What You Need to Know Sublimation on Tote Bags

Sublimation is a type of printing technique.

It’s the process of using a heat press to transfer ink onto fabric, including cotton blends, polyester, and canvas.

Today, sublimation is more in demand than ever as it offers creatives a quick and easy way to make their own designs, both for personal use and for their brand. 

 

Today’s blog will cover all things sublimation.

Ready to dive in? 

 

What is Sublimation?

 

As mentioned above, sublimation is the process of transferring ink onto fabric to create a unique, one-of-a-kind design.

 

How to Use Sublimation and Create Unique Tote Bags

 

If you’ve never used sublimation before, the good news is that it’s incredibly easy — even for beginners!

Here’s what you’ll need to get started: 

 

• A heat press
• Sublimation printer
• Sublimation paper 
• Sublimation ink
• Tote bag (of your choosing)
• Lint roller

 

 

Step 1: Get Your Design Ready

 

Before you begin sublimation, you’ll first want to create a design.

The good news is that you can create anything you want, may it be flowers, logos, or abstract designs.

That’s why tote bags are such a good use for sublimation, as your image can cover a huge surface area (but more on that later). 

 

There are several different sources you can use to create your design, including Canva and Adobe Photoshop.

Regardless of which you use, you’ll save your design and send it to your sublimation printer.

Make sure that it will fit on the surface of the tote bag, too.

Before printing, make sure you mirror your design, otherwise it’ll show up the wrong way. 

 

Step 2: Turn On Your Heat Press

 

After you have your design printed, go ahead and turn on your heat press.

The temperature and time for sublimation on canvas tote bags ranges between 320 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit and holding down your heat press for 15-20 seconds.

For polyester sublimation, the recommended temperature and time is anything below 300 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally 280 degrees for 30-60 seconds.

For cotton blends, it’s usually 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45 seconds. 

 

Step 3: Set Up Your Tote Bags and Transfer Your Design

 

Next, you’re going to prepare your canvas or polyester tote bags for sublimation.

This includes running a lint roller over them to get rid of dust and other particles and laying them flat on the heat press.

After that, place your sublimation paper with your design on it face down onto your tote and secure it in place with heat-resistant tape.

This will keep it from moving during the heat-pressing process. 

 

Next, heat press your tote based on the temperature and time recommendations above.

If you’re using polyester tote bags for sublimation, keep in mind that you should be wary of any scorch marks.

Though the details above are accurate, polyester is very sensitive to high temperatures, requiring a watchful eye.

If you can, do a test application first to see how the fabric reacts. 

 

Step 4: Enjoy Your Custom Tote!

 

Once time is up, go ahead and peel back the sublimation paper.

Make sure to let your new custom tote bag cool off entirely before moving or using it.

Typically, this should only take a few minutes. 

 

Which Fabric is Best to Use for Sublimation on Tote Bags?

 

As is true for totes for everyday use, certain fabrics are going to be better for sublimation than others.

In this case, polyester is usually the best fabric for sublimation.

As for why, it has to do with the types of fibers found in the material. 

 

When sublimation is used, it’s using ink to transfer over an image.

Synthetic fibers, such as those inside polyester, absorb the ink faster and better compared to natural fibers.

Don’t get us wrong — you can certainly transfer images to canvas and other types of fabric totes, but polyester tends to reign supreme.

That’s why, if you’re planning on using cotton, you’re going to want to opt for a cotton blend that contains synthetic fibers, to have success. 

 

Things to Consider Before Sublimation

 

As with any type of craft, there are a few things to consider:

 

Certain Design Elements May Be Hard to Create

 

Though you can create any type of image you want, you’ll want to be mindful of what you’re putting on your tote.

 If your design contains too many elements, including those that are small, be prepared that they may not translate well to your tote bag, as they will be hard to see in great detail.

 

Using the Wrong Fabric Could Lead to Damage

 

Using any other fabric besides one that has a polyester blend could lead to cracks, fading, and other types of damage, especially if you wash them.

In fact, it only takes six washes for the wrong fabric to get completely ruined. 

 

Light Colors Will Work Best

 

The color of your tote is another thing to consider before you begin your sublimation journey.

Light colors work best. Think white, tan, cream, yellow, and other pale hues. While you can sublimate on totes in a darker color, your designs won’t show up as defined.

This is your creation, after all – don’t print on a dark color and hide it! 

 

While these aren’t the only considerations, they’re the most common.

 

Skip the Hassle of DIY Canvas Tote Bag Sublimation and Turn to TotePrint for Help!

 

There’s a lot we covered here, including all the steps sublimation involves, which is why you should consider working with a company like TotePrint.

Not only can you order a custom tote with ease, but you can save money when you buy either in bulk or wholesale — perfect for your side hustle! 

 

It costs a lot of time and money to create your own tote bags, but with us, you can streamline the process without sacrificing quality.

We welcome you to browse our inventory and see what designs are possible. 

Want to use your own? Let us know and you can upload your own image!

Creating your own totes has never been easier!