Tutorial: Sublimation on Mugs – 2 Ways

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We started with an introduction to sublimation, then a tutorial for sublimation on apparel, and today I’m showing you how to do sublimation on mugs.

Supplies Needed:

• Sublimation printer and ink
• Transfer paper
• Blank sublimation mugs
• Heat resistant tape
• Mug heat press or mug wraps
• Looking for my suggestions on where to buy sublimation supplies? Jump ahead to the last post in the series.

Method 1: Sublimation with a Mug Press

Step 1) Create a design and print it on your sublimation printer (don’t forget to mirror!).

Step 2) Line up your design and tape into place with heat resistant tape.

Step 3) Set up your mug press machine and load mug into your mug press. The actual operation of mug presses vary – follow the instructions that came with yours. (I bought this one. A quick note about buying a mug press: read, read, read. Some mug presses only work with certain sized mugs.)

Step 4) Press mug with firm pressure according to transfer paper and mug recommendations. I used 380/385 degrees for 185 seconds. When pressing, you’ll want to make sure that the handle of the mug isn’t touching the metal edges – that’s too much pressure.

Step 5) Using pot holders or gloves, remove the mug and transfer paper immediately. (These gloves worked much better than a pot holder – get 2.)

Step 6) Place the mug in warm water or place it in front of a fan to cool it off and prevent bleeding. Final product:

That’s it! It’s pretty simple to use the mug press, but time consuming because each mug has to press for so long.

Method 2: Sublimation with Mug Wraps

Step 1) Create a design and print it on your sublimation printer.

Step 2) Line up your design and tape into place with heat resistant tape.

Step 3) Slightly dampen the transfer paper. I used a towel and it worked well.

Step 4) Carefully place the mug wrap around the mug. Be careful not to wrinkle the transfer paper, and clamp it closed. You can find the mug wraps at this link.

Step 5) Bake in oven (not a toaster oven or microwave!) according to the settings that came with your transfer paper. I baked for 14 minutes at 425 degrees. Final product:

Both mugs are washable, can withstand scrubbing, and are dishwasher and microwave safe. If you plan to sell mugs, I’d highly recommend you choose sublimation over vinyl.

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