Category: Tools & Supplies

Ink is something that differentiates between an average print and a high-quality print. With these inks, you can produce high-quality, brighter, long-lasting prints. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a beginner, it is crucial to understand which is the best sublimation ink and why. So, let’s dive into it.

Top Most Commonly Used Inks

1. Hiipoo Ink

It is a water-based dye ink that is specifically designed for digital printing. It is resistant to UV light, which helps to prevent color fading when printed items are exposed to sunlight. 

Why to choose?

• Color vibrancy and saturation: To stand out in the print, use this ink, which delivers brighter and more saturated colors. Print custom T-shirts, mugs, or other personalized items.
• Fast drying time: Hiipoo ink dries quickly in 2 minutes. This helps to complete the printing process quickly.
• Fade resistance: This ink offers excellent fade resistance and lasts long quality.
• Waterproof properties: Hiipoo ink is waterproof and suitable for apparel and home decor.

2. Epson ink

It is heavily recognized for sublimation printing, especially for Epson. It offers an easy fill-up process and is ideal for heat transfer printing on polyester T-shirts, mugs, ceramics, and other coated blanks.

Why to choose?

• It offers a non-toxic and eco-friendly formula.
• The price is also affordable.
• Suitable for pillows, T-shirts, shoes, and many other substrates.
• Offers brighter, lasting printing.
• One Epson ink bottle is the cable for 7500 pages in black or 6000 pages in color.

3. Cosmos Ink

It is suitable for Epson Printers, Epson EcoTank, and Sawgrass Printers.

Why to choose?

• It is compatible with almost all types of printers.
• It dries fast and is ideal for printing on promotional DIY items, apparel, or home décor essentials.
• It can print up to 100 sheets of plain paper.
• Photo paper capacity of up to 20 sheets.

4. Printers Jack Ink

It is widely used for digital printing and is used mainly with Epson EcoTank printers.  

Why to choose?

• It works well with all types of Epson printers, specifically for heat transfer printing on various substrates. 
• It offers long-lasting printing and produces professional-quality printing.
• This ink dries quickly.
• It is also the same, with a plain paper capacity of up to 100 sheets.
• The photo paper capacity is up to 20 sheets. 

5. Sawgrass Sublijet HD Ink

It is a premium ink designed for Sawgrass printers and is used by professionals worldwide.

Why to choose?

• The ink flows smoothly through the print head, reducing blockages.
• Offers long-lasting printing.
• It’s environmentally friendly, and cartridges are designed for recycling.
• Batch-to-batch consistency ensures high quality.
• Perfect for both hard and soft polyester substrates.

6. Xcinkjet Ink

It is known for its quality and cost-effectiveness. 

Why to choose?

• It’s perfect for Epson WorkForce series printers, Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400, and SG800 printer models.
• They are designed explicitly for heat-transfer printing.
• It offers a balance between quality and affordability.
• The ink bottle nozzles prevent leakage or spills during printing due to the double seal ability.
• The ink is less likely to dry and block the print head.
• It also offers consistent printing results.
• It is suitable for A-Sub Paper, Printers Jack Paper, Stratford Brands Paper (8.5×11 inches), and Seogol Paper.
• It is also ideal for polyester fabrics.

7. Koala Black Ink

It offers no clogging and no harm to the printer. The ink is formulated to be anti-UV, which means the transferred colors are long-lasting, anti-scratch, waterproof, and washable with no fading.

Why to choose?

• Excellent quality: It offers excellent-quality printing. 
• Compatibility: It is compatible with Epson printers and works well with Koala’s A-Sub papers.
• Anti-UV: It is anti-UV, which means the transferred colors are long-lasting.
• Wide range of applications: It is suitable for a wide range of applications, including DIY personalized mugs, T-shirts, mousepads, pillows, hats, mats, phone cases, ceramics, flags, and more.

8. HEMEINY Ink

It is a high-quality ink that is known for its excellent printing properties.

Why to choose?

• It contains six 100 ml bottles of different colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. Light Cyan and Light Magenta.
• This ink is compatible with various printers such as Stylus Photo 1400, PX700W, PX800FW, P50, PX830FWD, Artisan 1430, 600, 700, 800, 710, 810, 837 printers.
• It is specially designed for polyester or products with coating or polyester with less than 30% cotton. 
• This ink dries fast and transfers at 190 to 210-degree temperature on the substrate.

9. Seogol Ink

This ink is widely known for its excellent performance and printing quality. It is compatible with all types of Epson printers.

It comes with the latest three-layer filtering technology, which makes the ink color brighter.  

Why to choose?

• Durability and longevity: Seogol Ink is highly durable, long-lasting, and UV-protected.
• Resistant: It’s also both light- and water-resistant.
• Ease of use: The setup of Seogol ink is quick and straightforward.
• 400ml Package: This package includes a 400ml bottle of Seogol Ink.
• Color: it comes with Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color

10. TBTeek Ink

It offers high-quality print and is compatible with various substrates.

Why to choose?

• Compatibility: This ink is designed for refillable cartridges and is compatible with limited printers.
• Low-Viscosity liquid technology: It is powered by low-viscosity liquid technology that prevents the ink from getting clogged.
• Vibrant colors: This ink is known for producing brighter colors, which makes it ideal for dye-sub printing.
• Fast drying: It dries up very quickly, which makes the printing process easier and quicker.
• Wide range of applications: This ink can be used on a variety of surfaces, such as T-shirts, cloth, pillowcases, mugs, quilts, cross-stitch, shoes, caps, ceramics, boxes, bags, decorative cloth, flags, banners, and more.
• Color: It comes with Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color
• Quantity: It comes with a 4 X 100ml bottle.

11. InkOwl Dye Kit

The InkOwl Dye Kit is designed to convert an ordinary EPSON printer into a dedicated dye-sub printer. It is available in 10 colors with high-quality printing solutions.

Why to choose?

• Convert your regular printer into a dedicated dye-sub printer using InkOwl’s Performance-Ultra Ink Bottles or Cartridges.
• Get professional-quality prints on various substrates, such as mugs, shirts, and more.
• Ideal for smaller-scale projects and home-based printing.
• Compatible with multiple EPSON Printer models and RICOH and VIRTUOSO native dye-sub printers.
• Suitable for a variety of blanks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Choosing the best sublimation ink is essential to achieve high-quality, long-lasting prints. Always look for color accuracy, compatibility with different substrates, and resistance to fading up. Which is your preferred ink for printing? Share your views in the comments.

Choosing the right printer for dye-sub printing at a low budget is very challenging. But Sawgrass printers can be the best alternatives among the most popular printers.

They are known for their reliability, trouble-free printing, and image quality. This guide will provide a complete explanation of these printers and their role in digital printing.

Why Choose Sawgrass Printers?

• Unparalleled support: It offers dedicated support through its technical documents, troubleshooting guides, and resources. It also provides Sawgrass Print Manager (SPM) for macOS and Windows, which is compatible with Creative Studio software.
• Installation guide: It properly explains “how to install SPM and printer driver.”
• Customer support: You can quickly contact the Care Team if you face issues and have questions to ask. They provide a complete support system.

Popular Sawgrass Printers

Some popular and easy-to-use printers are

1. Virtuoso SG500  

It is a compact, user-friendly printer. If you are using ink provided by Sawgrass, then it will offer media up to 8.5″ * 51 without a tray.

Benefits

• Media size: It can handle 8.5″ x 14″ sheets through the standard paper tray. Without a tray, it can print up to 8.5″ x 51″.
• Resolution and print speed: The maximum resolution of the SG500 is 4880 X 1200 dpi, which can print 157 pages per hour at 600 X 600 dpi.
• Connectivity: You can use both wired and wireless connections, including Wi-Fi.
• Supported software: The printer supports online Creativestudio software, which is user-friendly and perfect for beginners.
• Versatility: The print can print on different products, such as t-shirts, mugs, caps, or frames.
• Low ink consumption: It prints high-quality images with low ink consumption.
• Maintenance: It supports an automatic maintenance cycle for trouble-free printing with high-quality resolution.

Limitation

• Cartridge-based ink system: Due to cartridge-based ink system. This can lead to frequent ink refilling.
• Wireless connectivity: You may face some issues with wireless connectivity.

2. Virtuoso SG1000

It is a high-print printer and can print larger sheets. But it uses a cartridge-based ink system.

Benefits

• Pro-level print consistency: It offers professional-level print consistency.
• Versatile: It allows large-size printing.
• Energy efficiency: The printer has energy-efficient performance.
• High-resolution printing: It offers detailed and vibrant prints.
• Wi-Fi connectivity: It offers Wi-Fi connectivity and allows wireless printing.

Limitation

• Cartridge-based ink system: Frequently, ink filling is required as it operates on a cartridge-based ink system. 
• Connectivity: The printer’s wireless connectivity could be better.
• Cost of ink and paper: With this printer, the ink and paper used can be slightly expensive.
• Size: It can print bigger sheets of paper.

3. Sawgrass VJ628

It is a large format, 8-color printer capable of high-resolution printing up to 1440 * 1440 dpi. It can produce a full bleed print 24″ wide, which is more significant than any other printer. Moreover, it uses dot-size printing technology for fast printing.

Benefits

• High-volume production: It offers high-volume printing.
• 8-Color Ink Configurations: It uses 8-color ink configurations for dazzling prints.
• Media print sizes: It offers media sizes up to 13″, 17″, 24″, and 24.8″.

Limitation

• Replacement inks: The replacement inks for the VJ628 can be expensive.
• Operating system compatibility: It is only compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating system.
• Space requirement: The compact design requires 7sqft (0.7sqmt) of space.

How To Install And Set Up Sawgrass Printers?

Download And Install Print Manager

• Visit the official website.
• Register and complete the form and create an account,
• After that, click on “Download Software” and select the latest version of SPM according to your operating system (Windows or MacOS)
• Run it and follow the instructions to install the Print Manager. 

Install The Printer Driver

• Connect your printer to the computer through USB or set it up on the local network (Wi-Fi).
• After that, follow the additional prompts to install the necessary printer drivers.

Calibration And Color Management

• Open the Print Manager.
• Configure color profiles based on the type of ink and paper you’re using.

Load Paper And Ink

• Load paper into the printer tray.
• Fill the ink cartridges with proper inks; recommended ink.

Setup Setting

• Select the image that will be printed.
• Use graphic design software to create vibrant designs.
• In the Print Manager, select the correct printer and paper profile.
• Print the design onto the paper.
• Heat Press the printed design onto the substrate to transfer the ink.

How To Maintain Printers For Better Results?

• Regular printing: Use the printer for regular use to keep the ink flowing and prevent clogs.
• Nozzle check: Check whether the print head is functioning correctly or not.
• Head cleans and head flushes: Clean the printer head daily.
• Capping station clean: Clean the capping station regularly to make sure it’s free of ink buildup.
• Inspect and clean the feed rollers: Clean the feed rollers daily to make sure the paper feed is smooth.
• Clean the registration sensor: Clean the registration sensor to confirm the accuracy of the paper feed.
• Software updates: Update Print Manager Software, If available. 

What Software Is Used In Sawgrass Printers Models?

• Sawgrass Print Manager (SPM)
• Sawgrass CreativeStudio
• PrintMate

The Best Paper And Inks For Sawgrass Printers? 

Inks

• SubliJet Inks
• EasySubli Inks
• Sublijet UHD Ink

Paper

• SUBLIMAX Paper
• TexPrint DT R Heavy Paper
• PrintLAT – Sublicotton paper
• TruePix Classic Paper
• A-SUB Paper
• HTVRONT Paper
• Hiipoo Paper
• Printers Jack Paper

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

These Printers stand out for their quality, versatility, and user-friendly interface. With the proper software, inks, and papers, these printers can help you create brighter, lasting prints. However, identifying your needs for the model for Sawgrass Printer can be overwhelming, but with a proper understanding of each model’s strengths and limitations, you can choose the best one. Share your thoughts about these printers in the comments.

In the world of digital printing, choosing the right printer is crucial for achieving the best result. But with Epson Printers, you can get the best prints for your project. In this guide, we will explore different types of printers.

Why Choose Epson Printers?

These are a renowned brand in the world of printing, reputed for their high-quality prints. They also offer durability and numerous advanced features.

There are various Epson printers that you can use. Here is the list.

1. SureColor T2170

It is part of a 24-inch desktop inkjet printer known for its technical and graphics printing capabilities.

The T2170 stands out for its speed, precision, versatility, and ability to print on both roll and sheets.

For roll media, it can accommodate a roll up to 24 inches wide with a maximum roll diameter of up to 4.3 inches and a media thickness of up to 8.6 mil.

For sheet media, it can handle sheets up to 24 inches wide and up to 11″ x 17″ through the Auto Sheet Feeder. The minimum sheet size it can handle is 8.27″ x 11″.

This makes the model T2170 suitable for printing on a wide range of materials, including various types of paper and cardstock. Posters, line drawings, and blueprints are the best examples.

Benefits

• Fast print speeds: It produces accurate A1/D-size prints in 43 seconds.
• Easy to operate: It has a large, intuitive 4.3″ LCD color touchscreen that simplifies the printing process.
• High-capacity cartridges: The printer uses up to 50 mL of cartridges for standard color and 80 mL for black.
• Wireless printing: It supports integrated wireless plus router-free Wi-Fi direct printing.
• Precision core micro TFP print head: This print head offers commercial-grade reliability with Nozzle verification technology.
• Durable, instant-dry prints: The printer uses Ultra Chrome XD2 pigment ink, which dries very quickly.
• Compact, clean design: It has an ultra-small footprint and a sleek, minimal design that enhances the workspace and easily fits on a desktop.
• Precise, sharp detail: It can print blueprints, line drawings, posters, and more, up to 2400 dpi.
• Easy to set up: You can easily set it up in 30 minutes.

Limitations

• Minimum paper width: The minimum paper width for roll media is 13 inches, and for sheet media, it’s 8.27 inches.
• Ink Compatibility: No third-party cartridges or ink are suitable for this printer. It can only be used with Epson cartridges.
• Limited media handling: It can accommodate rolls up to 24 inches wide and sheets up to 11″ x 17″ through the Auto Sheet Feeder.
• Price: The cost of this printer might be very high, especially when you are a beginner.

2. WorkForce WF-7720

It offers a versatile printing solution with high resolution, which ensures sharp and brighter prints. To connect with the printer, you can use Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, USB connection, etc., with your device and the cloud.

Furthermore, it comes with several USB drive ports and can handle a maximum of 500 paper sheets. The front paper trays can accept up to 250 sheets, and the rest of the sheets can fit behind. 

Benefits

• Wide-format printing: It can produce print-shop-quality borderless prints up to 13″ x 19″ and scans up to 11″ x 17″.
• High-volume printing: It features a 500-sheet capacity and dual trays with a rear feed for specialty paper.
• Automatic two-sided printing: It saves up to 50% on paper supply.
• Versatile paper handling: It can handle a variety of paper media with two different input trays.
• Connectivity features: It supports wireless printing and has tons of connectivity features, like Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and NFC.
• Easy navigation and control: It has an intuitive 4.3″ color touchscreen for easy navigation and control.
• Economical: It uses up to 80 percent less power compared to other printers.

Limitations

• High cost per page: Although it offers dual trays, but price of paper is high. This is why it is best for small projects or businesses.
• Color accuracy: The printer’s color accuracy could be better.
• Slow printing speed: The WF-7720 has a slower printing speed compared to other models.
• Ink Compatibility: This is designed only for genuine Epson ink cartridges and not for third-party ink cartridges.

3. EcoTank ET-2760

This is a part of the EcoTank line of printers is known for its large size. Originally, it was not designed for heat transfer printing, but you can easily convert it.

Moreover, it offers a print resolution of 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi and can print a 13″ x 19″ image within 37 seconds. It uses four individual color tanks and has an ink capacity of 220 ml per color.

Benefits

• Cost-effective: It allows refilling the ink tanks directly with ink bottles, which saves money.
• Versatile: This printer can print on various surfaces, such as metal, wood, and fabric.
• High-quality prints: The printer’s 5760 x 1440 dpi resolution produces high-quality prints.
• User-friendly: The printer is easy to use.
• Affordable: It is affordable and easy to use.
• Fast and reliable printing: It offers fast and reliable printing, making it ideal for professionals in the arts.

Limitations

• Print size: It can only print up to 8.5×14 inches.
• Print speed: The printer prints very slowly.
• Color accuracy: Its color accuracy could be better, and most colors look different from their originals. But can be fixed by adjusting the ICC profile.

4. EcoTank ET-2720

It is a wireless all-in-one super tank printer that offers cartridge-free printing with easy-to-fill, supersized ink tanks.

You can print up to 4500 pages with two years limited warranty. Moreover, it has a compact, space-saving design with the capacity of 100 sheets of paper. 

Benefits

• High-quality prints: It delivers brighter, high-quality prints and is ideal for graphics.
• Cost-effective: It is a budget-friendly printer and has low operating costs due to its EcoTank refillable ink system.
• Easy setup: The setup process is simple and effective.
• Compact and lightweight: Its compact size makes it easy to fit on a desk or in a small space.
• Wi-Fi Direct support: It supports Wi-Fi Direct, allowing you to print wirelessly.
• Print speed: Its speed is up to 10 ppm in black & white and five ppm in color printing.

Limitations

• Low printing speed: The printer has a speed of 5 ppm in color, which is a bit slower.
• No memory card support: It does not support memory cards.
• Low paper capacity: The paper capacity might need to be increased for heavy material printing.
• Limited print size: It may not be suitable for larger designs as its maximum print size is 8.5″ x 14”.
• Doesn’t support Ethernet: It lacks Ethernet support.

5. WorkForce WF-7820

It is a high-performance, wide-format all-in-one printer with wide-format printing up to 13″ x 19″. It offers a powerful duplex solution and auto 2-sided print, copy, scan, and fax, and a convenient 50-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF).

It can print at a speed of 25 ISO pages per minute (ppm) in black and 12 ISO ppm in color.

Benefits

• High-speed wide-format printing: It is suitable for printing up to 13″ x 19″ pages.
• High-volume reliability: This printer is designed for heavy workloads and reduced downtime.
• Complete duplex solution: It offers auto 2-sided print, copy, scan, and fax, plus a 50-sheet Auto Document Feeder (ADF).
• Large paper capacity: It has a large, 250-sheet paper capacity.
• Wireless setup: It offers convenient wireless setup using a smartphone also built-in wireless, Wi-Fi Direct, Mopria Print Service, Mopria Scan, and Ethernet networking.
• Seamless scanning: It supports easy scanning and editing.
• Comprehensive security features: It includes secure wireless and Secure Data Erase.
• Low energy consumption: It uses PrecisionCore Heat-Free Technology, due to which energy consumption is low.
• Ink: It uses DURABrite Ultra pigment ink.
• USB drive support: It supports direct printing from USB thumb drives.
• Epson smart panel App: The App allows you to change printer or scanner operations easily from iOS and Android devices.

Limitations

• Cost per page: The WF-7820 does not have a bulk ink feature. This means its per-page costs can be high.
• Monthly duty cycle: It monthly duty cycle stands around 300 pages. This means there may be better choices for large and demanded businesses.
• Size and weight: The WF-7820 is a large, relatively heavy printer requiring ample space.
• Speed: Not so high to deliver the order on the same day.

6. EcoTank Photo ET-8500 

This is a six-color printer known for its high-quality photo prints. It offers a low-cost per page facility along with various connectivity options and uses Epson’s patented Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology.

Benefits

• Six-color ink system: It uses pigmented black ink and five dye inks (photo black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and grey).
• High print quality: It is known mainly for greyscale photos.
• Cost-effective: It has a low cost per page and the refill inks offer a range of 6,700 pages for text black and 6,200 pages for the other colors.
• Heat-free technology: It comes with Micro Piezo Heat-Free technology.
• Connectivity: It supports various connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and the Smart Panel app etc.
• Scanner and card reader: It includes a scanner, card reader, and USB-A port for a thumb drive.
• Large touchscreen: It offers a large touchscreen for easy operation.
• Dedicated photo paper tray: It has a dedicated photo paper tray.
• Uniquely keyed ink bottles: It has keyed ink bottles to prevent misfiling.

Limitation

• Lack of automatic document feeder (ADF): It cannot scan and copy to one page at a time.
• Scan quality limitation: The printer limits scan quality to 600 dpi while using the mobile app.
• Initial purchase price: The initial purchase price is high, but the cost per page is low.

7. WorkForce ET-4750 

It is versatile and cost-effective known for its excellent output quality, but a bit slow.

Benefits

• Cartridge-free printing: It offers revolutionary cartridge-free printing with easy filling.
• Ink supply: It includes up to 2 years of ink in the box, enough to print up to 17,200 pages.
• Paper tray: It has a high capacity of 250-sheet paper tray.
• Auto document feeder (ADF): It comes with a 30-sheet ADF.
• Auto 2-sided printing: It supports fast auto 2-sided printing.
• Touchscreen: It has a 2.4″ color touchscreen for simplicity and easy navigation.
• Connectivity: It supports wired and wireless networking and can easily print from iPads, iPhones, Android tablets, and smartphones.
• Voice-activated printing: It supports hands-free, voice-activated printing.

Limitation

• Speed: The ET-4750 is slow for its price.
• Automatic document feeder (ADF): The ADF is not auto-duplexing.
• No NFC Support: The printer does not support Near Field Communication (NFC).
• Color rendition: It offers color rendition, particularly with the color pink.
• Surface requirement: It won’t work correctly if the material or surface is tilted or at a certain angle.
• Paper limitation: Transparencies and vellum paper are not supported.

8. EcoTank ET-8550 

This offers the same facility as the WorkForce ET-4750 printer model.

Benefits

• Six-color printing: It uses pigmented black ink and five dye inks (photo black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and grey) for a wide color gamut and excellent print quality.
• High print quality: It is perfect for greyscale photo printing.
• Cost-effective: It has a low cost per page and the refill inks offer a range of 6,700 pages for text black and 6,200 pages for the other colors.
• Heat-free technology: It offers Epson’s patented Micro Piezo Heat-Free Technology.
• Connectivity: It supports various connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and the Smart Panel app on your smartphone.
• Scanner and card reader: It includes a scanner, card reader, and USB-A port for a thumb drive.
• Large touchscreen: It has a large touchscreen for navigation.
• Dedicated photo paper tray: It has a dedicated photo paper tray.
• Wireless: It is a wireless printer.
• All-in-One wide format printer: It can scan, fax, and print.
• Borderless printing: It prints up to 13 X 19 borderless allows to print on a complete paper sheet.

Limitation

There is no such limitation other than the size of the printer 13×19″ and the capacity of each tray.

9. EcoTank ET-15000

This model is perfect for large-size papers, which are best for printing oversized t-shirts. The refilling ink tank procedure is straightforward and leaves no mess.

Benefits

• Large print size: It can print up to 13” x 19” prints.
• Low cost per print: The printer uses ink tanks that can be filled with ink instead of cartridges and pigments.  
• Print speed: The printer supports a maximum print speed of up to 9 ppm for color prints and 17 ppm for monochrome prints.
• Cartridge-free: It uses large ink tanks that you can fill with high-quality ink.
• Connectivity: The printer offers many options, including USB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Ethernet.
• Touchscreen: It has a 2.7″ color touchscreen for easy setup and navigation.
• Auto two-sided printing: It offers auto two-sided printing.
• Rear feed tray: It has a rear feed tray for larger prints.

Limitation

The EcoTank ET-15000 printer has a few limitations, such as a blocked print head problem, print size, etc.

10. EcoTank ET-4760

Benefits

It offers the same features as the EcoTank ET-15000 printer, but some paper capacity for this printer is up to 250 sheets using the front paper tray and 2.7” color touchscreen. It also offers hand-free voice-activated printing of 9 ppm for color prints and 17 ppm for monochrome prints.

Limitation

There is no such specific limitation for this printer, but display lighting can be a challenging part of navigation. Furthermore, it comes with a blocked print head, which is frustrating for beginners.

How To Install And Set Up Printer?

Here are the general steps to install and set up the printer.

Installation

1. Prepare the printer- Before you start, clean the printer first.
2. Install ink cartridges- Replace the standard ink cartridges with sublimation ink cartridges; make sure to install the cartridges correctly to prevent any leakage.
3. Install the necessary printer driver: Download and install the required printer drivers from the official website.

Set up

• Connect printer: Plug the computer into the printer using a USB cable.
• Add printer: Search for printers and devices in the Windows search bar, click “Add Printer,” and add the desired printer.
• Download drivers: Download the necessary drivers from the official website.
• Install product setup: Install the product setup from the download section of the website.
• Follow instructions: Open the app and follow the instructions to set up.

How To Maintain Printers For Better Results?

• Clean the print head: Over time, cleaning is essential for optimal use of the printer.
• Update printer’s drivers and software: Outdated software and drivers can negatively impact the performance of the printer. So, update your printer timely.
• Store properly: The print quality may decline if not stored properly when not in use.

What Software is Used in Epson Printers?

These printers use software depending on the specific model and operating system. Here are some best software that you can use.

• Epson Print Layout: This software program is best for professionals and will work well even with ordinary printers.
• Drivers: These are essential for the printer to connect to the computer. Download the appropriate driver from the official website.
• Setup Software: This software helps you set up the printer. By entering the product name of the printer model and selecting the operating system on the Epson support page, you can get started with the printer quickly.
• Cloud Solution PORT: This software enables monitoring and track the printer.

The Best Inks And Paper For Printers

Inks

• Xcinkjet Ink Refill
• TBTeek Ink Refill
• Seogol Ink
• ORDTBY Ink
• Aopane Anti-UV Ink

Papers

• HTVRONT Paper
• A-Sub Paper
• Printers Jack Paper

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Epson Printers are an excellent choice for sublimation. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, identifying your needs is crucial. But, successful printing is not only dependent on the printer but also on the quality of the ink and paper.

Do you want to get into the world of the print-on-demand industry? If so, then you need to be excellent at it because the competition is high.

It took me a few months to analyze the best sublimation software available online; however, after a month of in-depth understanding, I can now guide beginners on how you choose the best one for their journey.

How To Choose The Best Software?

Dye-sub printing is a trending and on-demand method for transferring high-quality images onto a variety of materials. No matter whether you are a professional designer or a hobbyist, the right software can make a big difference in the quality of your designs.

Making a wise decision to choose a software varies on multiple factors like:

1. Easy to use: The software should have good navigation.
2. Capability: The software should be able to handle all the tasks you need it to perform.
3. Features: Get software that has features like design tools, color management options, support for different file formats, and more.
4. Price: Always consider your budget. Some software is free, but others require a subscription or one-time purchase.
5. Support and updates: It should provide strong customer support and regular updates to keep up with the latest printing technologies.
6. Compatibility: The software should be compatible with your operating system and printer.

List Of Best Software

There are many software available for printing designs. Some of them are free, and others are paid. Let’s check out all.

Paid software

1. Adobe Photoshop

It is known for its royalty and honesty to its users. This powerful software is widely used in the graphic design industry and has a wide range of tools for creating and editing high-quality images.

It is an excellent choice, as Photoshop can help you create complex designs with layers, filters, and a variety of other tools.

Pros

• Advanced features: Photoshop offers a wide range of tools for creating and editing images.
• Comprehensive file support: It can open any form of format virtually, including jpeg, png, gif, and photoshop documents.
• Integrated stock library: Photoshop users have access to an integrated stock library.
• Highly customizable shortcuts: They allow you to customize your designs according to your needs.
• Integration with other Adobe apps: Photoshop works seamlessly with other Adobe applications.
• AI features: Photoshop has integrated AI features that can automate complex tasks.

Cons

• Complicated learning curve: Photoshop can be challenging to learn, especially for beginners.
• Cost: Adobe Photoshop is very costly.
• Installation limitation: Per account, you can install Photoshop only on two devices.
• High-quality graphics are complex to render: Rendering high-quality graphics can be challenging and may require a powerful computer to generate faster with efficiency.
• Not suitable for batch work: There are better tools for editing large numbers of photos at once. Doing batch work in Photoshop is a bit difficult.

2. CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW is another excellent option. It is a vector graphics editor that allows users to create captivating designs.

Apart from that, it creates designs that scale without affecting the quality. It offers a number of features, especially for digital printing.

Pros

• Easy to understand: CorelDRAW is known for its user-friendly interface.
• Fast operation: It allows you to operate quickly with efficiency.
• Versatile design features: It provides a wide range of graphic designs that allow users to create almost any type of design.
• High-quality image editing: It offers high-quality bitmap image editing.
• Multi-sheet work: You can work with multiple sheets within the same CDR file.
• Budget-friendly: It offers a plan that is budget-friendly.

Cons

• Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is challenging in CorelDRAW.
• Learning curve: The software is built especially for beginners.

3. Sawgrass creative studio

It is a cloud-based design software made explicitly for dye-sub printing. It comes with a library of templates and designs. It makes the process easy for beginners to start creating and editing their designs.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly: It has a user-friendly interface that is best for beginners.
• Consistent quality: It allows users to produce high-quality printing and images.
• Easy-to-use software package: It comes with friendly software packaging.
• Unique features: It offers special features that make the printing process more accessible.
• Integrated ecosystem: It comes with its own “ecosystem” of products, including the printer, ink, and their print design software.

Cons

• Expensive: It is quite an investment due to its overall cost.
• Limited printing size: It offers limited printing size.
• Only uses sawgrass ink cartridges: It only uses sawgrass ink cartridges.

4. Affinity designer

It offers professional graphic design software known for its unbelievable speed and performance. It is famous for its vector visual capabilities, which makes it ideal for creating scalable designs.

Affinity Designer allows its users to create high-quality designs that can be easily transferred onto various materials.

Pros

• Easy to use: It offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to use and understand.
• Fast operation: The software operates quickly and efficiently.
• Versatile design features: It provides a wide range of graphic design features, which enables users to create almost any type of design.
• High-quality image editing: It offers high-quality bitmap image editing.
• Multi-sheet work: Users can work with multiple sheets within the same CDR file.
• Budget-friendly: It is a budget-friendly application.

Cons

• Limited features: It offers fewer features compared to other software.
• No pattern-making tools: It has nothing related to pattern-making tools
• Less supportive: There needs to be more support in terms of tutorials and user-based compared to some other software.

5. Photoshop elements

It is a simplified version of Adobe Photoshop that is designed for beginners. It offers the same functionality as Adobe Photoshop except for some features.

It allows you to create detailed designs in one place. It is easy to use, which makes it an excellent tool for heat transfer printing.

But keep in mind that the best result comes from using the same ink that the ICC profile was created for.

Pros 

• User-friendly: Photoshop elements offer an easy-to-understand interface.
• Great AI engine: It has a great AI engine that keeps all the activities on track.
• Multiple sophisticated image manipulation features: It offers various sophisticated image manipulation features.
• Instructional materials for advanced techniques: It provides instructional materials for advanced techniques.
• Extensive collection of collage and slideshow templates: It provides a comprehensive collection of collage and slideshow templates.
• Relatively cheap: It is a budget-friendly software.

Cons

• Lacks chromatic aberration correction option: It lacks the aberration correction option.
• The monthly subscription price is expensive: Monthly subscription pricing can be costly if you do not choose the right plan for you.
• Requires a heavy-duty computer: It needs a heavy duty computer to handle the data.

Free Softwares

Here are some free software options you can consider

1. Canva

Canva is a user-friendly online designing free all-in-one tool for creating stunning designs. It offers a wide range of design templates, graphics, and fonts that you can use to make your design unique. Though it offers subscription plans, you can also use it for free to create your overall design.

Pros

• User-Friendly Interface: Canva offers a drag-and-drop interface that is easy to use.
• Templates: It offers professionally designed templates to save you time.  
• Customization: It is straightforward to use. Just by changing colors, fonts, images, and other elements, you can get a brand-new, high-quality custom temple.
• Cost-Effective: It offers a free version with unique features.
• Collaboration: It is suitable for collaborative design projects.
• Stock assets: It provides access to a library of stock photos, illustrations, icons, and other assets.
• Export and share: Users can easily export their designs in various formats such as PDF, JPG, and PNG and share them online or via email.
• Integration: Canva can be integrated with other popular platforms and tools like social media, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

Cons

• Watermarked Free Version: The free version of Canva may include a watermark on specific elements or templates, which can be removed by taking the subscription plan.
• Limited Customization: While Canva is versatile, it may offer a different level of customization and fine-tuning than more advanced graphic design software.
• Limited Offline Use: Canvas offline functionality is limited.

2. Inkscape

It is a free, open-source vector graphics editor that is compatible with Windows, MacOS, and GNU/Linux.

Pros

• Cross-Platform Friendly: Inkscape is compatible with multiple operating systems.
• Powerful tools: It has practical tools for shape creation, editing, etc.
• High-Quality art export: Art can be exported in high quality to get the best prints.

Cons

• Weakness in exporting formats: The only problem in this software is it has issues in exporting various formats.
• Screen-Friendliness: It also offers premium vector graphic options.

3. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

GIMP is an open source-free faster graphics editor that is used for tasks like photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring.

Pros

• Image editing tools: GIMP offers a wide range of tools for creating and editing images.
• Good text tools: It provides good text tools.
• Strong layer support: GIMP has a robust layer support system.
• Free: One of the main advantages of this program is that it is free.

Cons 

• Interface: GIMP interface is challenging to operate.
• Slow Performance: Sometimes, GIMP becomes very slow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

After going through this guide, you must have a better idea of what sublimation software is and what services it offers. Accordingly, you can choose the best software for your design journey. Let us know in the comments which software you use for your designs.