providing high-quality shirts for your customers.

But since not everyone prefers polyester shirts, what other textiles would be good for sublimating?

Can you sublimate on cotton?

Using 100% cotton for sublimation wouldn’t be a good idea since the sublimation ink will have difficulty absorbing into the fibers.

Cotton may be absorbent, but natural fibers can’t undergo the same chemical reaction as synthetic fibers when sublimating.

So if you sublimate on it, the ink will fade out after one wash.

But through modern innovations, professional printers and crafters have somehow figured out ways to successfully sublimate on cotton fabrics.

One method is using a heat transfer vinyl as a medium for your sublimation ink, while another is pre-treating your shirt with a polyacrylic spray.

Can you sublimate on jersey material?

Jersey is a soft knitted fabric that initially consisted of wool but is now mostly made of cotton and synthetic materials. Because of its stretchy nature, it’s an excellent fabric for many apparels, including shirts, dresses, and jackets.

As of now, it’s hard to find concrete proof that you can sublimate on cotton jerseys successfully. But because of its knitted and stretchy fibers, the texture might make it challenging to print on.

But if you want to give it a hand, you can try using one of the methods for sublimating on cotton fabrics.

Can you sublimate on paper?

If you want to create a card or poster through sublimation, pressing on plain paper won’t give you the most excellent results. The colors will come out lighter and less vibrant than you expect, so it will just be a waste of materials.

You should try sublimating on glossy photo paper instead to get higher-quality results.

The same sublimation method applies, where you’ll need to print your design on a sublimation paper first. Then, align your sublimation paper and photo paper and place them on a heat press.

Press your design at 375°F (190°C) for 45 seconds to get the best print.

Can you sublimate on canvas?

Sublimating on canvas will give your guests something to talk about if you want to showcase your art or family photos.

Since a painter’s canvas usually consists of cotton, sublimating directly on it won’t usually show the best results.

But through a bit of experimentation, crafters have found a few workarounds to make your project successful.

If you have a stretched canvas, coating it twice with a sublimation coating spray can improve the ink transfer.

But if you prefer to use a canvas board, pressing a thermal laminating pouch over it will allow your design to come out better.

Can you sublimate on acrylic?

Since acrylic is a transparent polymer, it’s a great sublimating medium for creating various projects, including keychains and earrings.

You just need to print your design on sublimation paper and align it with your acrylic blank. Once you’ve layered on a butcher paper, press your design at 385°F (196°C) for 60 seconds.

When the time is up, submerge your acrylics in a bowl of room temperature water to slowly cool them down. This will stop the sublimation process, so make sure to let it sit for a few minutes.

When your acrylics are cool enough to touch, take them out of the water and enjoy your new project.

Can you sublimate on ceramic?

Personalized ceramic mugs have been around for years, so you probably have one or two in your cupboard through gifts from friends.

If you want to sublimate a mug, you’ll need a mug heat press or convection oven to transfer your prints successfully.

But sublimating on ceramic doesn’t only stop at mugs; you can also print your designs on tiles, plates, pots, vases, containers, and ornaments.

But when choosing a ceramic blank, you need to make sure it has a poly-coating for the ink transfer to work. So to be sure, only purchase blanks made for sublimating.

Can you sublimate on wood?

If you can’t get enough of sublimation printing, you probably want to know what other surfaces you can print on since you’ve already exhausted enough shirts and mugs.

But then you find a wooden picture frame that could use a little DIY. So you wonder, can I sublimate on wood?

Sublimating directly on wood won’t give you the finest print, but there are several methods you can apply to make the ink appear more vivid.

A coat of polyacrylic finish or sublimation coating like Subli Glaze could give your prints a matte finish.

While a layer of thermal laminating pouch or heat transfer vinyl can give your designs a glossy touch.

Can you sublimate on metal?

Metal may look like an unlikely substrate for sublimation, but the ink will transfer just fine if your blanks have a polyester coating.

You can design your own license plates, keychains, ornaments, or panels to decorate your room or give away as gifts.

Creating your own metal sublimation will follow the standard method of printing your design on a sublimation paper and heat pressing it at optimal temperature and pressure.

But if you have trouble transferring the ink to your metal substrate, you can try pressing a layer of a thermal laminating pouch before sublimating your design.

Can you sublimate on glass?

Sublimating on glass may be tricky since it is a fragile material, but if you take extra care, you can create an elegant project.

Like most materials for sublimation printing, you need to make sure the glass blank you’ll use has a polymer coating. Otherwise, the ink will look faded or won’t transfer at all.

Other than that, you’re free to design various objects like awards, signs, shot glasses, ornaments, tumblers, mugs, and candle holders.

But for cylindrical glass blanks, you’ll need to use a mug press to transfer your designs effectively.

What can you sublimate on from Dollar Tree?

Now that you know what surfaces are great for sublimation printing, it’s time to test your knowledge through a quick trip to your local Dollar Tree.

Since they have tons of trinkets and knick-knacks available, it’ll be hard not to get your creative juices flowing.

So to help you get started on what items you can experiment on, we suggest you get a few of the following:

• Socks
• Gloves
• Mittens
• Lanyards
• Baby bibs
• Notebooks
• Microfiber towels
• Disposable slippers
• Wooden ornaments
• Polyester makeup bag
• Wooden picture frames
• Cloth eyeglass holders

Just remember to stick to light-colored items that are sublimation-compatible to ensure your projects will be a success.

But if you still have trouble printing on them, you can try any of the tips mentioned above.