Sublimation vs DTG: Which for Your Etsy Products?
Sublimation bonds ink into polyester and lasts the life of the item, but cannot print white and will not hold on cotton. DTG prints any colour on cotton but sits on the surface. Here is how to choose.
Updated
- Sublimation bonds ink into polyester and lasts the life of the item, but cannot print white and will not hold on cotton. DTG prints any colour on cotton but sits on the surface. Here is how to choose.
- Not durably. Sublimation ink bonds with polyester fibres; on cotton it sits on the surface and washes out. Blends hold it partially, fading in proportion to their cotton content.
- There is no white ink in the process. Anywhere the design is white or transparent, the colour of the blank shows through instead.
- Sublimation. The ink becomes part of the fibre rather than sitting on top of it, so it does not crack or peel the way a surface print eventually can.
The choice is usually made for you by the blank. Sublimation needs polyester and a light base; DTG needs cotton. Forcing either outside its material is where most disappointing results come from.
The two constraints that decide it
- Sublimation cannot print white. Wherever your design is white or transparent, the blank shows through. On a white polyester shirt that is invisible and perfect. On a navy one it means your design has holes in it.
- Sublimation needs polyester. On cotton the ink has nothing to bond with and washes out. Blends hold it partially and fade in proportion to their cotton content.
Side by side
| Sublimation | DTG | |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Polyester and high-poly blends | Cotton and cotton-rich blends |
| White ink | None — the blank shows through | Yes, including on dark garments |
| Feel | None. The ink is in the fibre | A slight layer on the surface |
| Durability | Lasts the life of the garment | Fades gradually over many washes |
| All-over prints | Straightforward | Limited to the print area |
| Best for | Mugs, tumblers, polyester apparel, all-over designs | Cotton tees, hoodies, dark garments |
The practical rule
If the product is drinkware or an all-over polyester item, it is sublimation and the decision is already made. If it is a cotton t-shirt or hoodie, it is DTG. The only genuine judgement call is poly-cotton blends, where sublimation produces a deliberately faded, vintage look — excellent if you intended it, disappointing if you did not.
Every print area, measured
All 48 print areas across 19 print-on-demand products, in inches, centimetres and pixels.
Quick answers.
Can you sublimate onto cotton?
Not durably. Sublimation ink bonds with polyester fibres; on cotton it sits on the surface and washes out. Blends hold it partially, fading in proportion to their cotton content.
Why is there no white in sublimation printing?
There is no white ink in the process. Anywhere the design is white or transparent, the colour of the blank shows through instead.
Which lasts longer, sublimation or DTG?
Sublimation. The ink becomes part of the fibre rather than sitting on top of it, so it does not crack or peel the way a surface print eventually can.