Why Is My Sublimation Print Faded After Washing | Make It Long-Lasting
you may be wondering why is my sublimation print faded after washing but didn’t reach the point that why your sublimation prints get faded right away after a single wash. You’re probably a beginner who doesn’t know either fabric material type to use with sublimation or you’ve used a poor quality sublimation paper and wrongly set up the heat press temperature.
There are several reasons for faded prints and we have mentioned some of them above. And today, we’ll gonna discuss the main reasons in detail that result in sublimation faded printing and provide possible solutions for them.
Why Is My Sublimation Print Faded After Washing
Sublimation is known for its robust printing results and bright colors that are not prone to fading or cracking. But sometimes prints get faded due to the crapy paper, ink, or printer that turns into faded results. Here are the major reasons why sublimation printing faded after washing. Further, you can check how long does sublimation ink last.
Major Reasons
1. Fabric Material
There are several types of fabric materials available out there. But sublimation cannot be performed on all types of fabrics. Only polyester fabric material is suitable to print sublimation designs. The reason is the pores of polyester fabric opens-up when it is exposed to heat. The sublimation ink enters into the pores of the fabric and thus binds with the fabric permanently.
Other than polyester, cotton coated with a polymer or other fabric material is not able to open the pores when they are exposed to heat. The dyes neither go into the fabric nor become a part of it. Hence, it results in the wiping of the sublimation ink while washing. To prevent fading, always use polyester fabric for sublimation.
Might be possible that you’ve used cotton fabric or more cotton present in your polyester fabric that resulted in fading sublimation prints. Even though 60% present of the polyester also leads to fade results after a single wash.
2. Poor Quality Sublimation Paper
A sublimation paper plays an essential role in transferring the designs from the paper onto the substrate. The low-quality sublimation paper will transfer poor printing results. More precisely, the quality of poly-coating on the sublimation paper is the most crucial to get high-quality results.
In addition, choose the best sublimation paper according to the humidity in your surroundings. Calculate the average humidity and choose the sublimation paper accordingly. The best ratio for sublimation will be probably 40 to 50% humidity. Higher humidity will moisten the sublimation paper hence you’ll get faded results. If your surrounding has higher humidity more than 60% then you should use the de-humidifier.
3. Low-Quality Sublimation Inks
The best quality sublimation ink will be able to produce vivid and vibrant colors. What if you choose a low-quality sublimation ink that is not anti-UV and after printing, your prints start getting faded? So always choose the high-quality sublimation ink made with high-quality material that will be able to produce perfect results. The more quality of sublimation ink the more robust prints you’ll produce.
4. Washing With Chemical Detergents
Sublimation prints will no longer be durable against chemical detergents that contain bleach. However, if you want to ensure that sublimation prints will last long then avoid washing the t-shirts with detergents that contain bleach or any other harmful chemical.
5. Choosing The Right Sublimation Printer
If the sublimation printer is not manufactured to use with t-shirt sublimation printing, then it will cause a mess with your apparel. However, only t-shirt sublimation printers are intended to use with sublimation printers. Additionally, configuring the proper setting of the printer is also essential when it comes to printing high-quality prints. You can also get the best cheap sublimation printer.
6. Not Applying The Appropriate Heat Press Temperature
Heat press temperature and time also play a critical role in getting the prints to fade. You need to set the appropriate heat pressure and time according to the substrate material and sublimation paper. For more guidance on time and temperature, you can check how to sublimate a shirt.
7. Ultra Violet Sun Rays
Exposing the sublimation printed fabric to direct sunlight will result in faded printing if the sublimation ink is not used of high quality. The UV rays will likely fade the t-shirts if you’re drying them in direct sunlight every day. So it is suggested to dry the clothes in the shade of sunlight. This will reduce the chances of fading away the printing.
How To Make Sublimation Last Longer
Sublimation printing’s durability depends upon several factors including high-quality sublimation printer, sublimation ink, and sublimation paper. Make sure to use high-quality pieces of equipment along with the right type of settings according to the substrate material. Also, avoid washing with chemical detergents and drying them in direct sunlight. You can check how to make sublimation brighter.
Conclusion
Now above-mentioned ways are the right ways to prevent the fading results. It is always frustrating that you’ve got your own image on the t-shirt and it got faded. The fading results depend upon the above-mentioned points. Therefore, if you want the ideal results with sublimation then apply the care instruction that we have discussed.