Can sublimation ink be used on cotton? Well, the answer is Yes, sublimation ink can be used on cotton. Even 100% cotton can be sublimated. Now, the question arises, how can we use sublimation ink on cotton or how to sublimate cotton?
So, hold your horses and keep on reading. Because in this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the sublimation printing on cotton and your all questions, like can sublimation ink be used on cotton, will be answered as well.
The very first thing we should learn is how to sublimate to cotton t-shirts, for instance. Let’s start with the accessories needed.
Accessories Needed For Sublimation On Cotton
- Sublimation Ink and Sublimation Printer
- Sublimation Coating Spray(Liquid Form)
- Heat Press Machine
- Sublimation Paper, Heat Resisting Tape, and Heat Gloves
- Cotton Blank
Now let’s discuss how to sublimate on cotton?
Process Of Sublimating With Sublimation Ink on The Cotton
The process of sublimation on the cotton is divided into 4-5 steps, and if you follow the process step by step, you will definitely get your cotton sublimated perfectly.
Step No.1: The first step is to add the sublimation ink into the printer and print your design after adjusting the size of the image according to the shirt.
Step No.2: Once the image is printed, keep that aside, and now it’s time to make the cotton shirt sublimatable. Fill your sublimation coating spray in a spray bottle and spray around and on the area where you want to print your image on the shirt. Once the spraying is done, heat press it in the heat press to make it dry.
Step No.3: While heat pressing it, place a standard piece of paper on the shirt so that it won’t be in-direct contact with the heat press machine. Once the sublimation coating spray is dried completely, place your printed paper on the sprayed area and tape the corners.
Step No.4: After the taping, place a piece of paper between the shirt and above the printed paper. Then using a heat press machine, heat press them at 400 F, medium pressure for 130 seconds. Once it’s done, remove all the tape and paper while wearing heat-resisting gloves. And that’s all that you need in order to sublimate a cotton shirt. Your sublimation on cotton is now completed.
Some Useful Tips Based On Experience Of InkGuiding
Tip No.1: Make sure to use sublimation coating spray before sublimating on cotton.
Tip No.2: Always tape the sublimation paper while sublimating it on the shirt in a heat press machine.
Tip No.3: Use high-quality sublimation ink for the best results.
Tip No.4: Always wear the heat gloves while removing the sublimation paper and tape from the shirt after the heat press is done.
Also Read:
1. Hippo Sublimation Ink vs Cosmos Ink
2. How To Sublimation Ink Pens
FAQs
Q No.1: Can you use sublimation on cotton?
Yes, you can use sublimation on cotton. There is one additional step in it, and that is to spray a liquid called sublimation coating spray on the area of the cotton where you want to sublimation your image. That liquid makes the cotton sublimation friendly.
Q No.2: What happens if you use sublimation ink on cotton?
If you use sublimation ink on cotton directly, the result would be not good, and the ink will fade away very soon, or when you wash that cotton, it will be washed off. The right way to use sublimation ink on cotton is to spray the sublimation coating spray on the area where you want to sublimate your image, and then you can use sublimation ink on cotton.
Q No.3: What do I need for sublimation on cotton?
You just need sublimation coating spray additionally. The rest of the accessories and process is the same as sublimating on polyester. Simply use that sublimation coating liquid on the area where you want to sublimate the image to make it sublimation friendly.
Q No.4: How do I make cotton sublimation coating?
In order to make the cotton sublimation coating, you need to pretreat the area of sublimation on the cotton with sublimation coating spray and, using a heat press machine, dry that. After it gets dried, sublimate it like a normal.
Final Verdict – Can Sublimation Ink Be Used On Cotton
Sublimation ink can be used on cotton, and above I have explained the process and some experienced-based tips as well. Follow the process step by step, and you will be able to sublimate any cotton substrate such as shirt or pillow cases etc. And yes, sublimation printing can be done on 100% cotton as well. So start sublimating and start creating today.