Transfers

Transfer printing differs from Sublimation in that sublimated transfers are often called a "sub-surface" rint because the fibres or the coating are impregnated with the sublimation dye whereas a traditional transfer simply prints onto the surface of the fabric or substrate.

But both the two transfer systems need a heat press to transfer the image to a substrate.

This is why a home based PC printer can sometimes print an iron-on transfer that, with a domestic electric iron, works quite well. In fact, many a fledgling tee-shirt design business has started in this way. 

This particular method of transfer production relies on specially treated paper put through a colour printer or photocopier...the output is a perfectly good transfer for low volume applications.

Although Sublimation has many significant attributes and often scores well over other transfer systems it does not always reign supreme.

Sublimation transfers have some serious difficulties on dark substrates and there experienced sublimation printers who do not get involved anymore. But here is where a special paper transfer comes into its own; because as it uses the paper as a carrier the transferred design lies on top of the substrate like a screen print. In this way, the black or dark substrate is of no consequence because it provides a spectacular background to any colour print. Therefore, there are jobs where a paper based carrier transfer produces an excellent result in pretty much the same way as a screen print...by lying on the surface of the substrate.

You pays your money and you takes your choice because sometimes it is transfer printing and sometimes it is sublimation printing but transfer printing can be adequate for corporate identity badges, advertising coasters, wall plaques, paperweights and desk name plates.

If you are buying business gifts it will be helpful if you know about digital printing, die stamping, embroidery, engraving, etching, off-set ltho, tampo (pad printing), screen printing, sublimation printing, transfer printing and weaving.