What exactly is sublimation printing?

You have the opportunity to take a look at the production process and learn more about our modern sublimation printing processes and our textiles. The advantages and possibilities of this method are near endless.

5 steps to creating your sublimated printed shirt!

Materials selection

In order to print your customised design onto the shirt fabric you have selected, the first step is to have a lot of different materials available for printing on them. All our different fabrics are delivered from our reliable suppliers, with who we have long-standing partnerships. The materials are then prepared by us depending on your needs.

You want to know more about our fabrics? Take a look at our textiles!

Cutting

The fabrics are then cut depending on the number and forms of your ordered items and then create the patterns for T-shirts, polos, jerseys, singlets, vests, tops, shirts or sweaters.

Printing & Pressing

Now your design finally comes into the picture! Before your design will be sublimated into the fabric, it needs to be printed onto a special paper back-to-front. Then it is sublimated from the paper on the fabric using our large press. The colour evaporates thereby into the material. Advantages of this method are the high quality and resolution of the print at relatively low cost and an excellent colour depth.

In our video, you'll learn more about the sublimation printing process as well as its advantages!

Sewing together

In the next step we sew the printed shirt together. This is the only way to achieve an all-over, borderless printing from seam to seam without any discolorations and highlighting your individual, unique design!

Shipping

Finally, we check your entire order again to make sure that your T-shirt, jersey or singlet looks just like you have ordered it. Then your package will be shipped and arrives in the mailbox at your home. Done!

Basics and advantages of sublimation

The printing process

Where colour comes into play.

The actual sublimation is a term from thermodynamics and describes the process of immediate transition of a substance from a solid to a gaseous state. Through the pressure and temperature conditions occurring during the sublimation the material skips the liquid state, which is otherwise between these two extremes.

As you already know, your design in the production process is first transferred with special ink on a paper. They are designed to connect with the particular fabric in each case. As the ink penetrates the fibers completely by sublimation, we get a unique colour intensity and strength that is a key advantage of modern sublimation.

Textiles used for sublimation printing

Something for everyone.

Functionality is a main priority! Thanks to our state-of-the-art printing process all products offered in our online store are of polyester or functional polyester. All fibers include a very high level of comfort and are suitable for all occasions: Whether sports, leisure or work. Especially our functional polyester trumps with its 'DriCool' technology and special care facility.

The DriCool technology

Functional polyester provides excellent heat and moisture transport, thereby helping to actively regulate the body temperature. The high water permeability of the fabric makes it possible to transport the resulting body moisture away from the body to the fabric on the outside and release it there. This leaves the skin pleasantly dry and your shirt not sticking to the body. At the same time the air passes the tissue from the outside and generates a cool feeling to the skin surface.

Easy care

The fibres we use are not only easy to clean and can be washed at up to 40 °C in the washing machine, they also lose neither shape nor will they ever become wrinkled. However, you should be careful with them at high heat in the tumble dryer because it can affect and slightly blur the colours of our printed textiles.

For further advantages of our textiles, see 'Why KAPINUA?' page.

You need more freedom?

We stand by your side!

Apart from the state-of-the-art sublimation print, we offer you conventional printing procedures as screen printing, foil transfer printing, flock printing or embroidery. Our textile range does not match your requirements? We are happy to assist you with all your printing projects. Send us an e-mail and let's discuss Kapinua being your preferred sublimation T shirt supplier!