Sublimation Shirts – Beginner’s Guide to Sublimation T-Shirts

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Last Updated: June 25, 2023
Clothing, Craft Supplies, Laser Cutter, Sublimation

Make perfect sublimation shirts every time with this easy to follow guide. Also learn which shirts are best for sublimation.

Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.

One of my new recent obsessions is making sublimation shirts. I was sent a bunch of products to test out and have been hooked with sublimation ever since. The first thing I made with my heat press and Xtool is a shirt, cutting out a design from infusible ink. It’s a great first project and introduction into sublimation shirts so figured it’s perfect for a beginner guide.

So if you’ve ever wanted to make your own custom clothing pieces, now you can! Whether it’s for yourself or someone special, designing your very own t-shirt with pictures or just words that highlight what makes you unique is a fun way to express yourself. This guide will walk you through the process of sublimation shirt making. I’ll cover what sublimation is and how it works, which shirts are best for sublimation, and finally the step-by-step tutorial on how to make sublimation shirts using infusible ink or sublimation paper. You’ll find everything you need to know about crafting beautiful personalized garments!

And if you want to make your own designs, you can make your own sublimation printer and use sublimation ink.

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What are Sublimation Shirts?

Sublimation shirts are shirts that you can customize with text or graphics that are dyed directly into the shirt so that you can’t feel them. You can cut or print your design using sublimation ink and then use a heat press to infuse the ink directly into the fabric, dyeing it. Therefore unlike other methods of customizing shirts, using sublimation means you can’t feel the design on top of your garment. This also means your designs won’t crack or fade over time.

Which Shirts are Best for Sublimation?

When it comes to sublimation shirts, the most important factor is choosing the right t-shirt material. The best sublimation shirt materials are 100% polyester, but you can also use a polyester blend. Make sure that you’re using at least 60% polyester, but know that even at 60% the color won’t be as vibrant.

The fabric not only needs to be able to withstand the heat of the sublimation process, but also you want to use material that will give you the most vibrant color. Therefore lighter colors will allow your design to show up best. If you’re using color in your design, a white shirt will give you best outcome. The main thing to keep in mind is the color of the shirt will affect the color of your design. Similarly, the darker the color will make your design pop less.

These are some great options of 100% polyester shirts:

Cricut Sublimation Crew Neck
Cricut Women’s V Neck (this is the one I used, but in white)
Hane’s Cool Dri Crew Neck
Hane’s Cool Dri Women’s V Neck

There are ways to use sublimation on cotton shirts, non-polyester shirts, and colored shirts, but that requires either DTF or sublimation paper specifically for cotton and uses a different process.

Don’t forget to pin it so you can easily come back to it later!

Materials to Make Sublimation Shirts

100% Polyester Shirt (I used this Cricut one, which you can also get on Amazon)
Infusible Ink Transfer Sheet (this is the one I used)
Design (this is the one I used if you’re also looking for a fun Harry Potter design)
Heat Press (this is similar to mine)
Scissors or Cutting Machine (I used my Xtool M1 for this one to test it out)
Weeding Tool (Amazon)
Parchment Paper (Amazon)
Lint Roller (Amazon)

Instructions to Make Sublimation Shirts

Create and Cut the Design

You can cut out your design by hand with scissors or a blade, but I prefer to use a cutting machine. If you’re a crafter and don’t yet have one, I highly recommend it, especially if you plan to make a lot of sublimation items. I just received the Xtool so wanted to test it out.

Simply upload your design to the software (this is the Borgin and Burkes design I used) and adjust it to the size you want. I was using a large women’s shirt so I made it 8 inches wide.

Then be sure to mirror the image! Otherwise your design will end up backwards.

On the Xtool I selected the blade cut and then PU Heat Transfer Vinyl setting and it worked perfectly. On a Cricut, use the “custom settings” and select Infusible Ink.

Next, load your infusible ink onto the cutting mat. Make sure it’s face up! And press start on the machine.

After it’s done cutting, use a weeding tool (such as these) to remove the negative space. I also like to cut around the design so you’re not working with as much material.

Tip: Leave at least half an inch around your design of blank space to help stick it to your shirt.

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Prepare the Sublimation Shirt

Preheat your heat press and adjust the pressure based on the shirt you’re using and the infusible ink transfer sheet. My settings said to use 385 degrees F for 40 seconds and medium pressure so I adjusted my heat press accordingly (this is the one I used).

For full details on how to use a heat press, here’s my full guide to the Vevor heat press.

While the press is heating up, place your shirt on it and put a sheet of parchment paper under the layer you’re going to print. Another option is putting just the layer you’re printing on the heat press.

Note: The purpose of the parchment paper is to make sure your design doesn’t transfer to the other side of the shirt. If you don’t separate them or put parchment paper between them, the design will transfer.

Use a lint roller (Amazon) to remove any dust particles, pet hair, and stray fibers. If they get caught in the process, you’ll have tiny blank or dull spots since the dye will fuse to those fibers instead.

Once the heat press is at temperature, you can press the shirt for a few seconds to make it perfectly flat and also preheat the shirt.

Then you want to place your design on the shirt. Make sure there are no air bubbles and the edges are secure.

Tip: Fold the design in half and give a crease at the top and bottom to find the middle point. This will help align it. You can also get alignment tools such as this one to make it even easier.

Press The Sublimation Shirt

Cover your design with another piece of parchment paper.

Then start your heat press. With the one I have, you pull down on the lever and press start to start the timer.

When the time is up, carefully lift the handle and swing the machine away.

Then leave the design to cool. Remember, in sublimation, the cooling is what seals the ink. The heat is what turns it into a gas and then the gas turns into a solid when cooled, infusing into the shirt fibers.

Once the shirt and infusible ink is completely cool, carefully peel off the design. This is referred to as a “cold peel” since you’re peeling the design when it’s cold.

Remove the parchment paper from the middle and your shirt is ready to wear!

If you make your own sublimation shirts, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram @ab.crafty!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does sublimation work?

In chemistry, sublimation is the process of moving directly from a solid to a gas or vice versa. A well known example is dry ice – the dry ice at room temperature changes from a solid block to a gas, giving a fun spooky feel to Halloween time!

In the crafting and textile world, sublimation refers to using sublimation ink or sublimation paper to dye material. The ink starts in a solid form and then through heat, turns into a gas. As the gas cools, it settles into the fibers of the fabric, dyeing it. In order to ensure the design is clear, you use a heat press to apply pressure, keeping the design intact.

What are the benefits of making sublimation shirts?

Sublimation shirts create vibrant and detailed designs that don’t feel like anything is there. They also won’t peel away or crack like sometimes can happen with vinyl or other materials. Because it’s resistant to water, it also will not fade as quickly as other materials. It’s a great way to make unique and custom shirts without the hassle of traditional screen printing.

How do I care for sublimation shirts?

Thankfully there isn’t anything special about caring for a sublimation shirt vs another shirt. Because the dye is infused in the shirt, there isn’t any worry about your design peeling off! Therefore simply follow the washing instructions of your shirt.

What's the difference between sublimation shirts and screen printing a shirt?

The main difference between sublimation shirts and screen printing a shirt is the process. With sublimation, you’re using sublimation ink to dye the material. You can cut your design from infusible ink transfer sheets, print a design from the computer using a sublimation printer, or even draw your own design with sublimation ink pens. This design is then pressed into the fibers using heat and pressure. Once it cools, the shirt is ready to wear.

Screen printing, on the other hand, is a more invasive process that uses a screen with the design on it. Then paint or ink is applied manually over the screen to dye or paint the shirt. Depending on the material used, you may feel the design on the shirt after screen printing.

What's the difference between sublimation shirts and heat transfer vinyl shirts?

The main difference between sublimation shirts and heat transfer vinyl (HTV) shirts is you can feel HTV on the shirt, but you can’t feel the design from the sublimation shirt. Additionally, HTV can come in all sorts of patterns and designs such as glitter, puffy, holographic, glow in the dark, color changing, etc. Whereas sublimation shirts are limited to colors without any affects.

Furthermore, sublimation shirts won’t fade or crack like HTV can.

More Fashion and Customization Crafts to Try

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