Crafter Notes | Know Your Materials #4 | Sublimation Blanks & Sublimation HTV

Hello Community! :wave:

Welcome back to Know Your Materials!
This series takes a closer look at common crafting materials—how they work, how to use them, and what to watch out for.

Today we’re diving into Sublimation Blanks and Sublimation HTV, two materials used in sublimation projects—but in different ways.


:green_circle: Sublimation Blanks
These are surfaces with a special coating that allows sublimation ink to bond permanently. You’ll find them in all kinds of shapes and uses—mugs, keychains, phone cases, fabric sheets, and more.

:paperclip: Features
:art: Bright, vibrant colors with rich details
:soap: No cracking, peeling, or fading—very durable
:sunny: UV-resistant and long-lasting outdoors

:warning: Things to keep in mind
• Only works with sublimation ink (not regular inkjet)
• Not suitable for high-cotton fabrics—ideally <30% cotton

:hammer_and_wrench: How to use

  1. Design your image in software and mirror it
  2. Print on the white side of sublimation paper using sublimation ink
  3. Place paper onto the blank and cover with a heat-resistant sheet
  4. Press at 180–200°C for 40s
  5. Remove the heat press and protective sheet, then quickly peel off the sublimation paper to finish your project


:purple_circle: Sublimation HTV
When used with sublimation, images can be printed onto sublimation paper using an inkjet printer and then transferred onto HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) through heat pressing. It works well on cotton materials like T-shirts, tote bags, pillows, and more.

:paperclip: Features
:scissors: Easy to cut and weed, no bubbling or wrinkling
:safety_pin: Good adhesion and smooth finish after pressing

:hammer_and_wrench: How to use

  1. Prepare your design for sublimation HTV—cutting machines can be used.
  2. Press the HTV onto the fabric at 150°C for 15 seconds (same as regular HTV), then peel (warm or cold peel)
  3. Place your printed sublimation paper on top of the HTV and press again at 200°C for 40 seconds to transfer the design


:pushpin: That’s a wrap (for now!) on our Know Your Materials series. We’ve explored a range of crafting staples—from vinyls to transfer papers to sublimation tools.

Before we close this chapter, here’s a quick question for you:
:thought_balloon: Which of the materials we’ve covered require you to mirror your design before printing or cutting?

Drop your answers in the comments!


:books: Missed earlier posts? Catch up here:
:point_right: Know Your Materials #1 | Adhesive Vinyl & Printable Sticker Paper
:point_right: Know Your Materials #2 | Heat Transfer Vinyl & Cardstock
:point_right: Know Your Materials #3 | Heat Transfer Paper & DTF Transfers

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HTV and Sublimation prints require you to mirror your design especially if they have words on them.

This was a great craft series. Thank you @OliviaZzz for putting this together

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Yes, I agreed to that! :wink:

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Very useful, thank you Olivia for the series!

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Thanks for this notes @OliviaZzz :tada:

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Thank you for sharing! Great learning :yellow_heart::blossom:

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One of the most amazing things I have used is HTVRONT sublimation htv and it made people all over my videos wondering what’s that transparent layer I put before sublimation :joy:
But to be honest and maybe you should take this note seriously @OliviaZzz the transparent htv contain lots of dust in it. So when I work on white Tshirts no matter how much I clean my surface but I see the dust it is inside the htv not outside of it not on the Tshirt.
For example you can see it here.


But the sublimation htv for dark fabrics is gorgeous and the results are very nice.

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I’m itching to get a sublimation printer :rofl:

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Yes, get one please! I’m hoping you do, soon! :wink: so, you can maximize the usage of your heat press!

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Lol me too!!! I hope to get a sublimation printer soon.

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Never ending wanting more craft thingies :rofl::money_with_wings:

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cryckies! I don’t kno lol, I know the sublimation needs to mirror, but the sublimation HTV i havent seen done yet? :thinking:

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Htv and sublimation both need to be mirrored but I sometimes still forget :woman_facepalming::rofl:

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When you buy an original made sublimation printer you don’t need to mirror she will do it herself :smirk:
Because it’s designed and made for sublimation so she knows what to do :wink:

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i dont have a sublimation printer - YET. but will keep this in mind

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I need to watch some video’s on this, it sounds interesting, thanks Marin :blush:

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Follow my Ig and send me a msg they’re all posted there I’ll share them with you :hugs:
https://instagram.com/marinos.creations?utm_medium=copy_link

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thanks marin, im gonna have to join IG lol :wink:

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I have used the sublimation HTV and you still need to mirror the image. Using my cutter, I cut the image (sublimation HTV) as it would normally appear on the finished product (T-shirt or whatever it is). Then, I printed the sublimation image on sublimation paper mirrored. After applying the sublimation HTV first, then I applied the sublimation to the HTV.

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