A Fresh Look at the Dye-Sublimation Opportunity

Back in December 2019, before any of us were aware of what was facing us, I wrote an article suggesting that heat-transfer dye-sublimation was the next profit opportunity for commercial and display graphics printers. While it may have generated some interest, it likely got lost in the shuffle as the pandemic took center stage. It seemed worthwhile to revisit this topic now that we are (hopefully) moving to endemic stage, or at least learning to live with the virus.

As a brief refresher, heat-transfer dye-sublimation is a process whereby an image is printed onto special transfer paper and subsequently transferred onto an object through the application of heat and pressure. It’s not particularly complicated, and getting started with the process doesn’t take a huge investment or a lot of space.

Since we last wrote about this, we have seen improved transfer papers and inks as well as a wider selection of blanks designed to be used for this purpose, as well as a range of new materials/substrates.

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About Cary Sherburne

Cary Sherburne is a well-known author, journalist and marketing consultant whose practice is focused on marketing communications strategies for the printing and publishing industries.

Cary Sherburne is available for speaking engagements and consulting projects. To get more information contact us.

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