Sawgrass sublimation printers

Thermal transfer and self-adhesive vinyls are often used to create personalized clothing or mugs. The film's sizable palette of colors and dimensions offers many possibilities. However, while in the case of thermal transfer we are mainly limited by uniform colors or the need for laborious combining of elements cut from several colors, in the case of mugs or thermoses decorated with self-adhesive foil, low resistance to temperature and detergents comes into play - so washing in a dishwasher is usually out of the question. With help comes sublimation, a method of indenting designs into textiles and polyester objects. Under the influence of high temperature, the design is fused with the surface, which gives results that are far superior in terms of durability to those created using foil.
To begin the adventure of creating using the sublimation method, you can use Infusible Ink film from the manufacturer Cricut, simply cut a design in it and press it into a polyester substrate. However, sublimation offers us the possibility to create extremely detailed and multicolored patterns, lettering and even photos fixed on textiles or mugs. For this you will need a dedicated Sawgrass printer.

Sawgrass printer models

The Sawgrass SG500 is a device that prints on A4 size. You will print with it designs ideal for mugs, small decorations for shirts or bags.

The Sawgrass SG1000 model will allow you to print patterns on A3 size, so you can make iron-on designs for clothing and textiles with a larger surface area.

Printers dedicated to sublimation from those merely adapted to this method differ in several features. First of all, the printer's nozzles, thanks to a special cleaning system, do not become clogged with thick gel inks. Cleaning is done automatically, so unlike printers only adapted to sublimation, there is no need to perform this operation manually. It is also worth mentioning that once an inkjet printer is adapted to the sublimation method, the warranty is voided, while with dedicated Sawgrass equipment you get a 24-month manufacturer's warranty and lifetime technical support.

What else will you need for sublimation?

In addition to a dedicated printer, you will also need SubliJet-UHD gel inks designed for sublimation. The set includes four primary colors - black, yellow, pink and blue, and in our store you will find two variants - 4x31ml and 4x70ml. They allow you to get high-quality prints with clear colors.
The design can be printed on photocopy paper, but this can lead to a loss of color depth of the design when transferred to the target surface. That's why a dedicated paper for the sublimation method was created, which allows you to get the best results on textiles and clothing as well as on mugs. The paper can be purchased in our store in A4 and A3 format.
To create personalized mugs, you will need polyester-coated dishes. This type of mugs are also in our offer in two capacities - 340ml and 425ml.
You can use an iron to indent the designs, but it will be much more convenient and safe to use a dedicated press. These can be, for example, Cricut presses for larger as well as smaller surfaces or for fixing patterns on mugs.

Is it worth investing in a Sawgrass printer?

The sublimation method is a great solution for those who want to create their own original designs on clothing, bags, pillowcases, aprons or mugs. However, there's no denying that getting all the necessary accessories to work with this method is a considerable expense. So it is not an option to use for personal use, but rather the basis of a small business. Does it pay off? The answer can be found in the video I prepared on this subject, concerning the decoration of mugs.