What is Sublimation Printing? A Complete Guide for Crafters

Sublimation printing has taken the crafting world by storm. If you have seen vibrant, photo-quality designs on mugs, shirts, tumblers, and phone cases at craft markets and on Etsy, there is a good chance they were made with sublimation. This guide explains exactly what sublimation is, what equipment you need to get started, and how to use your SVG designs with it.

What is Sublimation Printing?

Sublimation is a printing process where special ink is converted from a solid into a gas using heat, and that gas bonds permanently into the fibers or coating of a material. Unlike regular printing where ink sits on top of a surface, sublimation ink becomes part of the material itself.

The result is a print that will not crack, peel, or fade with washing. The color goes into the material, not on top of it. This is why sublimation prints feel smooth to the touch and look photo-realistic, with gradients and fine details that HTV simply cannot match.

What Equipment Do You Need for Sublimation?

Getting started with sublimation requires four things:

1. Sublimation Printer

You cannot use a regular inkjet printer for sublimation. You need a printer loaded with sublimation ink. The two main paths are:

• Dedicated sublimation printers (Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 or SG1000) come ready to use. Sawgrass is the industry standard because it uses true dye-sublimation ink from the factory. These printers are more expensive upfront but produce consistent, reliable results.
• Converted Epson EcoTank printers (ET-2803, ET-2800, ET-4800) can be converted to sublimation by flushing the tanks and refilling with sublimation ink. These are much cheaper to buy, but you must start with a brand-new printer that has never had regular ink in it. Epson ET series printers are the most popular choice for beginners on a budget.

2. Sublimation Paper

Regular printer paper will not work. Sublimation paper is coated to hold the ink until heat releases it. Popular brands include A-SUB, Hiipoo, and Koala sublimation paper. For most home printers, A-SUB 125g paper is a reliable and affordable choice. Print on the bright white coated side.

3. Heat Press

A heat press applies consistent temperature and pressure to transfer the sublimation ink from the paper into the blank. Different products require different presses:

• Flat heat press (15×15 or 16×20 inch) for shirts, pillowcases, tote bags, and flat items
• Mug press for sublimating ceramic mugs and cups
• Tumbler press (or tumbler oven) for straight-sided tumblers and skinny cups
• Hat press for structured hats and caps

An EasyPress 2 from Cricut can work for shirts at small scale, but a proper heat press with consistent pressure gives better results for production use.

4. Sublimation Blanks

This is the item you are printing on. Sublimation only works on materials that are either polyester-based or coated with a special sublimation coating. The most common blanks are:

• Polyester shirts and hoodies (100% polyester, or 65% poly minimum)
• Sublimation mugs (white ceramic with polymer coating)
• Skinny tumblers and straight-wall tumblers (white, uncoated aluminum)
• Mouse pads
• Phone cases (clear or white polymer)
• Puzzles
• Keychains and ornaments
• Pillowcases (polyester)

Sublimation does NOT work on 100% cotton, dark fabrics, or uncoated wood and metal. If a blank is not labeled as sublimation-compatible, it will not produce a usable result.

How Does Sublimation Work Step by Step?

1. Create or open your design. Work in any design software. Your design should be in full color, in JPEG or PNG format for sublimation. SVG files can be used in design software and exported as PNG before printing.
2. Mirror your design. Before printing, flip your design horizontally. This is critical. If you forget to mirror, your text will print backwards on the final product.
3. Print on sublimation paper. Print on the coated side of the sublimation paper. Use the highest quality print setting available in your printer software.
4. Position the print on your blank. Place the printed design face-down on your blank. Secure it with heat-resistant tape so it does not shift during pressing.
5. Apply heat and pressure. Follow the time, temperature, and pressure settings for your specific blank. A standard polyester shirt typically presses at 385-400°F for 45-60 seconds with medium pressure.
6. Peel and reveal. Remove the paper immediately while the blank is still hot for a hot peel, or wait until it cools for a cold peel, depending on your blank type. The design is now permanently bonded into the material.

Sublimation vs HTV: What Is the Difference?

	Sublimation	HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl)
Feel on fabric	Smooth, no texture	Raised or textured layer
Color options	Full photo-quality color	Limited to cut solid colors
Works on cotton?	No (polyester only)	Yes
Works on dark shirts?	No (light/white only)	Yes
Durability	Excellent (ink in fabric)	Good (may crack over time)
Setup cost	Higher (printer needed)	Lower (Cricut + press)
Best for	Photo prints, gradients, full designs	Solid designs, text, logos

Many crafters use both methods: sublimation for all-over photo prints, and HTV for solid logos and text on cotton items.

Can You Use SVG Files for Sublimation?

Yes, but with a small extra step. SVG files are vector designs that need to be converted to a raster image (PNG or JPEG) before printing on a sublimation printer. Here is the workflow:

1. Open the SVG file in Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, or a similar program.
2. Add any background or additional colors you want.
3. Export the final design as a high-resolution PNG (300 DPI or higher).
4. Open the PNG in your printer software, mirror it, and print on sublimation paper.

SVG files are ideal for sublimation because they are vector graphics that can be scaled to any size without losing quality. A design that is 2 inches wide can be scaled to fill a full 16×20 inch shirt with perfect clarity.

Best Products to Sell with Sublimation

Sublimation products sell well because they look professional and buyers cannot easily replicate them at home. These are the highest-selling sublimation items for small businesses:

• Custom tumblers with names or team designs. Full-wrap tumbler designs are one of the top sellers at craft fairs and on Etsy.
• Photo mugs as personalized gifts for holidays and special occasions.
• Sports team shirts with player names, numbers, and team colors on polyester uniforms.
• Pet portrait items (mugs, shirts, ornaments) with the customer’s pet photo.
• Baby and family milestone blankets and pillowcases with personalized designs.
• Custom mouse pads for gamers and home office buyers.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting to mirror. Print on a scrap piece first to verify your text reads correctly before you waste a sublimation blank.
• Using the wrong blank. Check that your blank explicitly says “sublimation compatible” or lists a polyester coating. A plain white mug from a dollar store will not sublimate correctly.
• Low printer quality settings. Always print at the highest quality setting. Sublimation ink requires a dense, saturated print to transfer well.
• Wrong temperature or time. Every blank has different settings. Using shirt settings on a mug will produce a faded or incomplete transfer. Always follow the specific settings for each blank type.
• Cotton shirts. Sublimation on 100% cotton produces a faded, washed-out result. The minimum for decent sublimation on a shirt is 65% polyester content. 100% polyester gives the most vibrant results.

Getting Started: What to Buy First

If you are starting from scratch and want to test sublimation without a large investment, this is a practical beginner setup:

1. Epson EcoTank ET-2803 (buy new, never used with regular ink)
2. Hiipoo or Printers Jack sublimation ink for Epson EcoTank
3. A-SUB 125g sublimation paper
4. A 15×15 clamshell heat press for shirts
5. A small mug press for mugs
6. A starter pack of white polyester shirts and sublimation mugs

This setup lets you produce shirts, mugs, and basic flat items. Add a tumbler press later once you know sublimation is the right fit for your business.

Ready-Made SVG Designs for Sublimation Projects

You do not need to design from scratch to get started. At CraftSVGStore, our bundles include clean vector SVG files that work perfectly for sublimation projects. Scale them to any size, add your own colors and backgrounds in Canva or Inkscape, export as PNG, and they are ready to print.

Every design comes with a commercial use license, so anything you sublimate and sell is yours to keep the profit from.

Browse our SVG bundle collection and find designs ready for your next sublimation project.