What Material Works Best for Dye Sublimation?
Creating a design for a fabric begins with a graphic artist creating a pattern file for printing a repeat for a short or long production. Each color or design element is created and placed into a file for production. The scale size and colors can be adjusted to meet the customers' concepts.
Once the file or artwork is approved, a sample of the design can be printed onto the transfer paper and the fabric texture can be selected for the project. The best option for the fabric is a 100% polyester material.
Once the transfer paper has been printed, it is placed on a heated roller and aligned with the polyester fabric. The paper and the fabric are advanced onto the heated roller and the pressure combined with the heat causes the ink to evaporate and diffuses into the polyester fibers before it has a chance to melt. The heat opens the pores of the polyester materials, allowing the ink vapors to be captured inside the fabric when the material is removed from the heated roller. The inks return to a solid state, trapped inside of the polyester fibers. In this process, the fabric has been permanently “dyed” with a full color and high-resolution graphic design.
100% polyester fabrics are key to the success for the final production for the durability and wash cycles within the fabrics. Be sure and confirm with your vendor that your fabric products meet National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 701 standards.
Polyester’s History
Polyester was discovered by a group of British chemists working at the Calico Printer’s Association of Manchester, England. They were interested in the work of W.H. Carothers, the chemist who discovered nylon, the first synthetic fiber. Stemming off Carothers’ research, the British chemists patented the first polyester in 1941 under the name Terylene. Soon after in America, DuPont purchased the rights to Terylene and began manufacturing its own version of polyester, which debuted in 1951 under the name Dacron.
Polyester is made from acids and alcohols that are derived from petroleum. The fiber’s name comes from its makeup of many (poly) common organic compounds (esters). Polyester can also be derived from recycled materials. The specific processes for creating polyester are not known, as companies keep them secret to remain competitive. There are many different forms of polyester specific to its end use. A version referred to as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the most common.
Why Polyester is Great
Strong and durable
Good abrasion resistance
Stands up well to sunlight
Resistant to mildew
Resistant to most chemicals
Water-resistant
Resistant to shrinking and stretching
Doesn’t wrinkle
Retains heat-set pleats and creases
Easy to clean