Sublimation: Attributes and Printing Process
Benefits of Sublimation
Dye sublimation is a process of printing on fabric (and other substances) that provides the best quality and most durable printing option.
In sublimation, the inks are fused into the fabric as opposed to sitting on top of the fabric such as in inkjet or screen printing.
The process not only gives fabrics a softer touch after the printing, but it is also very durable. The color remains strong in outdoor lighting and after extensive washing so it’s the ideal process for sportswear, school and corporate clothing.
Sublimation Printing Process
Pattern Design: The graphics being applied to the garment are usually in AI or EPS format. Our graphic designer then creates a mock-up before moving to the sample making step. A mock-up is a flat view of the artwork and it shows our client the placement of their graphics and how the garment will be sewn together.
Sample Making: The first patterns are sent to the sewing unit for assembling. This is usually stitched on calico or muslin which is an inferior quality of fabric and it reduces cost. The sample is constructed to analyze the pattern fit and design. After the sample garment is stitched it is reviewed by our panel of designers, pattern makers and sewing specialists. If any changes have to be made they are made at this time.
Production Pattern: The pattern production will be used for the mass production. The production pattern is developed by calculating and taking into account the following measurements:
the direct sample
specification sheet/measurement chart
ease allowance- minimum amount of room in your clothing that you feel comfortable with for normal body movements; the sewing industry basically accepts wearing ease to be 2 1/2″ (6.4cm) at the bust area, 1″ (2.5cm) at the waist and 3″ (7.6cm) at the hip area.
sewing allowance- the distance between the seam line where you stitch to join two or more pieces of fabric and the cut edge of the fabric; standard seam allowance is 1.5cm
These allowances are different for different types of fabrics and patterns
Grading: The purpose of grading is to create patterns in different sizes. Grading a pattern is really scaling a pattern up or down in order to adjust it for multiple sizes.
Marker Making: The measuring department determines the fabric yardage needed for each style and size of garment. Computer software helps the technicians create the optimum fabric layout in order for the fabric to be used efficiently. Markers are placed to ensure that fabric doesn’t get wasted during cutting operation.
Spreading: With the help of spreading machines, fabric is stacked on one another in reaches or lays that may go over 100ft (30.5m) long and hundreds of plies (fabric pieces) thick.
Cutting: The fabric is then cut with the help of cloth cutting machines suitable for the type of cloth being used.
Sorting/Bundling: The sorter sorts the patterns according to size and design and makes bundles of them. This step requires much precision because making bundles of mismatched patterns can create severe problems. On each bundle there are specifications of the style, size and marker.
Sewing/Assembling: The sorted bundles of fabrics are now ready to be stitched. There are sewing stations used for sewing different parts of the cut pieces.
Inspection: Open seams, wrong stitching techniques, non-matching threads, missing stitches, improper creasing of the garment, erroneous thread tension and raw edges are some of the sewing defects which can affect the garment quality. During inspection, the quality control unit checks each prepared article of the garment for these defects.
Pressing/Finishing: Molding (pressing, pleating, and creasing) may be done to change the finished surface of the garment by applying pressure, heat, moisture or a combination of the three.
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-------Email: sales@ink-sublimation.com
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