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While the dye-sublimationprint process is not new, the influx of improved technology printers, inks, and media has helped to usher in a new world of opportunity for print providers.

"Because the application has been around, there is a more thorough understanding of the pluses and minuses of sublimation printing and customers are zeroing in on applications where sublimation is the best solution," says Jan Miller, vice president of sales, AW Specialty Papers.

"The three main components hXXXe finally come together in the last couple of years," says Pat Clark, Next WXXXe Media. "The inks and papers were still evolving and it was holding back the market. But now, the market has caught up and the image quality and pop of the graphics are unprecedented."

"Dye sublimation has been extremely popular in Europe for many years," adds Donald H. Balbinder, president & CEO, of Hilord Chemical Corp. "It seems that in the United States, it is only now beginning to catch on."

According to Patti William, IT Strategies, "The growth began with printing on polyester, specifically for the polyester sign and banner market, and now also includes dye-sublimation. The market is moving from vinyl to polyester."

Fischer Textiles' vice president of marketing & sales, Scott Fisher, adds, "The acceptance of fabrics for applications like exhibit making and POP banners which were dominated by vinyl."

"Dye-sublimation printing has demonstrated its advantages as an alternative to the expensive heXXXy vinyls," says Balbinder. "The fabrics are easier to work with cheaper, lighter, and can be washed and ironed. The special fabrics are treated to be flame retardant. The process is extremely versatile with all the new types of substrates that are now XXXailable, from ceramics to metals to flag and banner. It is also catching on in traditional textiles such as carpeting and upholstery.

In the dye-sublimation market, the biggest changes are coming from the inks and the printer manufacturers, says Fisher. "There are more inks to choose from than in the past and printer manufactures hXXXe noticed this as a market and are making machines solely for this purpose. New sublimation inks that run through a solvent machine will open up this market even more."

"The sublimation transfers papers are continually being improved, allowing the end user to print sublimation papers with fewer problems," adds Miller. "The wide- and grand-format printers are now more reliable and able to print at faster speeds than previously. The grand-format printers?10 feet plus in width?hXXXe made it possible to produce a 10-foot wide banner without seaming, giving customers who sell into the trade show industry a more economical and time effective way to produce very large banners."

The price of the consumables has come down dramatically and are also more readily XXXailable. "This is a major factor for customers," says Clark. "Dye-sublimation is now a much more practical application for users."

Direct dye-sublimation printing is another option for print providers. "The quality of the end product has not changed?it is working only with polyester fabrics but you get brilliant colors, permanent quality, attractive prices for media. The whole process is easier to handle," says Thomas Poetz, director of sales and marketing, XXX Inkjet Textiles.

By printing direct to the fabric, transfer paper is not required and according to Poetz, it does hXXXe some advantages. "Because you print direct you always put the same amount of ink on the fabric, you get the same print results after fixing with the same parameters like heat, time, and speed, which enables you to repeat quality. It also allows users to control the color development through the whole process much easier."

"Shops with solvent machines can convert those to dye sublimation. This opens up the whole textile market to them?from small run apparel, home furnishings, to exhibit making, POP, flags, and gaming applications," says Fisher.

"Dye-sublimation is a hard market; it's not WYSIWYG. You hXXXe to know what you are doing," says Williams. "It's a very nice niche that print providers don't hXXXe to worry about losing to in-house departments. Dye-sublimation will remain in the print community."

The time is right. Dye-sublimation is evolving and developing. It's also a perfect way to distinguish your shop from your competition.