How To Sublimate Tumblers

Tumblers and water bottles are an extremely popular item produced using the dye sublimation transfer printing method.

Most tumblers and water bottles are manufactured using a food safe grade aluminium allowing them to be used for hot or cold drinks.

Sublimating a tumbler or water bottle is a very simple process, but it is something we are often asked about.

Our handy how to press video can be viewed below-

What will you need?

A sublimation converted inkjet printer
Sublimation paper
Heat resistant tape
Heat resistant gloves
Tumbler heat press
Craft Blade / Scissors

Optional items used in our video are;
Tumbler pinch clamp tool
Tape-Mate heat tape dispenser

1) Design Process

You will need to create the artwork for you mug design on your computer.
Ideally use a good piece of photo editing software.

Popular software choices are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator,  Serif Affinity Photo or Serif Affinity Designer.

Check the size of your tumbler or water bottle (height and circumference) to ascertain the size of the design required.

We advise to keep a small gap from the top and bottom of the tumbler or water bottle as they often have a radius curve that can be difficult to sublimate on to.

2) Preparing your printed design

Take your printed paper transfer and trim all edges of the paper with a pair of scissors.

Wrap the paper around the outside of the tumbler starting from one side and working around to the other.

Secure in place using heat tape.

The paper wrap should be tight against the tumbler surface to avoid creasing when it is placed in the heat press.

3) Pressing your tumbler

Most aluminium tumblers or water bottles are pressed at 180c for 60 seconds, or 180c for 35+35 seconds if your design is full wrapped (we rotate the tumbler in the heat press after 35 seconds then press again for a further 35 seconds)

This can differ from tumbler to tumbler and it is always advised to check with the manufacturer or supplier of your sublimation mugs first.

For our example we have used a set of our own 20oz sublimation tumblers. We recommend these are pressed at:

Temperature: 180c
Time: 60 seconds / 35+35 seconds (full wrap design)
Pressure: Medium

Step by step method

Generally we find the following process works well;

Turn on your tumbler heat press.

Set the temperature and time.

Allow it to come up to temperature with a blank (no paper wrap) sublimation mug in the press (this helps to protect the heating blanket / element and reduces wear).

When the heat press is at the correct temperature remove the blank tumbler, and insert a tumbler which has been wrapped with the printed paper design.

  • Close the heat press clamp and start the timer.
  • Press for 60 seconds / 35+35 seconds (for full wrap)
  • When the timer finishes remove the tumbler from the heat press and place on a cooling rack or heat proof mat.
  • Remove the paper straight away to prevent ink migration.
  • If possible, dunk the tumbler into boiling water to cool rapidly without damaging them. This cools the surface and prevents further ink migration.

Tips and tricks

Try to keep your design away from the edges (top and bottom) of the tumbler.

We try to keep 5-10mm away from the top and bottom of the tumbler due to the small radius curve in these areas. As a result you tend to find a poorer image transfer in these areas.

Ensure your printed design has been trimmed on all edges of the paper to ensure the paper is clean and no unwanted ink will be transferred to the tumbler.

For a full wrap design where the design is not completely covered by the heating element we recommended to press for 35 seconds, then rotate the tumbler before pressing for a further 35 seconds

For a partial wrap design where the design is completely covered by the heating element these can be pressed for 60 seconds with no break or rotation.

Please contact us to raise your order