What is difference between sublimation paper and heat transfer vinyl?

Sublimation paper and heat transfer vinyls are all the most popular product in the printing field. One may also ask, sublimation and heat transfer vinyl, which one is best? But there is never a correct answer. But today we mainly talk about the difference between sublimation and heat transfer vinyl.

Sublimation VS heat transfer vinyl

First we want to know more about the difference between sublimation and heat transfer vinyl so that you don’t hesitate when you are stuck in a choice. It is important to understand the fundamental difference between heat transfer vinyl and sublimation paper first.

Heat transfer vinyl is a cut and pressed application. HTV material in sheet or roll form is cut using a crucit or other cutting plotter, and excess material is removed or purged to leave heat transfer on the carrier sheet. This transfer method, you only need to prepare a computer, a cutting plotter and a heat press machine and the required heat transfer vinyl is enough.And, for the type of vinyl, in addition to smooth solid colors, there are a variety of finishes, including glitter HTV, flock HTV, puff HTV, metallic HTV, and chameleon HTV, reflective htv vinyl and etc. After reverse cutting the HTV, then use an iron or a heat press to transfer the vinyl to the fabric, and the biggest advantage of the vinyl is that HTV can be applied to a wide variety of fabrics and garments including cotton, polyester, satin, felt, leather, canvas and spandex. There is no limitation on the color of the surface.

glitter-heat -transfer-vinyl

Sublimation is a printing and pressing application. To sublime, you can mirror the printed design on sublimation paper and use sublimation ink on a sublimation printer. Then sublimation transfer material is pressed at high temperature onto the blank to be sublimated using a heat press machine. Heat and pressure convert the sublimation ink into a gas, and the entire image is injected into the surface in a single print, intervening into the layer so that it can be successfully transferred.

Sublimation paper, there are three kinds of: fast dry , instant dry and sticky sublimation paper. Different fabrics and different markets have different requirements, but sublimation paper can only be used for light-colored non-cotton fabrics.This is the biggest disadvantage.However,if you want to sublimate on dark-colored fabrics,you can try our OBM sublitextile product.It helps you achieve sublimation paper for dark shirts.

sticky sublimation paper on swimsuit

In summary, here are the following differences:

1. Heat transfer vinyl is suitable for all fabrics, but sublimation paper is only suitable for light colored non-cotton fabrics.

2. There are many types of heat transfer vinyl, which can achieve different design requirements. Sublimation paper, what the printing pattern looks like, will transfer what it looks like.

3.The heat transfer vinyl must be cut with a lettering machine, but sublimation paper is not necessarily required.

Even you need sublimation paper or heat transfer vinyl, we all have it, if you are interested in it, please contact us directly, thank you so much.