Sublimation Paper

Sublimation paper isn't just heavier stock — it carries a special release coating that stops the ink from soaking into the paper the way ordinary printer paper would. A dedicated sublimation printer lays a mirrored image onto that coated surface, and the coating holds the dye at the top layer so it's ready to let go entirely under heat rather than staying trapped in the paper fibers. Typical sheet weight runs around 100gsm, light enough to conform to fabric under a heat press without wrinkling.

That setup is what makes sublimation a two-step process rather than a single pass like DTG. A shop can print a stack of transfers ahead of time — nested onto one large sheet the way a gang sheet packs multiple DTF designs together — then press each one to a garment only when an order actually comes in. The paper does the printing step once; the press does the transfer step whenever it's needed.

Because the coating is engineered around a specific ink chemistry, paper made for sublimation dye won't perform correctly with pigment or dye-based inkjet inks meant for other processes, and it has to be stored flat and away from humidity or it curls and jams the printer. Pros check paper and ink are matched to the same system before running a job, not just compatible printer models.

A misconception we hear constantly is that a transfer sheet can be pressed a second time if the first pass looked light. In reality, sublimation paper releases the bulk of its dye on that first hot press; a second press mostly recycles what little is left and comes out visibly faded, not fixed.