Davis Brown
Sublimation koozies are 100% neoprene. It is like a wet suit. Whenever the inside gets wet from the condensation of the can or bottle, the water doesn’t leak to the outside because of the koozie. Moreover, custom koozies are extremely popular for gifting on occasions like birthday parties, weddings, picnics, family gatherings and more.
Can you heat press koozies? Yes, you can heat press koozies but make sure that they are neoprene koozies for sublimation. Not the foam koozies available locally.
Further, the beverage insulators are quite easy to print. So, without any delay, let us start.
Materials Required:
- Mist spray
- Parchment paper
- Transfer paper
- Lint roller
- Heat press of 12″x15.”
- Sublimation printer
Step by Step Procedure to Do Sublimation Koozies:
It is too easy to sublimate koozies for a beginner or a veteran. So, let us go through the step-by-step guide on how to do sublimation printing on koozies.
Make sure you have taken a printout of the transfer image, with the appropriate image & paper settings set to high quality and mirrored.
Step 1:
Use the lint roller to roll the koozie to smoothen the surface and remove any stray debris that might interfere with sublimation.
Step 2:
In the second step, we will pre-press the koozie for about 20 seconds on each side. For pre-pressing, wrap the koozie in parchment paper and put it in the heat press. Set it to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 seconds under firm pressure. It ensures that it is moisture-free and a flattened surface.
Step 3:
After pre-press, let it cool. Again, in this third step, apply the link roller to ensure the surface is all good to be sublimated.
Step 4:
Mostly we sublimate koozies with an all-over print. We have a single sublimation transfer paper with prints for the koozie front and the back part. So, we are going to sandwich the koozie with the transfer and flip it like a burger. You can also cut the design and perform each side one after another. However, that may be a tedious and time-consuming job by removing and re-establishing the entire setup.
The first thing we are going to do is to fold the transfer by the center. Apply mist spray to the transfer so that it holds the substrate. Because it may cause a shadow image, otherwise known as ghosting.
Step 5:
On the table, align the koozie with the image. Check the corners and edges if they are aligned exactly with the image. Make sure that you have got as much ink on edge. If the koozie has a zipper, make sure that they are out of the way. Finally, fold the other side over the top to make it like a sandwich.
Moreover, if you were to sublimate a single side, you need not fold the paper.
Step 6:
Wrap the koozie within the parchment paper. Place it in the heat press. As we are printing on both sides of the koozie, we apply the heat press for 45 seconds at 400 degrees Fahrenheit on each side. Use medium pressure.
If you are done with one side, turn it around and heat press the other for another 45 seconds.
The actual time you use may vary according to your heat press. If your heat press heats up faster or the surrounding temperature is comparatively hotter, you may decrease the time period as it is likely to cook like a stove.
Step 7:
If you are done with step 6, move the koozie over to your table, unfold the parchment paper, and then transfer. Allow it to cool. Finally, you are done with sublimation koozies.
Conclusion:
Sometimes it may be pretty hard to get ink everywhere, like the edges. You can also do some embroidery to make it look nice. However, it is hardly going to be noticeable.
After sublimation, the prints look good and perfectly embedded into the koozie. The print is permanent, long-lasting, and machine washable. Further, sublimation koozies do not carry odors of the printed image, non-toxic, and risk-free to use.
