Typically, the sublimation process is only suitable for polyester fabrics. It does not work on 100% cotton! Because sublimation printing is the process of transferring designs to different garment materials using special sublimation printers and sublimation inks. Sublimation on clothing has traditionally been limited to white or light 100% polyester fabrics.
How does dye sublimation work?
To know the reasons, you must know how does the sublimation paper work. Please see belows:To sublimate means to change form. In the dye sublimation process, you are taking a sublimation ink, and with a heat press and sublimation paper turning it into a gas that then will last the life of your shirt because it locks into the polyester fibers.
   Here’s the problem, though: you can’t sublimate onto natural fibers like cotton. What’s more, the best transfers are onto light colors, not onto orange or black. But did you know there are some products that allow you to sublimate colored or cotton clothing? you know I’ll find it. And that’s exactly what I did!
The 1st solution to sublimate on cotton
   The first thing that is asked when a person learns about sublimation is how to sublimate on cotton shirts. Let’s face it the look and find the solutions.
   So VISION sublimation paper factory has created the new product – OBM sublitextile, it can be used with the sublimation paper to any fabric, and for obm sublitextile, we have 6 types: tatami, elastic, long velvet,short velvet, stain pearlescent and rough pearlescent. Six types can get different transfer effect, so i believe it can meet your needs.
OBM Sublitextile on Light Cotton Fabric
  What is OBM Sublitextile and How to use it? I think this post will help you learn more about our product. The OBM sublitextile is a fabric of sublimation coating polyester.It was developed especially for light or dark polyester and cotton fabrics.
And just do as below steps, then you will get best results:
1. Print image on Sublimation Paper in mirror mode.
2. Cut out the outline of OBM sublitextile (can be with scissors or cutting plotter)
3.Set the temperature and time
temperature:180℃ ,time:40s
4.Tear off the backing paper from the OBM and place it on the fabric to be transferred.
5. Place the printed subliamtion paper on the OBM with the image facing down.
6.Press down the heat transfer machine to complete the transfer.
Please watch this video about How To Sublimate On 100% Cotton Tshirt Using OBM Sublitextile?
The 2nd solution to sublimate on cotton
At the end of last year, our company’s technical team developed a new product for the market after many tests – Sublimation HTV vinyl.
Sublimation HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) is a type of vinyl that is used in the process of sublimation printing on fabrics. Sublimation HTV vinyl is specifically designed to work with sublimation printing and is applied using a heat press. It is a thin, flexible,clear color vinyl. It is commonly used to create custom designs on t-shirts, hats, bags, and other fabric items.Sheets and rolls for you to choose from.
The sublimation vinyl for light color fabric perfectly solves the problem that the sublimation paper cannot transfer light-colored pure cotton fabrics. This sublimation printable vinyl can not only be applied to polyester, blended fabrics, but also to 100% Light-colored cotton fabric.The transferred color is Vivid & Bright, long lasting and washing resistance.Sublimation ink is not easy to fade and has stronger durability.
Sublimation HTV vinyl
When using sublimation HTV vinyl, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for temperature, pressure, and time to ensure that the design transfers correctly onto the fabric. The vinyl should also be applied to a clean and dry fabric surface, and any wrinkles or creases in the fabric should be smoothed out before applying the vinyl.
After learning about sublimation HTV vinyl, you may wonder How to sublimate on cotton with htv? so the previous blog has introduced the steps to use this sublimation vinyl product. Of course, if you want to learn how to use it quickly and intuitively through the video.
Please watch VISION video on How to use sublimation HTV vinyl on cotton fabric?
Some customers may encounter some problems of transfer pattern failure due to improper operation during the use of our sublimation vinyl. We have shared a post of 6 Tips: Using VISION Sublimation vinyl on light cotton, Hope to bring you more help.
Can I wash a shirt immediately after sublimation?
If you have just completed a sublimation process on a shirt, it is generally not recommended to wash it right away. It is best to wait for at least 24 hours after the sublimation process before washing the shirt. This will allow the dye to fully set into the fabric and ensure that the colors remain vibrant and do not bleed or fade.
Additionally, when washing a sublimated shirt, it is recommended to use a mild detergent and to wash it on a gentle cycle with cold water. Do not use bleach or fabric softeners, as these can damage the dye and cause it to fade. Hang the shirt to dry or use a low-heat dryer setting to avoid any further damage to the sublimated design.
   So Can you sublimate on cotton? Now,we can. And about What solutions do I use to sublimate on cotton? Now I propose two solutions for you to choose, If you are interested in the above products or still have some questons, please let us know, free samples and more information will be send at once, thanks a lot. Looking forward to your inruiry!
