Sublimation printing is making clothes making better by using less energy and backing green ways. This way puts designs right into polyester cloths using heat and force, making bright, strong prints that use less power than old ways. Here’s why sublimation printing is great:
- Less Energy Used: Needs less heat and fewer steps than old ways like screen printing.
- Easy Steps: Drops many steps that use lots of energy like drying and washing.
- Fast Tools: New heat presses warm up quick and use less power.
- Green Stuff: Uses water inks and helps use polyester again, cutting trash and bad air.
Sublimation not only cuts power use but also meets the rising want for green, long-term sport gear. As more and more clothes are made, using less power ways like sublimation will be key to lower harm to nature and costs of making.
Dye Sublimation vs. Digital Printing: Which is Better for Your Project?
How Sublimation Lowers Energy Use
Sublimation printing uses less energy because it needs less heat, is easy to do, and has good heat press tech.
Lower Heat Needs
Sublimation printing uses temps from 356°F to 410°F (180°C to 210°C). At this heat level, the ink changes straight from solid to gas. This right heat use makes sure the ink sticks well to polyester, making bright and lasting prints. By using just the right heat, sublimation lowers how much energy it uses, while still keeping top print quality.
Easy Print Process
Old ways like screen printing need many steps that use lots of energy, such as making color screens, washing, and drying. Sublimation cuts out many of these steps. It prints designs onto special paper and then puts them on fabric with heat and pressure. This one-step process uses less energy and makes things simpler.
Quick Heat Press Work
Heat presses in sublimation printing are made to be fast and do well, finishing each print in about 30 to 60 seconds. Their smart design like Microtec Heat Platen Insulation Covers gets them hot to 200°C (392°F) in around 15 minutes, faster than usual 20 minutes. These presses use less power and still give great print results.
Sublimation vs Other Printing Methods
##Sublimation vs Other Printing Ways
Sublimation printing is known for using less heat and being simpler than other old print ways. Let us look at how it does in saving energy and its ink tech.
Energy Use and How Well It Works
Sublimation printing uses less energy than many old ways. As SUBLICOOL says, "When put next to other print techs like screen printing, the sublimation cloth print way uses less heat, and might use less energy than other prints".
Take screen printing as an example. This way pushes ink through a net, needing many drying steps for each color. Heat transfer print also takes a lot of energy because of its steps. But, sublimation prints dry at once, cutting down on long heat times and making things faster. This not only saves power but also makes work go quicker.
The Use of Water-Based, Safe Inks
A big plus of sublimation is it uses water-based, safe inks, using less power in the process. Old screen prints often use plastisol inks needing high heat to set. Sublimation inks, however, work at low heats and blend well with polyester fibers. This makes sublimation great for making bright, sharp designs on polyester stuff like team kits, while using less energy.
Even so, screen printing still has its good points. It works on more types of stuff and can be cheaper for big jobs. Both ways have their use, but for saving energy and using eco-friendly ink, sublimation has a big lead in some uses.
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How to Save Power in Sublimation
To make sublimation work better, we need to set up our tools, timing, and materials right. For example, Wooter Apparel uses these ways to make team kits but saves power too.
Pick Low-Power Tools
Picking a good heat press can use less power. Go for ones with auto-sleep, auto-open, and auto-lock to cut down on power waste. Screens that show pressure levels also help get the right settings and avoid doing the job twice. Tools like the ColDesi Ergo Press and ColDesi C20 use less power.
In July 2025, Colman and Company put out the SG500 Sublimation Basic Kit with Heat Press for $1,425.00. This kit comes with a Sawgrass Virtuoso SG500 Printer, sublimation inks, design software, and a ColDesi C16 Heat Press with low-power features.
If you want more choices, the price for heat presses differs a lot. For instance, the HPN MPress starts at $389.95, while top models like the Stahls’ Hotronix Auto Open can go up to $2,050.00. No matter the price, these tools are made to use less energy.
Using good tools with smart work plans can save even more power.
Set Work Plans Carefully
Smart planning can also cut energy waste. By putting similar jobs together, you can save time setting up and change materials less. This way, tools keep running smooth and avoid turning on and off a lot.
Batch printing works well. It not only saves power but also lowers costs each month compared to usual setups. Also, making stuff based on real orders, not guesses, stops waste and ensures tools are only on when needed, saving power and materials.
Go for Green Materials
After fixing power use in tools and timing, using good materials adds more to your green steps.
For instance, recycled polyester (rPET), from plastic bottles, helps lower plastic waste and cut carbon smoke. Water-based inks are also good. They skip harsh chemicals and need less heat, which saves more power. Now, about 35% of printers use green inks.
Recyclable blanks like aluminum and glass are good too. They cut one-time waste and help the planet. Also, pick certified recycled polyester that meets the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), as it fits tight green rules.
Here’s a small look at green materials and their good points:
| Material Type | Environmental Help |
|---|---|
| Used Polyester | Cuts down on plastic trash |
| Water-Based Inks | Lowers bad chemicals |
| Recyclable Blanks | Reduces one-time waste |
| Approved Materials | Fits tough green rules |
Old ways of dyeing cloth can use up to 200 liters of water for each kilo of fabric, but using sublimation printing cuts out water use when transferring prints. For instance, in 2019, Epson’s SureColor SC-F9400H dye sublimation printer showed a huge drop in water use – 40,000 times less than the old ways.
Good Sides of Sublimation for Team Kits
Sublimation print has become a top pick for sports teams and clothes makers, offering a mix of low cost, long-lasting use, and good-for-earth perks – all while giving bright, high-quality looks.
Lower Costs
A big plus of sublimation is how it cuts down on how much it costs to make. By using less heat than old ways, it uses less power, which saves energy. Also, this way makes sure most ink goes onto the cloth, cutting waste. Take dye sublimation, for example, it uses just 5 ml of water-based ink to dye 1 kg of recycled polyester, way less than the 200 liters needed in old dye ways.
Durability is also a key point. Sublimated kits are made to last long. Since the ink goes deep into the cloth, it does not fade, crack, or peel – even after many washes and hard use. This quality of being long-lasting cuts the need to buy new ones often, saving cash over time and hitting sustainability goals.
Pushing Eco-friendliness in Sports Clothes
Sublimation doesn’t just cut costs – it also pushes green making, which is good for the earth and the image of sports teams. For instance, in late 2019, Epson worked with FUSH˚ to test their SureColor SC-F9400H dye sublimation printer. This test showed how the printer can make bright colors while using much less water.
Brands like Wooter Apparel, who make custom kits for sports like basketball, football, and soccer, use these green perks to attract teams that care about the earth. Their fully sublimated designs not only offer great durability and performance but also match with the teams’ green values.
The method uses safe, water-based inks, lowering the spread of bad chemicals into the earth. This is key for teams who want to keep a good public face and stress being responsible about the environment. Even the materials used, like the paper in sublimation, can be recycled, staying true to no-waste habits. With energy-saving tools, sublimation helps cut down overall carbon release, making it a smart pick for greener sports gear.
The Next Step in Making Clothes with Less Waste
The clothes-making world is now putting a lot of focus on using less energy and keeping things greener. The use of sublimation printing is leading this change, with its worth set to hit $1.8 billion by 2030, growing at a yearly pace of 10.8%. This rise shows how serious the field is about cleaner, better ways to make clothes.
Better tech in sublimation is opening new doors. AI-run printers now work faster and improve how well they print on the go, while small, quick printers are changing how work gets done. These tech wins help firms make top-notch custom team gear but use less stuff.
There’s also a big push for greener raw materials. Right now, 35% of printers use earth-friendly inks, and more makers are picking water or soy-based inks to cut down on harmful air stuff. Plus, recycled polyester is getting more popular, letting companies sell things that are better for the Earth.
"The future of sublimation is full of exciting possibilities, from technological advancements and expanding applications to a focus on sustainability and innovation. As the industry evolves, businesses and consumers alike can look forward to more personalized, eco-friendly, and cutting-edge products." – SubliGeniusPrint
Closed-loop setups are changing how we deal with trash. By using old stuff from making prints, makers can save up to 30% on costs. Many firms also want the Eco Passport ok from OEKO-TEX to show their inks are safe and clean.
Smart making is pushing these gains even more by using less power. Take Wooter Apparel, for example, they make team kits for games like basketball, football, and soccer. They now use less energy to make great, long-lasting designs that don’t harm the Earth. They make what you want, when you want it, cutting down on the trash that comes from making lots of stuff at once.
The field is also using smart tools to make both design and making better. Smart IoT gear lets them watch and change things in real time, saving power and cutting waste. This way costs less to run and is better for the Earth.
Since the cloth-making world adds 2% of the world’s emissions, moving to power-saving print methods is a big deal. Firms that bring in these techs are set to be leaders in making sport gear that meets Earth-friendly aims.
FAQs
How can shops use less power in sublimation printing?
Shops that want to use less power when they print can start with using less power heat presses and printers. These tools need less power and can be set to work only when needed, which stops energy from going to waste.
It’s also key to keep up with regular care. Fixing heat presses and ink systems keeps the tools working well and makes sure prints look great while using less stuff. For an even bigger change, think about using green tools made to use less power – this cuts down on power bills without giving up on print quality.
By using better tools with ongoing care, shops can use less power and still get great prints.