Dye Sublimation - An Expansion to Your Business
Dye sublimation products are the ideal way to do just that.
The investment in equipment and consumables is relatively modest compared to other processes, and enables you to produce items individually at a competitive price.
In recent years, the range of products available has grown enormously.
The main products are mugs, mouse mats, t-shirts and coasters, but just take a look at some suppliers catalogues and you will be surprised just what can have your image placed on it nowadays.
So, you have decided to invest in the equipment, but where do you go? Firstly I would suggest avoiding buying blind via an Internet auction site.
Some people have bought supposedly new equipment from someone trading in the Far East, only to get either a used item, or one that was unsafe electrically.
One person actually got an electric shock the first time they tried the heat press.
Bear in mind that all equipment sold legitimately in this country (UK) should bear a CE marking.
This means the item has undergone rigorous safety testing and passed.
Also, should you buy an item which is very heavy, how much is it going to cost you to ship back to the supplier? How long will it take to get it repaired or replaced? Can you really afford to be without your new revenue stream for weeks or months? The Internet is a good place to start your research, and should give you a list of suppliers available.
There are a few main suppliers in this country and most, if not all will have somewhere you can visit to have a practical demonstration and actually have a go yourself.
Take along a good quality image on a CD or DVD so that you can see one of your own images reproduced onto their products.
It is all very well them showing you some fancy logo, but when it comes to your images, only the best reproduction should do.
Do not rush into making a decision there and then, go away, take the samples you have had produced and think about it.
If you are too far from a supplier, consider going to a trade show and seeing a number of companies in one place.
Look on the Internet for details of when such shows are taking place.
Think about what you are planning to produce with the equipment and make sure it is big enough for those larger products.
So many times have people bought what they thought would be right, only to find six months later that they should have gone for the next model up.
Be prepared to waste some products and spend a lot of time in setting up.
The biggest problem that people new to dye sublimation experience is getting the colours to look right.
This is due to the fact that dye sub inks have a smaller colour range or gamut than normal pigment inks.
You should also be aware that there is only one recognised supplier of dye-sub inks for the small format printers and that is Sawgrass.
Again, avoid buying cheap inks via the Internet.
Chances are that you will have more problems with colour using these inks than with the recognised official inks.
Some companies will offer some basic training.
Need more info? A number of forums exist that are a wealth of knowledge, much of it gained by individuals the hard way.
These are a great way of learning more and avoiding the mistakes others have made.
It is a great way to earn an extra bit of income from your existing business and can add value to your images.
The investment in equipment and consumables is relatively modest compared to other processes, and enables you to produce items individually at a competitive price.
In recent years, the range of products available has grown enormously.
The main products are mugs, mouse mats, t-shirts and coasters, but just take a look at some suppliers catalogues and you will be surprised just what can have your image placed on it nowadays.
So, you have decided to invest in the equipment, but where do you go? Firstly I would suggest avoiding buying blind via an Internet auction site.
Some people have bought supposedly new equipment from someone trading in the Far East, only to get either a used item, or one that was unsafe electrically.
One person actually got an electric shock the first time they tried the heat press.
Bear in mind that all equipment sold legitimately in this country (UK) should bear a CE marking.
This means the item has undergone rigorous safety testing and passed.
Also, should you buy an item which is very heavy, how much is it going to cost you to ship back to the supplier? How long will it take to get it repaired or replaced? Can you really afford to be without your new revenue stream for weeks or months? The Internet is a good place to start your research, and should give you a list of suppliers available.
There are a few main suppliers in this country and most, if not all will have somewhere you can visit to have a practical demonstration and actually have a go yourself.
Take along a good quality image on a CD or DVD so that you can see one of your own images reproduced onto their products.
It is all very well them showing you some fancy logo, but when it comes to your images, only the best reproduction should do.
Do not rush into making a decision there and then, go away, take the samples you have had produced and think about it.
If you are too far from a supplier, consider going to a trade show and seeing a number of companies in one place.
Look on the Internet for details of when such shows are taking place.
Think about what you are planning to produce with the equipment and make sure it is big enough for those larger products.
So many times have people bought what they thought would be right, only to find six months later that they should have gone for the next model up.
Be prepared to waste some products and spend a lot of time in setting up.
The biggest problem that people new to dye sublimation experience is getting the colours to look right.
This is due to the fact that dye sub inks have a smaller colour range or gamut than normal pigment inks.
You should also be aware that there is only one recognised supplier of dye-sub inks for the small format printers and that is Sawgrass.
Again, avoid buying cheap inks via the Internet.
Chances are that you will have more problems with colour using these inks than with the recognised official inks.
Some companies will offer some basic training.
Need more info? A number of forums exist that are a wealth of knowledge, much of it gained by individuals the hard way.
These are a great way of learning more and avoiding the mistakes others have made.
It is a great way to earn an extra bit of income from your existing business and can add value to your images.
