Upgrade Your T-shirt Printing Game with These Must-Have Sublimation Papers for Cotton

In general, the best sublimation paper for cotton t-shirts would be a high-quality sublimation paper that is specifically designed for use with cotton fabrics that don’t have a special coating.

This type of paper is typically made from a special polyester material that is capable of bonding with the fibers in the cotton fabric, allowing for the sublimation ink to be transferred onto the shirt with a high level of detail and accuracy.

Here are my top 3 picks.

1. Good Alternative for a Semi Professional Printer

Printers Jack Sublimation Paper is specially designed for Epson, Richo, and Sawgrass Printers. It’s a great option for light fabrics like pillowcases and tote bags that you make with a Sawgrass SG.

2. Best Option for Vibrant Colors

HTVRONT Sublimation Paper Good-quality sublimation paper that feeds easily through any inkjet sublimation printer and dries with bright vibrant colors.

3. Best Paper for Dark Shirts

Want to print on a black shirt? King Tac sheets are perfect for making sublimation prints on dark fabrics. The letter-size sheets will also work for hard surfaces like mugs and plates.

DTF Transfer Film will also give you great results on dark t-shirts. Every sheet in the 20-pack AGROMUSK DTF transfer film is coated over 10 times and has a stronger transfer rate to absorb ink. This ensures even pattern printing for better results. 

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What other supplies do you need for T-shirt printing?

In addition to sublimation transfer paper (not to be confused with heat transfer paper), there are several other supplies that you may need to make custom designs on cotton shirts, depending on the type of printing process you are using. Some of the most common supplies include:

A heat press machine

• This is the main piece of equipment used to transfer the printed image onto the t-shirt. A heat press provides a more professional finish and allows you to apply more heat and pressure than an iron. An iron won’t cut it for sublimation printing. It can’t get to the high temperature needed for sublimation printing but it can still be used for vinyl printing jobs though.

Ink

• The type of ink you use will depend on the type of printing process you are using. For example, if you are using a direct-to-garment (DTG) printer, you will need special DTG ink. Most sublimation dyes come in bottles with syringes. The syringe style allows you to refill the ink into the tank of your printer.

A printer

• Unlike other types of printing processes, you will need a special printer that is capable of printing on transfer paper or other garments. Epson and Sawgrass sublimation printers are usually high on the list when it comes to the best sublimation printer. There are also a few laser printers that can be adapted to do dye sublimation printing too.

Sublimation Printer Alternative

If you don’t have a sublimation printer, the good news is that you can still do sublimation printing on a cotton t-shirt with a Cricut machine. The easy way to do it is to use white glitter htv and the Cricut Autopress.

• Transfer paper: As mentioned above, transfer paper is the medium used to transfer the printed image onto the t-shirt. Different types of transfer paper are available for different printing processes, so be sure to choose the right type for your needs.

Final Word: Does sublimation paper work on cotton?

Yes, sublimation paper can be used on cotton fabrics. However, the sublimation process is typically used on a polyester shirt or polymer-coated materials, as these fabrics have a high affinity for the sublimation inks and allow for the ink to bond with the fibers in the fabric.

When using sublimation on cotton fabrics, it is important to use a high quality sublimation paper that is specifically designed for use with cotton. This will allow you to get the best results so that your sublimation design will last a long time.

Want more tips? Here is how to fix sublimation mistakes on a tumbler.