Sublimation is the method behind our printed mugs, glasses, mousepads and puzzles — and the reason a design still looks like new after a hundred trips through the dishwasher. Instead of laying a layer of color on top, we drive the color into the surface using heat. Nothing sits on the material, nothing flakes off, nothing feels like a sticker.
How sublimation printing works
- Print the design mirrored: your image is printed onto transfer paper with sublimation ink.
- Heat and pressure: under high heat in the press the ink goes straight from solid to gas — it never turns liquid.
- The color moves into the material: the gas enters the polyester coating and is locked in permanently as it cools.
- Done: the surface stays smooth — you cannot feel the design, because there is no layer sitting on top.
The products we print with sublimation
- Mugs of every kind: ceramic, color-changing mugs with the magic thermo effect, conical mugs, enamel, stainless steel with a carabiner and glitter mugs in a metallic look — see our mug page for all types.
- Drinking glasses: a favorite photo or line on the glass — brilliant and rub-proof, because the color sits inside the surface.
- Mousepads: your own design on the desk, printed edge to edge and photo-real — also a great office gift.
- Doormats: a welcome message, a name or a design right at the front door.
- Puzzles: your photo as a jigsaw — to give away or to puzzle yourself.
- Light polyester textiles: sports and performance shirts can be printed edge to edge without the fabric turning stiff.
And that's not all: sublimation works on many coated products — just ask about the item you have in mind. Printing happens in full color, so photo-real motifs and soft gradients are no problem — unlike with foil methods.
Where sublimation reaches its limits
Two things are worth knowing before you commit to it:
- Cotton does not work. The color needs polyester or a matching coating to bond with. For cotton shirts and hoodies we therefore use our transfer method.
- The surface has to be light. Sublimation ink is translucent and does not cover dark colors — on black, a light design stays invisible.
We will tell you honestly when your product is better served by another method. Our guide to textile printing methods compares what fits when.
Durability and care
Because the design is part of the surface, it cannot chip or rub off. Many of our mugs and glasses are dishwasher-safe — we will happily tell you upfront what applies to your model. Printed polyester shirts are best washed inside out at 30 °C.
What to send us
A PDF, PNG or JPG at a decent resolution is all it takes — upload it via our contact form and tell us which product it is for. We check every file before printing and get in touch if something should be optimized; our print-ready files guide covers what matters.
Ask about sublimation printingFrequently asked questions
What is sublimation printing?
A printing method where heat drives the color into the surface instead of leaving a layer on top. That's why you can't feel the design — and why it can neither chip nor rub off.
Which products do you print by sublimation?
Mugs of every kind (all types on the mug page), drinking glasses, mousepads, doormats and puzzles – plus light polyester textiles such as sports and performance shirts. Beyond that, many other coated products work too: just ask about the item you have in mind.
Does sublimation work on cotton?
No – the color needs polyester or a matching coating. For cotton shirts and hoodies we use our transfer method instead, which is just as wash-resistant.
Are sublimated mugs dishwasher-safe?
Many of our mugs are — the color is bonded with the coating and stays brilliant through many wash cycles. We'll gladly tell you upfront what applies to your model.
Does it work on dark textiles?
No. Sublimation ink is translucent and does not cover dark colors — on black fabric a light design would stay invisible. For dark textiles we use other methods.
