How to make sublimation spray for cotton?
Do you want to sublimate your 100% cotton clothes, shirts, socks, or pillow covers?
The bad news is that you cannot sublimate 100% cotton items.
The good news is that you can apply a polyester coating to cotton and sublimate it easily.
The polyester spray is required for polyester coating on cotton.
Here is how you can prepare polyester sublimation spray:
Required materials
A spray bottle (8 or 16 fluid ounces), polyacrylic clear matte, and a tablespoon
Total time required
Depending on your speed and the materials available, it can take 5-10 minutes.
Procedure
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make sublimation spray for cotton:
- Measure the polyacrylic: For every 8 fluid ounces of water, you will need 2 tablespoons of polyacrylic.
- Pour the polyacrylic into the spray bottle: Use a tablespoon to measure out the correct amount of polyacrylic, making sure it is level.
- Fill the spray bottle with cold water: Once the polyacrylic is in the bottle, fill it up with cold water.
- Shake the bottle: Shake the bottle well to mix the polyacrylic and water together.
- Spray the solution on the cotton item: Spray the solution on the cotton item.
Once the spray has dried, you can transfer the design to the cotton item by printing the design onto the sublimation paper. The colors usually fade on the transfer paper. Once you apply heat through a sublimation heat press or an oven, the colors will be as vibrant as on a 65% polyester item.
FAQs
What is sublimation spray made of?
Polyacrylic clear matte solution and water are used to make the sublimation spray. For every 8 fluid ounces of water, you will need 2 tablespoons of polyacrylic.
What does sublimation spray do?
Sublimation spray allows you to print on 100% cotton, cotton/polyester blends, and other fabrics. It produces vibrant, long-lasting colors in all your prints.
Is sublimation spray safe for my shirt?
Yes, a sublimation spray is safe for your shirt. It adds a polyester coating to your shirt so that you can print your designs on fabrics that do not work perfectly with the sublimation process.
When do you use sublimation spray?
Sublimation spray is used when the outer surface of your items fails to get high-quality prints through sublimation. It adds a layer of polyester that helps you get vibrant prints on your items.
Where can I buy sublimation spray?
If you cannot prepare the sublimation solution at home, you can easily buy it from Amazon, and Walmart.
If you are looking for an alternative to a heat press, a sublimation oven can be used.
I’ve been in the printing business for 25 years. I love to share my experiences and knowledge.