Best Sublimation Paper & HTV For Epson & Inkjet Printers
When looking for the best sublimation paper for heat transfer, you must consider what exactly you are sublimating. Whether it’s fabric, acrylic, cardstock, or any other material – choosing the right sublimation paper depends on it.
Furthermore, it is necessary to acknowledge whether your fabric is white or light colored or dark or black. Whether it’s polyester, cotton, or a blend. There are many critical aspects to uphold when selecting the sublimation paper.
Sounds confusing? Don’t be – Read on to find out about the variations in the sublimation papers, their compatibility with printers, the desired results, and the factors that should be considered.
Key Takeaways
- A transfer rate of more than or equal to 98% is destined to give excellent results. Anything lesser than this can compromise the vibrancy of colors.
- Always start sublimating with a standard sublimation paper weight (120g) and go above or beyond later, depending on your analysis.
- Use Sublimation paper for light-colored fabric and other bases and Heat Transfer Vinyl for dark or black fabric.
- Heat Transfer Vinyl can be used for sublimating on pure cotton T-shirts
Bird’s Eye View
| Sublimation Paper Brand | Sublimation Paper Weight Available (gms) | Printer compatibility | Sizes of Sublimation Paper (Smallest (Min) – Largest (Max)) |
| A-SUB Sublimation Paper | 105, 120, 125 | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.5” X 11” Max – 13” X 19” |
| HTVRONT Sublimation Paper | 105, 120, 125 | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.5” X 11” Max – 13” X 19” |
| Printers Jack Sublimation Paper | 105, 120, 125 | Epson, Sawgrass, Ricoh | Min – 8.27 x 11.69 in (A4) Max – 13” X 19” |
| Koala Sublimation Paper | 105, 120, 123 | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.5” X 11″ Max – 13” X 19” |
| Hiipoo Sublimation Paper | 105, 120 | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.5” X 11″ Max – 13” X 19” |
| Siser EasySubli HTV | – | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.4” X 11″ Max – 11” X 16.5” |
| TransOurDream Glitter Sublimation Paper | – | Any Inkjet Sublimation Printer | Min – 8.5” X 11″ Max – 11” X 17” |
Best Sublimation Papers For Light-Colored Fabrics
1. A-SUB Sublimation Paper
A-SUB sublimation paper will allow you to create high-quality sublimation prints on various products. These sheets have a coating of ultra-smooth polyester with a high degree of transparency and warm white base color.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
A-Sub is available in different sizes, catering to all sorts of designs and items you want to sublimate on. It is considered one of the top sublimation papers because of its high-quality results. It is guaranteed to provide a 98% transfer of colors to the fabric or the item you want to sublimate, giving you vibrant and eye-catching colors.
It is also available in weights ranging from 105g to 125g. This variation lets you choose the thickness of the paper according to the material you will be sublimating on. For example, if you are using A-Sub sublimation paper for metal plates and ceramic tiles, the thickest one will be the best.
Can Be Used For
When using A-Sub for fabrics, the recommendation is to use a material that is around 70% or more polyester. The fabric can be white or light colored, but it is not recommended for sublimating on more than 30% cotton fabric or dark colors.
A-Sub sublimation paper lets you create infinite projects where only your imagination is the limit. It is the best sublimation paper for tumblers, phone cases, metal plates, and premium ceramic tiles.
They can even be used for sublimation on acrylic or sublimating on cardstock; the only limitation is your creativity and ideas.
Printer Compatibility
A-Sub sublimation paper is highly versatile and compatible with all inkjet printers with CISS (Continuous Ink Supply System) or refillable cartridges.
Epson, Hp, Ricoh, Sawgrass, Canon, and other printers show high compatibility with A-Sub sublimation paper.
2. HTVRONT Sublimation Paper
HTVRONT Sublimation Paper sheets are made of a high-quality polyester film base coated with the acrylic thermal transfer layer. The paper base features a superior ink absorption ability, which is perfect for all sublimation work.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
HTVRONT sublimation transfer paper is specifically designed and developed to meet the requirements of modern-day sublimation activities. It has an almost 98% transfer rate which is ultra-high and guarantees clear and bright colors; along with incredible printing details, this paper gives you vivid prints every single time. This also provides a longer life for heat presses.
Can Be Used For
HTVRONT Sublimation Paper is the best dye sublimation transfer paper. Its use has absolutely no limitations, from pillowcases, canvas bags, ceramic mugs, and phone cases to puzzles, metal plates, acrylic keychains, and so on.
Even sublimating creative designs on T-shirts turns out remarkable with HTVRONT sublimation paper. The only thing that must be considered is that the T-shirt fabric has to be 70% Polyester at least. White and light-colored T-shirts must be used as sublimation will not occur on the dark-colored fabric.
Printer Compatibility
HTVRONT sublimation paper is known for being the best sublimation paper for Inkjet printers, specifically those with refillable cartridges and CISS.
Epson, Hp, Ricoh, Sawgrass, Canon, and other printers show high compatibility with HTVRONT sublimation paper.
3. Printers Jack Sublimation Paper
If you’re looking for high-quality sublimation paper for your printer, you’ll want to check out Printers Jack. They offer a wide selection of papers specifically designed for use with sublimation printers, so you can be sure you’re getting a product that will work well with your specific printer model. In addition, their papers are available in various sizes and quantities so that you can find the perfect one to fulfill your needs.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
Printers Jack sublimation paper is manufactured with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. It is designed to work with your sublimation inkjet printer to create vibrant, lasting designs. This paper has the ability to provide brilliant colors and crisp image details.
Can Be Used For
Printers Jack Sublimation Paper is an excellent material for all sublimation printing projects. Your light-colored fabric, which is polyester with ⫹ 30% cotton, is ideal for sublimating vibrant designs. Create exclusive patterns, pictures, portraits, and more on your computer and instantly transfer them onto your projects.
This sublimation paper works best for other sublimation blanks such as cardstock, mugs, tumblers, phone cases, etc. the only requirement is a polymer coating on the surface of the material you want to sublimate.
Printer Compatibility
This inkjet sublimation paper is specifically designed to be compatible with Epson, Ricoh, and Sawgrass inkjet printers – hence it is one of the best sublimation papers for Sawgrass. But if you’re using an HP or Canon, please double-check that your printer has a piezoelectric printhead before making your purchase.
4.Koala Sublimation Paper
Koala Sublimation Paper makes transferring your artwork onto your clothing, accessories or other sublimation blanks a piece of cake. This innovative and revolutionary product is designed with a smooth, non-stick surface that allows you to quickly sublimate your artwork onto your product. It has a quick dry, instant transfer rate that guarantees you will be able to see the results of your creative and mind-blowing hard work almost instantly.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
Koala sublimation paper is one of the most popular papers used in sublimation printing. It is known for its high quality and consistent results. It is available in various paper sizes and weights, making it perfect for any project. Koala sublimation paper is compatible with all significant sublimation printers and inks, making it an excellent choice for any business or individual.
Can Be Used For
Koala Sublimation paper can be labeled as the best sublimation paper for mugs because it is available in its exact size. Just grab a pack of Koala sublimation paper specifically sized for sublimating on mugs, and you never need to worry about alignments and resizing again.
It is also available in various sizes for your other sublimation projects like white and light-colored polyester T-shirts, phone cases, mouse pads, canvas bags, pillowcases, etc.
Printer Compatibility
Koala Sublimation paper works best with any inkjet printer as long as it prints with sublimation ink. Epson, Sawgrass, Canon, Ricoh – and the list goes on. The paper is highly versatile with printers.
5. Hiipoo Sublimation Paper
Hiipoo Sublimation Paper is a high-quality sublimation paper that is perfect for a wide variety of substrates. It is compatible with many inkjet printers; in fact, it is one of the best sublimation papers for Epson, producing vibrant and rich colors. Hiipoo Sublimation Paper is also quick and easy to use, making it an ideal choice for any project.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
Hiipoo sublimation paper is perfect for high-quality, dry, and fast printing. A transfer rate of over 98% ensures accurate colors and precision while saving you ink. The 120G paper also gives you good elasticity and flatness and prevents rolling – making for a smooth printing experience.
Can Be Used For
Hiipoo sublimation paper is perfect for transferring text or images onto light-colored fabrics with ≤ 30% cotton or ⩾ 70% polyester content and mugs, tumblers, phone cases, puzzles, mouse pads, ceramic plates, bags, and cups. They are great for making DIY gifts for your loved ones and friends on various occasions.
Printer Compatibility
Hiipoo Sublimation paper works well with Sawgrass, Ricoh, and other sublimation printers. Even printers like Epson and Canon that can work with sublimation ink are on the list.
Best Sublimation Papers (HTV) For Dark Fabrics & Cotton Fabric
To sublimate using heat transfer vinyl you have to follow a certain procedure before you take your fabric and design to the heat press.
Once the design is printed on the HTV, you have to apply the mask sheet onto the design. After pressing on it persistently the image gets transferred to the mask sheet. This mask sheet is what you place on your fabric under the heat press. Whether it’s a cotton T-shirt or a dark-colored one, HTV is guaranteed to give you the best sublimation results.
6. Siser EasySubli HTV – Printable Sublimation Heat Transfer Vinyl
Siser EasySubli HTV is a printable sublimation heat transfer vinyl that is perfect for creating custom designs on dark fabric or on Cotton fabric. This vinyl is clear and gives numerous options with colors and creations. Moreover, they are available in a standard size that is perfect for T-shirts’ center alignment designs. Once you print onto the HTV, you have to mask the design on the masking sheet available with the pack. The image gets transferred to the masking sheet which is then used under the heat press for The transfer made with this HTV is durable, and long-lasting and the colors remain vibrant even after multiple washes.
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
Siser EasySubli HTV is the perfect platform for anyone who wants to enhance their creativity! With its blank canvas feature, you can make your designs from simple to complex or as you want. Plus, printing out multi-color images is super easy with EasySubli paper! Unlike traditional sublimation, it can be applied at lower temperatures and that too for shorter periods of time. This makes it easier and faster to use without compromising on the quality.
Can Be Used For
EasySubli vinyl allows you to apply your designs to dark-colored polyester and/or cotton fabrics – not just white polyester like traditional sublimation methods. You can sublimate on black T-shirts made of polyester, cotton blend, or 100% cotton. You can also easily sublimate on white or light-colored Cotton T-shirts using EasySubli vinyl. There are no limits to what you can design! It is the best sublimation paper for dark shirts.
Printer Compatibility
Siser EasySubli HTV is compatible with any inkjet printer that can work with sublimation ink like Epson, Sawgrass, Ricoh, and other sublimation printers.
7. TransOurDream Glitter Sublimation Paper
TransOur Dream is a great, affordable glitter heat transfer vinyl for all kinds of crafts, DIY projects and more! It is a fine product that lets you get more crafty and glittery with the ability to transfer glittered images to dark-colored fabric, black T-shirts, and cotton fabric. The glitter heat transfer vinyl will last through 30 washes on the fabric, and the sparkle of the glitter does not fade easily. .
Benefits
Why Is This One Of The Best Sublimation Paper For Heat Transfer?
TransOur Dream glitter heat transfer vinyl makes transferring glittery images onto the fabric easier. You don’t need to print mirror or reverse images as the whole image gets sublimated onto the fabric in an upright position. It is easy to cut and does not require a special vinyl cutter. It is also compatible with Cricut, Silhouette, etc., for professional cutting and neat edges. It is highly affordable and there are 20 sheets in one single pack for multiple sublimating projects.
Can Be Used For
Glitter sublimation paper or glitter heat transfer vinyl can be used on dark t-shirts, cotton t-shirts, hats, aprons, hoodies, and basically all sorts of cotton fabric regardless of the color. It is easy to cut with just a pair of scissors so you can create designs of different sizes.
Printer Compatibility
This glitter heat transfer vinyl is designed to work with your inkjet printers like Brother, HP, Canon, and all those that are compatible with dye sublimation ink.
Important Tips To Keep In Mind While Choosing An Ideal Heat Transfer Paper
Choosing the right sublimation paper shouldn’t be overwhelming. Since the various sublimation paper brands listed above are the best in the market, yet I have simplified it further to help you decide better. The following is a checklist to assist you in hunting the best sublimation paper for heat transfer:
- The material you are sublimating on – T-shirts, acrylics, tumblers, keychains, tiles, etc. may require different sizes and different weights.
- Weight of sublimation paper – the more rigid the substrate, the thicker the paper should be.
- The color of the fabric – Light and white colored fabric and T-shirts require regular Sublimation paper. In contrast, dark-colored and black T-shirts require Heat Transfer Vinyl, also known as sublimation paper for dark fabric.
- The blend of the fabric – Standard sublimation paper will only work with ⩾70% Polyester material. For 100% Cotton or blends with a higher percentage of cotton, you need heat transfer vinyl or sublimation vinyl to accomplish the task.
- Transfer Rate – the higher, the better because it saves ink and the colors come out more vibrant.
- Drying Time – Quick drying increases productivity.
- The size of your design or your sublimation blank – it is more economical to utilize the sublimation paper completely. You can print various small designs onto the same sublimation paper and use it accordingly. Similarly, the Koala Sublimation paper has a specific size for sublimating on mugs. Therefore using a bigger-sized one for this task might not be economical. But if your design requires more space, go for the most significant size available.
- Quality – the sublimation paper should be clean without any impurities on the coating, as this can highly influence the final result.
- Price of the sublimation paper – though you should not compromise on the quality by going after cheap sublimation paper. But some brands offer high-quality at affordable rates.
- Compatibility with the printer – the best paper is the versatile one. A sublimation paper compatible with multiple printer brands makes you worry less.
- Availability – Use the same type of paper for a particular material. Varying the sublimation paper will alter your results. So consistency is the key, so the availability of your chosen paper is vital.
Mistakes You Should Avoid
1. Choosing The Wrong Weight Of Paper
A 125g is a standard dye sublimation heat transfer paper. However, some of your projects will work fine even with a lower weight. However, some sublimation blanks need thicker paper to give satisfactory results. If you select the wrong thickness, there might be creasing and unacceptable results.
2. Choosing The Wrong Size
If your sublimation platform includes several items like mugs, tumblers, T-shirts, acrylic keychains, etc., you should work with the corresponding sizes of sublimation paper. This way, you won’t worry about
- aligning the paper onto the material
- wasting useful sublimation paper and ink
3. Going For a Cheaper Brand To Save Money
Though you have to work strictly with your finances, especially if you are looking forward to sublimating commercially, any compromise on quality will cost you in various ways.
- You will not achieve good results
- You will lose client satisfaction
- You will end up wasting time, money, and energy.
4. Working Without Sublimation Ink
As much as sublimation paper is essential, so is sublimation ink. You cannot simply opt for sublimation paper and work with regular ink. It will not print on paper; even if it does, the image will not transfer to the medium.
5. Buying The Wrong Sublimation Paper
Remember that you will use clear HTV vinyl for sublimation on dark fabrics and cotton fabrics. For sublimating on light-colored Polyester fabric use the standard sublimation paper. For once HTV will work with light-colored and polyester fabrics but the standard sublimation paper will not work for dark-colored or cotton fabric.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is sublimation paper the same as heat transfer paper?
No, the Sublimation paper is not similar to the heat transfer paper. Though both require heat to transfer an image onto the fabric or any material, sublimation is only possible via sublimation paper and sublimation ink.
2. What is the difference between 120 g and 125g sublimation paper?
The different weights in grams mentioned on the Sublimation paper are the measure of the weight of 1 square meter of that paper. So sublimation paper marked 120g when measured will have the exact 120g weight per square meter, and 125g will be according to the mentioned weight and so on.
3. What gram of sublimation paper is best?
Sublimation paper with more weight has a thicker coating and is a more saturated sublimation paper that can handle a more significant amount of ink more efficiently. In contrast, a thinner sublimation paper is ideal for light ink saturation needs. But overall, 120g to 125g of Sublimation paper quality is suitable for all types of sublimation projects.
4. What size paper do you use for sublimation?
The size of the paper you would use for sublimation depends on two things. The size of the item you want to sublimate on & the design or image you are sublimating.
5. What is the shelf life of sublimation paper?
Sublimation paper has a shelf life of about one year, depending on how you store it. Dye sublimation transfer paper is mainly ruined by moisture. Keep the papers in their original packaging with an inner poly bag at normal room temperature. Exposure to high humidity or extremely dry conditions can shorten its shelf life.
Conclusion
So if you are looking for a top sublimation paper for white and light-colored fabric or the best one for dark fabrics, then your search ends here. The idea to help you find the best dye sublimation heat transfer paper and sublimation heat transfer vinyl are thoroughly explained so you can head out like a pro to get the best one. What aspects matter and what specifications should be taken into account for your tasks when buying sublimation paper are well defined. Though all the sublimation papers mentioned are the best ones respectively, there will be a specific one satisfying all your requirements.
