Screen Printing Vs Sublimation: Which is Better?

Starting a new t-shirt printing business? Confused between sublimation and screen printing? Well, that’s a common challenge for most people in the industry.

On one side, sublimation provides an advanced approach where designs merge with the fabric, almost as if they were naturally part of the material. On the other, screen printing, a traditional method, places a distinct layer of design onto the fabric, creating a bold and striking effect.

But, which technique holds the upper hand? To guide you, our article thoroughly explores and compares these two printing techniques. It also provides the specific use cases and effectiveness of each method in different scenarios.

Understanding Screen Printing

Screen printing, or silk screen printing, is probably the oldest method for printing on materials. Despite ages, the method is still popular due to its efficacy in replicating and imprinting designs.

The process starts with a long stencil preparation process, which is made of silk or polyester. The screen is emulsion-coated, exposed to light, and dried. This design stencil is placed on the material. Ink is then put over the screen. A squeegee spreads the ink evenly. The ink goes through the open parts of the screen onto the material, creating the design. The material is then dried to set the ink. For each color in the design, a different screen is used.

Stencil preparation takes the most time in traditional screen printing. An alternative to that is the modern xTool screen printing method. xTool offers a complete screen printing solution with pre-made stencils, a set of screens, inks, a versatile screen printer, and a laser engraver. It just takes three steps to screen print: stretch the pre-coated screen, engrave it, and spread the ink. It’s as simple as that.

Printing process with xTool screen printer

Traditional screen printing process

Pros of Screen Printing

• Ideal for bold, graphic designs and solid colors
• Cost-effective for large quantities
• Suitable for various materials, including fabrics, wood, and glass
• High-quality, vibrant colors
• Durable prints; are resistant to washing and fading
• Versatility in creating different textures and effects

Cons of Screen Printing

• More manual effort is required
• Difficulty in printing detailed images or fine lines
• Environmental concerns due to the use of certain inks and chemicals

Understanding Sublimation Printing

Sublimation is a modern printing process used primarily on polyester materials. The method is best suited for colorful, realistic designs and images.

In this method, first, a design is printed onto special transfer paper using a sublimation printer. The printed paper is then placed on the material to be decorated. Under heat and pressure, applied by a heat press, the inks turn into a gas. This gas then bonds with the polyester fibers or coating, transferring the design directly onto the material.

Unlike traditional printing methods, the dye becomes part of the fabric rather than forming a layer on top. As a result, you obtain a print that is highly durable and resistant to wear and fading.

Pros of Sublimation Printing

• Produces high-quality, vibrant, and detailed prints
• Ideal for full-color, photo-realistic images
• Prints are durable, and resistant to fading and cracking
• Best for polyester blends
• The print becomes part of the material, offering a soft finish
• Eco-friendly, with minimal waste and water-based inks

Cons of Sublimation Printing

• Not suitable for natural fibers like cotton
• Limited to light-colored or white fabrics
• Cannot create raised or textured designs

xTool Heat Press

Multi-modal Heat Press for DTF, Sublimation & HTV Transfers

Flexible modes, portable or hands-free, meet most printing needs like T-shirts, bags, shoes, slates, coasters, and more.

Learn More

Screen Printing Vs Sublimation: What's the Difference?

Vibrancy of Colors

Both screen printing and sublimation yield vibrant designs, each with its unique strengths. Screen printing stands out for its bold, clear designs, especially effective with single or low-color patterns. It works well on various base materials, even on darker fabrics.

In contrast, sublimation is renowned for producing sharp, colorful prints that cover edge to edge. It shines brightest on white or lighter shades, where its colors appear most vivid.

Design Complexity

Sublimation leads in the design complexity segment. All sorts of complex designs (digital photos, artwork gradient design, intricate shapes), can easily be replicated on the fabric. Since the artwork is created digitally and printed, there’s no manual effort even when designs get complex.

On the other end, screen printing struggles as the design gets complex. You need to dissect the design into multiple layers, each layer and color needing a separate screen. That demands more manual skill and expertise.

Fabrics and Supported Materials

Screen printing works on pretty much every fabric, whether natural or synthetic. Besides fabrics, it works well on wood, metal, plastics, and paper. The plastisol inks used, adhere well to these surfaces, and the designs are quite prominent, even on darker shades.

In contrast, sublimation is more selective. It uses dyes that fuse best with synthetic materials like polyester or nylon. These dyes don’t stick to natural fibers like cotton. Also, designs only stand out on materials with lighter shades.

RELATED: Can you sublimate on wood?

Color Range

Sublimation excels in printing multi-color designs with ease. Each color is digitally created and applied in one pass. That makes complex and colorful prints simple to produce. Whereas, screen printers need a different screen for each color. More colors in a design mean more screens and more effort.

Durability of Design

In screen printing, plastisol inks are used. They are quite durable and easily last for years without fading. However, the inks can crack if the fabric is folded improperly. Also, ironing over screen-printed designs can distort them, as the heat affects the plastisol ink.

On the other hand, sublimation printing offers impressive durability due to the nature of the dye infusion process. The dye becomes an integral part of the fabric and lasts as long as the fabric itself without fading.

Special Effects

Screen printing offers more flexibility in creating special effects. It allows the use of special inks to create textured or raised designs, giving a 3D effect.

In contrast, sublimation designs are embedded within the surface of the substrate. So, the surface is plain and smooth as before. Although it’s possible to add visual 3D effects to the design, physically raised designs are not achievable. Glitters can be added, but that means an extra effort after the primary printing and heat pressing.

Equipment Setup Cost

The initial setup cost for traditional screen printing can be significant, as it requires various tools. However, with modern solutions like the xTool screen printer and a laser engraver, the cost can be managed efficiently. The total setup cost for screen printing with these tools is close to $1600. This makes it a feasible option for small businesses or startups.

Dye sublimation printing requires a sublimation printer and a heat press. Still, the combined cost of these pieces of equipment is comparatively less than screen printing.

In the long run, screen printing becomes cheaper, especially for replicating items. Whereas, sublimation printing costs slightly higher per unit in bulk production.

Setup Time

The setup time for screen printing varies based on the complexity of the design. For simple, single-color designs, once the stencil is prepared, producing a batch of products becomes relatively quick and efficient. However, for multi-color designs requiring multiple stencils, the setup and production time increase significantly.

In contrast, sublimation takes a constant time irrespective of the design. This process is generally more time-consuming than screen printing. The design is first digitally printed onto special paper, and then each item requires individual attention in the heat press. Additionally, a separate paper design is needed for each product, which adds to the overall time.

That’s why screen printing is suitable for bulk production, while sublimation is recommended for small batch or on-demand making.

Screen Printing Vs Sublimation: Which One to Choose?

The detailed comparison highlighted the key strengths of each process. To make it even simpler, here’s a breakdown of the best use cases for each method:

Choose screen printing if you:

• Need bold, vibrant prints like logos or text-based designs.
• Want to print on fabrics other than polyester.
• Are producing items in bulk and want to keep costs low.

Choose sublimation when you:

• Need realistic, full-color designs with intricate details.
• Are printing on polyester or polyester blends.
• Require small-batch or one-off items for customized production.

FAQs of Screen Printing Vs Sublimation

What Is the Difference Between Screen Printing and Sublimation?

The major difference between the two methods is ink application. In screen printing, a plastisol ink is applied through a stencil, where it stays on the top as a separate layer. Whereas, in sublimation, the design (made on special paper) is heat-pressed onto fabric. The ink sublimates and infuses into the fabric rather than forming a separate layer.

Which is Better? Screen Print or Sublimation?

It is subject to your needs. For full-color designs, particularly on synthetic fabrics like polyester, sublimation is a great option. However, to bulk produce simple bold designs on any fabric, you may choose screen printing.

Is Sublimation More Durable Than Screen Printing?

Sublimation is durable in the sense that design is embedded in the fabric. There’s no chance of cracking or peeling over time. Otherwise, the resistance to fading over time is similar for both screen printing and sublimation.

Related Reading:

DTF Vs Sublimation Printing: Which One To Choose?

Sublimation Vs Heat Transfer Vinyl: Which One to Choose?

DTF Vs Screen Printing: Which One to Choose?

Screen Printing Vs Digital Printing: Which is Better?

Screen Printing Vs Heat Transfer: Which Is Better?

How to Print a Design on a Shirt?