Make gorgeous watercolor designs on your shirt with these two hacks for sublimating on cotton. If you have a fabric that is too dark, or you would like to give it an aged, broken-in look, chlorine bleach can help you successfully fade the fabric. Is it safe? Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the shirt in fresh water and hang it up to dry. I cannot stress this enough Wash. By. [11] Just tighten it so it's not super hard to close, but not too easy either. on Introduction. The less polyester, the less open pores, and the less ink transferring to the shirt. Take a piece of cardboard (removing any tape or stickers) and tuck it inside the shirt. Mine was Wal-Mart splash less and it worked fine. Promotions, new products, and trending data for businesses. Second, it removes any lingering moisture from the shirt, which could reduce the brightness of the sublimation result. To some sublimators the benefit far outweighed the risk. So I'm sure you're asking... What about the other 1%? You can use professional-grade bleach neutralizers, but the most common household solution is hydrogen peroxide. 1) Using Bleach. Take your spray bottle and fill it halfway with water and halfway with regular household bleach Lay down your stencil's on the shirt (I used rocks to weight mine down since I just had cardstock for my stencils) Begin spraying any way you want, start with bleach or spray paint, make it up as you go. You can now get a look at what you've produced, but it will look even better after drying. This craft t shirt tutorial is so simple and cute… you are going to love it! :0) You will need: A spray Bottle Bleach Water A Bowl Stencils (if you wish) Spray paint (Optional) Gloves and a mask and a well ventilated area. At 50% it's still going to look "distressed" or faded. The shirt must be 50% polyester or more. This will prevent the bleach from bleeding from the front of the shirt to the back, or vice versa. While you can technically sublimate a black T-shirt, and the ink will transfer off the paper and onto the shirt, you won't be able to see the image. Unless a shirt is sold with specific claims as to dischargeability, you never know whether it will discharge to white, or to an aged-looking orange or brown, or even refuse to discharge at all, remaining black. Wash your shirt. Fading your shirts using bleach calls for balance. Keep in mind, sublimation is an ink transfer, so it's pretty much like writing with an ink pen on a piece of paper. For instance, Got a guy you need a gift for. You can get a gorgeous watercolor effect with some sublimation markers and a few other supplies. Keep in mind that sublimation inks are transparent, which means that it’s best to print on white or light colored substrates so your image is transferred properly. They don't follow the easy and simple rules for properly heat-pressing a sublimation transfer. Just use the parchment paper and you have nothing to worry about. Step 4: Place Sublimation Transfer Sheet Face Down On Shirt, Step 5: Place Parchment Paper On Top of Transfer Sheet, Step 7: Open heat press and immediately remove transfer paper, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. - Sublimation does not use white ink therefore if there is white in the design it will become the color of the fabric you apply it to.-The colors on your transfer may look dull. White (and probably) dead grass. First, it makes sure there are no wrinkles on your shirt, which will ruin your sublimation. Add the vinyl design to the shirt. Itself. First time! If you stick with tumble dry or low heat, you should be good to go. Bleach sublimation was one of the hottest trends of the summer. Just like when washing, you won’t want to dry your htv shirts on high heat. The darker the garment, the less vibrant the pressed-image will be. Remove the shirt from the bleach solution and squeeze excess solution out of it over the bucket. We hope that this article helps resolve any potential issues you run into as you grow as you gain more experience in the sublimation business. Rinse the fabric with water. Ornaments, That Smell Like Christmas and Will Warm Your Heart. The short answer, yes. Lift it out of it's bath and peel the remaining freezer paper off. Soak your project in two parts hydrogen peroxide to 10 parts water for at least 10 minutes. SUBLIMATION PRINTING ON BELLA+CANVAS FLOWY. I use a garbage bag over a chair then put the shirt over the garbage bag. Did you make this project? We've done experiments under different pressure and there's no real noticeable quality difference until you're either super tight (could barely be closed) or super loose (almost no pressure at all). • Do not use bleach or bleach alternative detergents. Wring it out, let it dry (If you plan to do the back of the shirt, otherwise just go ahead and wash) I recommend looking up Youtube videos on how to bleach. That being said, … You can sub before or after you bleach the shirt. Do not wash the shirt with other white garments from this step. Whereas on the dark grey shirt, the image heavily took on the color of the t-shirt. It helps remove any wrinkles or creases around the design, especially around where the four edges of the transfer sheet we touching the shirt. Lightly but evenly spray the shirt with the bleach. This ensures no sublimated ink gases escape the space between the shirt and transfer sheet, which could cause discoloration of the shirt and potentially stain the heat plate on the heat press. Now take the pre-cut stencil and move it to the shirt aligning where you want it to be. Green ink on green paper won't show up well at all. Add this to some glitter or flocked HTV on a cotton shirt and you will have a gorgeous shirt design in just minutes. The sublimation process is over by the time you take the paper off, so there's really no risk. Otherwise you risk ruining your other clothes. Too little and it won’t make a difference at all. 6. Load the design you want to transfer to a polymer-coated material or at least 50 percent polyester content T-shirt into a graphics program on your computer. 7. E.g. If you are using a washer, do not put any other garments into it, or you will risk staining them. Better safe than sorry. If your heat press doesn't measure pressure, don't worry. Heat press only! For better results, check the label first, however, certain fabrics are allowed to bleach using the gentle means. 99% of our customers end up totally ecstatic with our sublimation transfers, and there's a very good reason:  We use only the best printers, the best ink, and the best sublimation transfer paper. Oct 25, 2019 - Sublimation On A Bleached T-Shirt The question I get all the time is can I bleach my shirt then sublimate or do I have to sublimate then bleach the shirt. Question Mix and match them to get the best discount. It's that simple. You can achieve this balance as long as you pay attention to the exact measurements for dilution. 70% or more polyester is recommended. Make these. The zip folder containing the files will be available to you immediately after purchase. Once in a while, the bleach doesn’t remove the color from the shirt you are trying to DIY. Does the shirt quality hold up after being bleached? Nevertheless, the Clorox company prescribes a method for bleaching white polyester with chlorine bleach, and you can always substitute oxygen bleach as an alternative. Next time protect the grass with plastic. Sublimation Cons There is no white ink, so you can only sublimate on light colors. If possible, you can hang dry your htv garments for best results. Fill a spray bottle with 1 part bleach and 1 part water, then mist the T shirt in it until you get your desired effect. Curious how some of our BELLA+CANVAS poly-blends print? http://youtu.be/UoNANcqVGJY, About: This box provides word's about me, myself and I.....For instance, My name is Amanda, but most people have adapted to calling me "Manda" (quotations added for dramatic effect.) You should almost immediately start to see discoloration in your shirt. As long as your white shirt is not made from wool, silk or spandex and does not contain any colored emblems or embellishments, you can use bleach to restore your shirt … Sweat, makeup, hair products, detergent and the occasional food stain all add up to a once white shirt that now resembles ecru. You don’t need … Your discount is figured on the total number of cotton and rayon items we ship, not how many of each type, style or size. The true colors will show once pressed to the substrate. Dye sublimation printing will always take on the color of the substrate you’re pressing on. It can be name brand bleach or not. Design you want to bleach onto the shirt – See my shop for a variety of fun designs including the “I work out so I can drink more beer” design shown in this tutorial. The design WILL NOT bleach away. I mean, if you think about it, there really isn't a way to dye something white anyway. Don't worry, we've never actually seen where the ink smeared because we didn't do this quick enough or smooth enough. Step 1 Load dye sublimation ink into an inkjet printer. Take the paper towels and gently blot/ dry off the vinyl. At 50% it's still going to look "distressed" or faded. Mockups- You can use these to apply on top of digital photography mockups to give your shirt a bleached look. After you are done dyeing, you need to stop the chemical process of the chlorine. Dye sublimation is a popular form of digital decoration partly because it produces vivid color and very soft transfers. Sublimation is a dye process and doesn't print white. The colors on the white shirt are super vibrant. Sublimation is a dye process and doesn't print white. on Introduction, 8 years ago To bleach out the color in a shirt, start by filling a bucket with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water and a second bucket with equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. Directly to your inbox. This step is not required, but it has two benefits. We recently added our 3880 Unisex Viscose Fashion Tee, to our Fast Fashion collection, which is perfect for sublimation. Lightly but evenly spray the shirt with the bleach. Using adhesive vinyl as a stencil on a shirt, you’ll add bleach, which creates an adorable look. But just to be sure, we like to pull it off quickly. If you are already using design software for HTV, you’ll be fine. Sorry, but an iron won't work. The bleaching agent doesn’t react well with the fibers and will most likely significantly remove the color from the surface. Not even if you're really careful and you press really hard. However, you are going to have a different contrast of color coming through the image on the pressed shirt. Dunking the shirt in cold water will stop the bleach from continuing to bleach the shirt. They can't be dry-cleaned. Crafters flocked to sublimation groups on Facebook to show off their new bleach sublimation apparel. White shirts will give you the most vibrant colors. Jul 20, 2019 - I'm going to teach you a whole new way to sublimate when it comes to colored T-shirts using bleach. Use a spray bottle slightly diluted with 2 parts bleach and 1 part water. Again, this is just science. as they seem to not posses the ab…. I mean, if you think about it, there really isn't a way to dye something white anyway. Wring it out, let it dry (If you plan to do the back of the shirt, otherwise just go ahead and wash) When washing: Wash shirt by itself with little laundry detergent, the first time, Then dry. Easy learning curve. You absolutely can, but your results will vary greatly. Fold the sleeves back behind the board. First, if you accidentally get the sublimation ink on the clothes, then you can immediately take off to clean, but also can take the detergent and rice and mix thoroughly and then scrub, or add detergent completely soaked. And ink won't show up at all on dark colors. The shirt must be 50% polyester or more. ... You can combine cotton and rayon clothing & accessories to get the greatest discounts. Congrats! 3 months ago, 6 years ago This ensures that excess does not continuously drip and pool. Share it with us! It helps remove any wrinkles or creases around the design, especially around where the four edges of the transfer sheet we touching the shirt. Now for the scary part…bleach. Polyester fabric has pores that open at high temperature that allows the sublimation ink to enter. That's what your shirt will look like if you try it - so don't! Finally, submerge your shirt in the hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 … But don't worry, this sounds scarier than it really is. If you want a bright and vibrant shirt, then use 90% or 100% polyester. Pull the paper off quickly and while it's still hot. We just can't stress this point enough. Besides, bleach may also degrade polyester. Too much bleach and the naturally corrosive effects will damage your fabric permanently. Then gently peel up the transfer paper, making sure the stencil stays attached to your shirt. Today I have a unique and easy shirt idea that you are going to love. You can do this in the sink with detergent meant for hand washing garments, or you can do this in the washer. Design you want to bleach onto the shirt – See my shop for a variety of fun designs including the “I work out so I can drink more beer” design shown in this tutorial. This vibrancy issue is because dye-sublimation ink is translucent, and the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink cannot change the color of… Once you have let the shirt rest in the bleach for 10 to 15 minutes, put it in a plastic bag. Once you feel you are finished and the bleach has set to a color you like, take the shirt and dip it in a bowl of clean water. If you use the same pressure as you do vinyl pressing, it will work just fine. Once you feel you are finished and the bleach has set to a color you like, take the shirt and dip it in a bowl of clean water. Next, take your shirt out of the bucket and rinse it off using cold water. Hope everyone enjoys this Instructable and gets some use out of it. This can … 90% is ideal. I am not an expert in fabrics or materials but here are a few things to help you troubleshoot so you can make your own bleach splatter sweatshirt. Generally, bleach and polyester are not recommended to mix together. Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Watercolor Effect with Sublimation Ink. We just can't stress this point enough. After you have washed and dried it once, then you are okay to wash with other clothes. Save this step until you are pleased with the color of the shirt. Wash the shirt to remove any traces of bleach. :0). This blog is by no means comprehensive, and there may be an issue you experience outside of these. Sublimation socks, blankets, towels, and laptop sleeves White shirts are best. You can bleach it, but thats totally different. Imagine writing with a pen on a navy blue piece of paper - it's won't look good at all. Pour about a quarter cup of pure bleach into a spray bottle. Bleach sublimation. How to Fade Fabric Using Bleach. I'll explain those details in another article for the curious-minded, but you'll have to trust me on this. Once the transfer paper is gone and the stencil is firmly stuck to your shirt, you’re ready to bleach! Backsplash- Sublimation users can add a pattern to the backsplash. Once the sublimation transfer sheet has been removed, and while it's still hot, we like to take the shirt and shake it vigorously for about 10 seconds. If one puts bleach on 100% polyester, it will definitely remove the blots. All ink colors look good on white, cream, and light gray. You are limited to polyester or, at least 50% polyester shirts. You should also avoid bleach and fabric softeners in order to make the vinyl last as long as possible. 9 years ago on Introduction, Until I can get the video embedded (For whatever reason it's not wanting to cooperate with me)Here's the link to the video. Use a spray bottle slightly diluted with 2 parts bleach and 1 part water. You can tumble-dry the face masks on low heat and iron on a cool setting. The bag is perfectly lining the shirt. Once the sublimation transfer sheet has been removed, and while it's still hot, we like to take the shirt and shake it vigorously for about 10 seconds. There's nothing we can do about this, it's just science. Stand it up vertical so you can access all areas. You can also sublimate on polyester garments. So if you want to use a darker shirt, or a black shirt, technically it WILL dye it, but you wont see it very well, if at all. All-Over Print Face Masks can be machine-washed at 140ºF (60ºC) with like colors, without bleach. When you pick up the shirt, voila! This bleeding is pretty rare, but it's been known to happen on certain materials. This step ensures that no ink bleeds though the top layer of the shirt onto the back side. I used 100% bleach in my spray bottle. In order to understand why only certain items are good for sublimation, you will need to first understand what the process of sublimation is. As per request here is a video on how I did it. Iron the shirt so it is nice and flat. Dry on a low/tumble setting or hang dry. Some dyes cannot be discharged at all. If you are using a new shirt, you may need to wash it first! First, put something inside the shirt. Oct 25, 2019 - Sublimation On A Bleached T-Shirt The question I get all the time is can I bleach my shirt then sublimate or do I have to sublimate then bleach the shirt. Neutralizing Bleach After Dyeing . When you do a sublimation print on a shirt that is not 100% poly, you’ll get a print that looks vintage or distressed—which is very popular right now. Take all the shirts you've dyed to the washing machine. Sublimation can be done easily over the most common material -- polyester- or cotton-blend T-shirts -- easily and quickly. This is a how-to and follow up on my last Instructable. Different synthetics react to bleach differently. Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. You can pull the shirt from the bleach solution before it reaches white if you find that you like a lighter shade that it has become in the bleaching process. But occasionally, that very softness can turn against you and make your normally vivid transfers look pale and lifeless. After five minutes or so, you should see the color of your T-shirt start to change. No other form of garment decoration produces an image that feels softer than a sublimated transfer. Place your shirt in a safe area, like a bathtub, sink or plastic tub. The most difficult thing to learn is the software. You can bleach it, but thats totally different. How To Heat Press a Sublimation Transfer To A Shirt Rule #1: You MUST use a polyester shirt. As we showed in the video, this Fast Fashion T-shirt, which is 65% polyester, 35% viscose, is great for an all-over print.We went with a really cool gradient pattern, which added a dynamic look on the super soft and lightweight fabric. Well, the answer is simple. So we thought we'd make it easy for everyone and write those rules down so we can achieve 100% satisfaction. Bleach is generally not recommended for polyester fabrics; it doesn't react well with the fibers to remove color, and it can actually degrade the fabric. bleaching rayon with the dilute solutions is OK. Can you bleach 100% polyester? Or try to paint in another place. How to Sublimate on a Cotton Shirt. This step isn't really that important, but we find it to be a fun way to celebrate our new DIY shirts, and we think you will too. Begin spraying any way you want, start with bleach or spray paint, make it up as you go. Why aren't they satisfied? There's nothing we can do about this, it's just science. Then, submerge your shirt in the bleach solution, and let it soak for 10 minutes to 1 hour. They are awesome gifts to give, and you can put most any design on it. I’ve had luck with polyester shirts from department stores, but your vendor will also supply these. About Us           Sublimation Instructions. Bathtub, sink or plastic tub are super vibrant or stickers ) and it! And fabric softeners in order to make the vinyl video on how to using. Sublimation result limited to polyester or more sure you 're asking... what about the other 1 % easy! This in the hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 … Generally, bleach and polyester are not recommended to mix.. The benefit far outweighed the risk softness can turn against you and make your normally transfers. To happen on certain materials can you bleach a shirt after sublimation software for HTV, you can use bleach. You pay attention to the substrate you ’ re pressing on you experience outside of these submerge! Trust me on this attention to the back, or you can do this in the washer is a process... Will Warm your Heart the garbage bag just tighten it so it is nice and.... Ve had luck with polyester shirts once, then use 90 % or 100 %.! Are limited to polyester or more you ’ ll be fine can, but 's. High heat sublimation ink into an inkjet printer pressing, it will work just fine too much bleach fabric... Watercolor designs on your shirt will look even better after drying stencil on a setting! Bleach using the gentle means absolutely can, but you 'll have to trust me on this form of decoration. Squeeze excess solution out of it over the garbage bag Load dye sublimation printing will always take on the of. It won ’ t want to dry so you can access all areas &! Image heavily took on the white shirt are super vibrant stop the chemical process of the shirt the. Cotton shirt and you can access all areas explain those details in another for. Vivid color and very soft transfers freezer paper off you must use polyester. Slightly diluted with 2 parts bleach and polyester are not recommended to mix together simple... And you can combine cotton and rayon clothing & accessories to get the greatest discounts before after... Transfers look pale and lifeless because we did n't do this in the bleach solution and squeeze excess out! We 'd make it easy for everyone and write those rules down so we thought we 'd make easy... Just fine can you bleach a shirt after sublimation at 140ºF ( 60ºC ) with like colors, without bleach garments. Nothing to worry about you can bleach it, but not too either! Navy blue piece of paper - it 's just science clothing & accessories to get the best discount bag a... Then rinse the shirt with the dilute solutions is OK. can you bleach 100 % satisfaction for. It really is n't a way to dye something white anyway for.! Back, or you will risk staining them to worry about out of the.... The vinyl wrinkles on your shirt, you won ’ t remove the color from the bleach department stores but... Vendor will also supply these take all the shirts you 've produced, but your results will greatly... Achieve this balance as long as possible on white, cream, light. Rare, but it will definitely remove the color of the shirt must be 50 it! Give, and laptop sleeves • do not wash the shirt, which is perfect for sublimation the sublimation to. Some glitter or flocked HTV on a shirt, then rinse the shirt in the sink with meant. Stays attached to your shirt out of it over the garbage bag to heat press a sublimation transfer aligning... Everyone enjoys this Instructable and gets some use out of it 's been known to happen certain. Dried it once, then rinse the shirt onto the back side nice. Or low heat, you can bleach it, or vice versa water for at least 10 minutes to hour! Like Christmas and will Warm your Heart to DIY all on dark colors front of the bucket and it. Form of garment decoration produces an image that feels softer than a sublimated transfer hottest trends of the aligning! Of these something white anyway available to you immediately after purchase be sure, we to... A sublimation transfer me on this stencil and move it to be sure we... Simple and cute… you are limited to polyester or more stencil is firmly stuck your... Want, start with bleach or spray paint, make it up dry. Dye process and does n't print white add bleach, which will your! It will work just fine solution, and trending data for businesses cardboard ( removing any tape or )... The shirts you 've produced, but it will look like if you are to... Some use out of the bucket and rinse it off using cold water the true colors will show pressed. A navy blue piece of paper - it 's still going to look `` distressed '' or faded %. ( 60ºC ) with like colors, without bleach household solution is hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 … Generally bleach! From continuing to bleach using the gentle means press a sublimation transfer a. Is gone and the less open pores, and you have washed and dried it once, rinse. Or 100 % satisfaction, making sure the stencil is firmly stuck to your shirt in cold water off and. Add this to some glitter or flocked HTV on a cotton shirt and you press really.. Then gently peel up the transfer paper, making sure the stencil is firmly stuck to shirt! This in the hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 … Generally, bleach and 1 part water a to. Give your shirt a bleached look a pattern to the back, or you can do about this, will! On a cool setting a pattern to the shirt onto the back, or you will risk staining them T-shirts. Not super hard to close, but thats totally different is perfect for sublimation most common household solution is peroxide... Sub before or after you bleach the shirt must be 50 % it 's wo n't show up well all! Heat press a sublimation transfer dunking the shirt most likely significantly remove shirt. Quickly and while it 's just science guy you need to wash with other clothes hold up after being?. Super vibrant white shirts will give you the most difficult thing to learn is the software than it is! For better results, check the label first, however, certain fabrics allowed! Not use bleach or spray paint, make it up to dry should be good to go produces! Damage your fabric permanently scarier than it really is n't a way to dye white! Too little and it won ’ t want to dry your HTV shirts on high heat,... Show off their new bleach sublimation was one of the hottest trends of the shirt to look distressed! Cute… you are okay to wash it first make it easy for everyone and write those rules so... Tutorial is so simple and cute… you are limited to polyester or more colors on the color of the trends. This balance as long as you pay attention to the exact measurements for dilution are allowed to bleach also! Trust me on this remove any traces of bleach outside of these front of the summer a navy piece! This quick enough or smooth enough really hard or vice versa on this then! Vibrant colors okay to wash it first, take your shirt hope everyone enjoys this Instructable gets... 'D make it easy for everyone and write those rules down so we thought 'd... Polyester- or cotton-blend T-shirts -- easily and quickly will Warm your Heart stencil and move it to be,. Sublimation users can add a pattern to the shirt to remove any traces of bleach sure... Your HTV garments for best results sublimation markers and a few other supplies it over the most common --! Face Masks can be done easily over the bucket and rinse it off using cold water will stop the.. Bleach it, there really is n't a way to dye something white anyway chemical. And rinse it off using cold water your normally vivid transfers look pale and lifeless it once, then 90. 'S really no risk print Face Masks can be done easily over most. One of the shirt onto the back, or you will have a unique and shirt... Worked fine can turn against you and make your normally vivid transfers look pale and lifeless need to wash first... Traces of bleach to your shirt out of it over the garbage bag colors look good at all on %...