Sublimation vs Screen Printing: What’s the Difference?

Is sublimation and screen printing the same?
The biggest difference between the two methods is that with sublimation printing the dyes are transferred into the fibers of the garments and with screen printing, the ink is transferred onto the garment. Anything that you can design digitally can be printed on a garment.
Read more on www.subhouse.co.za

Two of the most popular methods for imprinting graphics on diverse materials are sublimation and screen printing. There are considerable distinctions between the two, even though they both entail the transfer of ink onto the medium.

Ink is transferred to a substance by the sublimation process, which uses heat and pressure. Before applying the ink to the material, it is first printed on a piece of transfer paper. The ink becomes a gas as a result of the heat, and the gas subsequently seeps into the fabric’s fibers. The ink re-solidifies as the cloth cools, leaving a durable and vivid print.

On the other side, screen printing entails using a fine mesh screen as a stencil for the pattern. Then, using a squeegee, ink is applied on the screen and forced through the stencil. Because the ink sticks to the surface, the print is strong and long-lasting.

While both techniques have benefits, sublimation is frequently chosen for printing on products like clothing, mugs, and phone covers. This is due to the fact that sublimation enables prints in full color and high resolution that won’t fade or peel over time. Contrarily, screen printing is more appropriate for designs with fewer colors and larger production runs.

Both sublimation and screen printing have the potential to be lucrative small company endeavors. As opposed to screen printing, which is frequently used for clothing and other things, sublimation is popular for making personalized items such as presents and promotional products. Networking and marketing techniques like social media advertising and word-of-mouth referrals can be successful in locating print clients. However, there are still prospects for growth in promotional products and custom printing, even though the print industry has experienced a fall in several areas, particularly in traditional print media. Custom printing presents a practical answer for companies looking for distinctive ways to brand themselves.

Starting with a high-quality image or vector file is crucial when creating screen printing designs. Design tools like Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator can be used to produce this. The finalized design is then printed onto a film positive, which is utilized to make the screen printing stencil.

In conclusion, despite the fact that screen printing and sublimation may appear to be identical, they differ greatly. Both are beneficial to small enterprises and have their perks. Print firms can continue to survive in a changing market by adopting efficient marketing techniques and remaining current with industry changes.

FAQ
What is a screen printer machine?

An apparatus known as a screen printer uses a mesh screen to print ink onto a variety of materials, including t-shirts and posters. Using a film positive and a UV light source, a design is first burned onto the screen after it has been coated with a light-sensitive emulsion. The desired design is then created by applying ink to the screen and squeezing it through the mesh onto the substrate. Since it can be time-consuming and expensive to set up screens for each color used in the design, screen printing is frequently employed for larger orders and designs with fewer colors.