Heat Transfer Paper Versus Sublimation Printing: Startup costs
We've covered substrates, durability, and feel, but let's take a step back - how do these decoration methods compare at the cash register?
Garment decoration via heat transfer paper is one of the least expensive methods for starting out. To get started, you need an inkjet or laser printer (which you may already have), a heat press, heat transfer paper, and the shirts or garments you’d like to decorate. That’s it! A hobbyist heat press typically runs around $300, and that will be your biggest initial investment. If you don’t already have a printer, we would recommend an inkjet for starting out.
Sublimation carries a higher start-up cost than heat transfer paper, but that cost has greatly decreased in recent years. Sublimation starter packages such as the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 contain everything you need to start sublimating – minus the heat press – at an affordable price. This includes the sublimation printer, sublimation paper, essential software, and a sample pack of products you can sublimate.
-Matthew Maurer, Coastal Business Supplies
