There are sublimatable products established for certain markets such as awards. In that market we see metal plates, plaques, and ribbons. Keep in mind that in the awards market, you may use a significant quantity of metal (name plates) to sublimate for trophy bases versus a stand-alone product to sell to an end user.
The basics are not so obvious to stock. It’s wise to look for the lower cost “blanks” such as the badges, coasters, and mugs. Although plaques are an obvious choice for an awards retailer, they are not inexpensive. As an example, an 8-by-10-inch MDF regular plaque may be $1.25 in quantity. A sublimatable plaque, same size may be $5.25 in quantity. Talk to your suppliers and find what’s best for your shop and customer base.
-Cathy Garcia, Marco Awards Group
