Why is sublimation printing more popular?
Dye sublimation with sublimation ink and sublimation transfer paper has a wide range of applications, including textiles, clothing, cups, blanks, etc., and is welcomed by many people. The key to making sublimation work is polyester, because it can absorb dyes. For textile applications, there are a number of polyester-based fabrics, while for product decoration there are "blanks" with polyester coatings to accept inks.
Textile and direct object printing are the main applications of dye sub-printing. The fabric market is mostly direct dispersion (that is printing direct to the textile then fixing in a heat press), while for objects the route is printing to paper and then transferring the image to the item in a heat press. However, in practice, it is not that simple, and the technique has a certain degree of flexibility. Fundamentally, the hardware for direct and transfer can be the same - some printers can handle both paper and fabric. Heat presses can also be used for transfer printing and repair.
The allure of dye printing lies in its wide range of applications, from mugs and smartphone cases to signage, to workwear, sportswear and fashion. One minute you may be printing a mug, the next on a t-shirt, then graphics, billboards. Consider only the needs of one client, for example, personalised shirts for players, pitch banners, branded mugs for rugby clubs.