Dye Sublimation
Dye sublimation fabric printing is a process in which an inkjet printer sprays ink on to a transfer paper. The transfer paper is then fed into a heat press along with the fabric. Under heat and pressure, the ink on the paper "sublimates" (transforms from a solid to a gas) and becomes permanently bonded to the fibers of the fabric. The resulting print is weatherfast and can be laundered.

Dye sublimation fabric printing produces the best color gamut and best contrast of all fabric printing processes. The hand of the fabric is retained and print quality is sharp and rich. Fabric dye sublimation can be a transfer process or a direct process. We have chosen to use transfer paper and make it a two-stage process. This allows the maximum amount of dye to sublimate, the maximum amount of sharpness to be revealed, and the blackest blacks and brightest colors to be realized.

Direct to fabric dye sublimation printing is not, in our opinion, perfected sufficiently to be used to make the highest quality fabric prints. When we choose technologies, we always opt for what will ensure the best possible product.

Solvent and UV Fabric Printing
In order to print on fabric using either of these technologies, a coating must be applied to the fabric. This coating makes the fabric stiff and causes it to hang somewhat unnaturally. In addition, solvent and UV cannot produce the wide color gamut and smooth transitions possible in dye sublimation printing. Because of the difficulty in coating wide fabric, the maximum width of UV and solvent fabric printing is often limited while dye sublimation prints have a maximum width of 126 inches.

However, the cost for solvent or UV is substantially less; the ink cost is much lower and since it is a direct to fabric print, there is no cost for transfer paper. These technologies can be appropriate when lower quality and/or narrower width is acceptable, or if budget constraints are the primary driving factor in product choice.

Environmental Impacts
Solvent printing produces VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that have significant environmental effects, especially on worker safety. UV printing, because of its high curing temperature, produces ozone.

Dye sublimation fabric printing has less environmental impact than UV or solvent fabric printing. All components of the process at Portland Color are currently being recycled. Recycled fabrics made from soda bottles are available in several weaves.