Do You Need Special Ink For Sublimation? This is the question every new enterer asks when they start doing sublimation printing. And there are many answers available on the internet to this particular question. Some of them are right and some are wrong. In today’s article, I will be explaining technically and chemically why you need special ink for sublimation.
But before that, “Yes, you need special ink for sublimation. Because regular ink can not be used in place of sublimation ink. Sublimation ink has a special feature and is chemically composed in such a way that when it’s heated, it becomes gaseous and once it gets cooled down it gets infused in the substrate such as a t-shirt.”
Click here to learn more about Difference Between The Sublimation ink and Regular Ink
Make sure to read the above ‘mentioned’ article. Once your concept is clear about the sublimation ink and regular ink, it’s time to discuss why sublimation ink can not be replaced by regular ink?
There are some major elements that sublimation(process) requires and that can be done only via sublimation ink because it is made for the process of sublimation printing.
- During sublimation printing ink needs to be converted into gas and again to a solid-state once cooled down. The ability to change the state(via heating) is found only in sublimation ink and not in a regular one.
- After the printing and sublimation, sublimation ink gets infused within the substrate, and then it makes the print waterproof and you won’t feel any layer on the substrate as well because the ink is infused within the substrate and already become a permanent part of it.
- Sublimation ink can not be peeled because it is not present as a layer on the substrate. Instead, the sublimation ink becomes the permanent part of the substrate.
- Sublimation ink is formulated for sublimation printing and it has all the abilities(chemically) that are needed for sublimation printing.
- It provides the same high-quality result with consistency and it can be used with a variety of materials.
These are some major key factors because of which the sublimation ink can not be replaced by the regular ink.
Also Read:
Can You Mix Sublimation Inks
FAQs – Do You Need Special Ink For Sublimation
Q: Can I use normal ink for sublimation?
No, you can not use normal ink for sublimation. It is not (chemically) made for the sublimation. Sublimation printing can be done only with sublimation ink.
Q: Will any inkjet printer work for sublimation?
As long as you can change the ink cartridges of the printer and the printer itself has a decent configuration that can give you high-quality prints, you can use it for sublimation.
Q: Can you use regular Epson ink for sublimation?
NO, regular ink can not be used for sublimation printing. Whether it is from Epson or any other brand. The ink must be sublimation ink in order to be used for sublimation printing.
Q: Can I print on regular paper with sublimation ink?
Yes, you can print on regular paper without sublimation ink. Regular printing doesn’t need special(sublimation)ink. So you don’t need to use sublimation ink for regular printing.
Q: Do you need special ink for sublimation paper?
Sublimation paper is specifically used for sublimation printing that requires sublimation ink. You should not use the sublimation paper for regular printing, because regular printing does not need any special accessory or process while on the other hand sublimation printing needs some special accessories that involve special processes as well.