Hat sublimation is a great way for designers to print their designs on hats. Trucker, bucket and baseball caps can all be sublimated, giving you a whole new range of designing possibilities. You can also personalize your favorite hat and beanie. Here, we’ll take a look at the process of hat sublimation and share some tips to help you get the best results.
Best of all, custom sublimation printing can give new life to the cap that you love. Also, there are cotton and polyester hat blanks that are especially designed for sublimation, you’ll be able to customize them by sublimating any digital picture directly onto them. Sublimation does not burn the fabric of the trucks, but it only transfers the color onto the fabric. So, this guide will educate you if you are planning to sublimate your trucker hat or a basketball cap.
Also, see the method of sublimation on acrylic.
Contents
Sublimation on Hat Blanks – Best Way to Sublimate Caps
Now that you know a little more about hat sublimation and what it entails, it’s time to print your design on a hat blank. The best way to do this is by using a heat press especially designed for hats. You can use an iron instead of a press, but the results won’t be as good. If you don’t have a heat press, you can find them fairly inexpensively on Amazon.
“You can sublimate polyester trucker hats, baseball caps, and bucket hats using this sublimation method.”
Things Required: (for polyester caps)
- Sublimation printer
- Sublimation paper
- Heat press for hats
- Sublimation ink
- Polyester hat blank
- Heat press tape
- Scissor
Here are the basic steps to sublimating a cap:
- Design your image by using any design software, or you can find free designs online. Just make sure that the file is in .JPG or .PNG format.
- Print the design on sublimation paper using a sublimation printer. and special sublimation ink. Make sure that your printer is set to “mirror image” before you print, otherwise your design will be reversed when it’s sublimated.
- Cut out the design to the size of your hat blank.
- Preheat your heat press to 400 degrees.
- Place the printed paper on the hat facing downward, apply heat press tape to prevent movement
- Place your hat blank on the press and apply pressure for about 45 seconds.
- Remove the hat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- You are done! Your design is now permanently printed on your hat.
Note: If you are sublimating cotton hats, use sublimation coating spray before transferring the print. Cotton is highly absorbent ink and it will absorb dyes – or they’ll spread!
The best method for hat sublimation
Hat Sublimation Design Ideas
Now that you know how to print your design on a hat blank, it’s time to start designing! Here are a few ideas that you can sublimate on a trucker hat or baseball cap; to get you started:
- Your favorite team’s logo
- A fun phrase or quote
- A picture of your loved ones
- A patriotic design
- A cool abstract design
- A simple pattern or design
- Your favorite band’s logo
- A seasonal design for Christmas, Halloween or Valentine’s Day
- Your marital status
- A custom design just for you!
Here are the best printers for sublimation transfer.
Benefits of Hat Sublimation
Trucker caps have been a big part of fashion for a long time. You see them everywhere, on roadies, with politicians, kids, and even artists. Along with custom designing hats for fashion, there are a number of benefits to printing your designs on hats with sublimation. Here are a few of the most important ones:
- Hat sublimation is used for branding and advertising.
- It’s a great way to personalize hats and beanies.
- You can create custom designs that are unique to you.
- It’s a useful way to sublimate sports caps such as baseball, golf and cricket, etc.
- Designers use hat sublimation to print their beautiful designs for fashion presentations.
Wrapping Up
The hat sublimation is a great way to personalize your hat. It allows you to have a unique design that is completely your own. Whether you are looking to sell your new designs or just make a fashion statement, hat sublimation is a great way to add your own style to your hat. You should try this new way to customer your trucker hat, bucket and baseball caps.
Read the process of sublimation on canvas if you want to design your summer canvas hat.
Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQs)
Can you do sublimation on a hat?
Yes, you can do sublimation on a hat using a heat press especially designed for hats, or an iron.
How do you sublimate to a hat?
Here are the basic steps to sublimating a hat:
- Print your design on a sublimation paper
- Cut out the design using scissors
- Preheat your heat press to 400 degrees
- Place the hat blank on the press and apply pressure for about 15 seconds to pre-heat it
- After that, place the printed paper on the hat blank where you want to transfer the design, place some heat press tape to prevent shifting
- Place the hat blank on the heat press again and apply heat and pressure for about 45 seconds (recommended temp 380 to 400 degrees)
- Remove the hat and let it cool for a few minutes.
What temperature do you sublimate hats on?
You can sublimate hats at different temperatures, depending on the type of hat and the fabric used. For cotton or polyester caps, you can use a heat press set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. For wool caps, you’ll need to use a heat press set to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you sublimate a hat without a hat press?
You can sublimate a hat without a hat press by using an iron. Make sure that the iron is set to the highest temperature possible and that you use a pressing cloth to protect the fabric. Apply pressure and heat for about 30 seconds, then allow the hat to cool for a few minutes.
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