Have you heard of sublimation stickers? You're basically sublimating onto sticker paper then printing and cutting.
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The process seems is long and involved...and I'm not a patient person, but I picked up a pack of HTVRont Sublimation Sticker sheets from Amazon to give it a try. Read on to learn how to make sublimation stickers which are bright, vibrant, and waterproof.
This is not a beginner tutorial. I'm just saying this right off the bat. This tutorial assumes you know how to both sublimate and print and cut with Silhouette.
Start in Silhouette Studio by setting up a page for print and cut. Add in your designs and turn on the registration marks.
I'm obsessed with this set of coffee sticker designs. You can grab the whole pack here.
Because we're going to print this on a sublimation printer then press it onto the HTVRont sublimation sticker sheets, we need the entire sheet to print in reverse - including the registration marks. But don't reverse anything yet. We'll do that in the sublimation print utility or software.
I find the easiest way to do this is to go to File > Print > Print PDF to export the entire page as a PDF.
At this point don't move anything or make any changes to the design, registration marks, or design page in Silhouette Studio.
Printing Sublimation Stickers on Sublimation Paper
Upload the PDF into your sublimation print software/utility. This process will be slightly different depending on which sublimation printer you're using.
I'm using my Sawgrass SG1000 sublimation printer for this. My steps were:
- Open Sawgrass Print Utility
- Click + to Add a New Job
- Navigate to Design
- The utility automatically mirrors my entire image
- Select the Print Settings
- Print on to sublimation paper (NOT the sublimation sticker sheet)
Now you have a printed sheet - you're about a third of the way through the process.
Warm up your heat press to 375 for 40 seconds.
Transferring Sublimation Printers to Sticker Paper
Take the sheet you just printed and take a sheet of the HTVRont Sublimation Paper and sandwich them together with the printed sheet on top - face down. This needs to be precise so the registration marks stay in the same relative spot on the sheet where they transfer.
Secure them both to the bottom platen of your heat press and then press with medium to firm pressure for 40 seconds.
Let the sheet cool for just a few seconds and then warm peel. Don't be surprised if the sticker sheet starts to curl as it cools down.
How to Print and Cut Sublimation Stickers with Silhouette CAMEO
Now it's time to cut with your Silhouette. I'm using my Silhouette CAMEO 5.
Place the printed sheet onto a Silhouette cutting mat and load into the CAMEO or Portrait.
Move to the Send panel. The recommended cut settings from HTVRont are Blade: 3, Force 6, Speed 5, 1 Pass, but I found that didn't cut deep enough.
I would suggest increasing the passes to 2.
Press Send and cross your fingers the machine can read the registration marks.
I have to tell you I never have trouble with print and cut, but this made me very nervous given the sheet was exported as a PDF, imported into a the sublimation utility, printed, and then transferred.
It did work but my cut settings were not deep enough which is why I suggest you start with two passes.
And now you have your sublimation stickers that you can use on waterbottles, laptops, even drinkware thanks to them being waterproof.
Now it's time for my truth bomb.. I love the end result but the process is time consuming and there's a lot of opportunities for error due to the need for registration marks.
What do you think? Will you be making sublimation stickers using HTVRont Sublimation Sticker Sheets?
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!
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