Transfer printing on promotional gifts

Transfer printing is not quite the same as sublimation transfers.

Sublimation transfer produce a sub-surface print but there are other transfer printing methods that print onto the surface of the item.

In fact, many of the current generation of “home” computers will produce an acceptable “iron-on” transfer to be applied to a garment with a domestic iron.

This form of transfer printing relies on special paper fed through a colour printer or copying machine unlike a sublimation transfer that uses a printed dye on ordinary paper. However, both forms of transfer use heat to “transfer” the image to the substrate.

However, sublimation printing is not always the preferred transfer printing method.

Sublimation has some inherent problems printing  on dark surfaces and some sublimation printers have given up on black altogether. 

However, because transfer printing uses the paper rather than a dye as an ink carrier it is perfectly possible to produce excellent results on dark textile substrates, yes even black, by transferring a design to lay on top of the surface of the substrate in much the same way as a screen print.

So providing the design and the substrate are right there is an application where transfer printing can be the personalisation method of choice. And this is why many traditional "screen printing" companies offer a variety of personalisation methods.

As always in personalisation it's horses for courses and it may well be Transfer Printing in some cases is the way to go. As a matter of fact excellent results can be obtained on such products as identity badges, name badges,  window badges, promotional coasters, award plaques, paperweights and  desk name plates among others.