How to Make Sublimation Shirts with PNG Designs (Beginner Guide)
Sublimation turns a printed design into a gas that bonds with polyester fibres, so the image becomes part of the fabric instead of sitting on top. It is one of the easiest ways to start a small shirt business at home. Here is the full process, from choosing a design to pressing your first shirt.
What you need
- A sublimation printer (or a converted inkjet) with sublimation ink
- Sublimation paper
- A heat press (a household iron does not give even enough heat or pressure)
- Light-coloured shirts with a high polyester content — 65% or more; 100% polyester gives the brightest colours
- Heat-resistant tape, butcher paper or Teflon sheets, and a lint roller
- A high-resolution PNG design, ideally 300 DPI at the size you will print
Choose the right design file
For sublimation you print an image, so a PNG is usually the most convenient file: it keeps a transparent background, which means only the artwork transfers and the shirt colour shows through everywhere else.
Check the size before you buy or create a design. A typical adult front print is around 10–12 inches wide; at 300 DPI that is 3000–3600 pixels. Smaller files can look soft or pixelated when enlarged.
Step by step
- Open the PNG in your printing software and size it for the shirt.
- Mirror the image (flip horizontally) — it will flip back when pressed. This matters most for text.
- Print on the bright, printed side of the sublimation paper using your printer's sublimation profile.
- Pre-press the shirt for a few seconds to remove moisture and wrinkles, then lint-roll the area.
- Place the print face-down on the shirt and tape the corners so it cannot shift.
- Put butcher paper inside the shirt and on top of the transfer to protect the press and the back of the shirt.
- Press at the temperature and time recommended for your paper and blank — commonly around 385–400°F (195–205°C) for 45–60 seconds with medium pressure.
- Peel while hot and let the shirt cool flat.
Common mistakes
- Using cotton or dark shirts: sublimation only bonds with polyester and is transparent, so it will not show on black.
- Forgetting to mirror text.
- Ghosting (a blurred double image) caused by the paper moving — tape it down and lift the press straight up.
- Faded colours from too little time or heat, or from a printer profile that is not set for sublimation.
- Low-resolution files: always start from a large, sharp PNG.
Where to get designs
You can draw your own, buy ready-made files, or generate artwork with AI and clean it up. HEEEXY sells ready-made PNG and SVG designs for $1 each with no subscription, organised by theme so you can build a seasonal collection quickly.
FAQ
Can I sublimate on 100% cotton?
Not directly. Sublimation ink bonds with polyester. For cotton you need a coating spray, sublimation-for-cotton transfer sheets, or another method such as DTF.
Why is my sublimation print faded?
Usually not enough heat, time or pressure, the wrong printer profile, or a low polyester blend. Test on a scrap piece and follow your paper's settings.
Do I need to mirror PNG designs?
Yes, mirror before printing so the design reads correctly after pressing.
Get started
Ready-made PNG and SVG designs for $1 each, no subscription. Or create your own with every top AI model in one studio.