Sublimation printing is a fantastic way to personalise mugs, tumblers, and bottles with your own designs, whether for personal use, gifts, or business branding. With sublimation prints, you can create unique designs featuring photos, artwork, logos, or text in full colour.

Using a tumbler heat press, you can then transfer those prints onto a wide variety of cylindrical objects. The process works best on polymer-coated ceramics, stainless steel, or aluminium, making it ideal for drinkware.

Whether you want to showcase your creativity or add a professional touch to your brand, sublimation printing offers a high-quality and durable customisation solution.
Read on to learn more about how to transfer vibrant, long-lasting images onto coated surfaces, ensuring they won’t fade or peel over time.

Before you start

The right type of object

Make sure you use mugs, tumblers, and other objects that are suited for sublimation transfers. These items are coated with a special layer that can absorb the sublimation ink used in the transfer process.
Please note that sublimation transfer will not work on regular porcelain or ceramic items.

It's also vital to note that sublimation is best applied on light or white surfaces, meaning you should use light-coloured tumblers or mugs for the best results.

Preparing your design

You can make your own design or find one online and print it with sublimation ink on sublimation paper.
You will need an inkjet printer that can work with sublimation ink cartridges.

Please note that the inkjet printer cannot be used with regular ink anymore after you have used sublimation ink. So you will need a dedicated machine just for sublimation printing.

You will also need special sublimation paper to print on, so the design can be heat transferred to your object later.

If you are not a designer or don’t want to mess with sublimation printing yourself, you can also buy pre-made sublimation designs in a craft store or online. Those designs are already printed and ready to be transferred onto your mug, tumbler, or other object.

The right temperature, pressure and time

Depending on the application and object that you want to decorate, the necessary temperature, pressure and time will vary depending on the sublimation method you want to use.

You can find an overview of the tumbler press settings for various surfaces below.

More tips

Always make a test print. Although this might be time-consuming, it is definitely worth it!

Use heat tape to keep the image from ghosting. When applying your designs, you will want the material to stay in place during the heat press process. Use a heat transfer tape to place your print correctly and prevent it from sliding around. Usually, a clear heat transfer tape is heat resistant and can be used on any surface.

Which objects can you decorate with a mug press?

Glasses

Drinking glasses and glass pitchers are often easy to sublimate with a heat press. Do note that you have to purchase glass items coated explicitly for sublimation printing.
Because glass is transparent, the colours in your design may not be as vibrant as on other surfaces. With that in mind, choosing sublimation designs with bold, dark, and vibrant colours is best.

Also, be careful not to apply too much pressure on the glass because this could shatter. Always wear heat-resistant gloves for protection when handling the hot glass.

If you want to use your tumbler press to decorate a glass object, use these settings:

• Temperature: 180 - 190 °C
• Time: 270 - 330 s

Ceramic mugs

You will need special ceramic mugs with a coating for sublimation transfer. This coating ensures the dye applies appropriately to the surface.
Mugs that are decorated with sublimation printing designs are safe for microwaves and dishwashers.

Be careful when sublimating ceramics because the object can get very hot. Always wear heat-resistant gloves to handle the mug after heat pressing to avoid burns. Leave the mug to cool off completely before handling it. The recommended cooldown period is 20 minutes!

If you want to use your tumbler press to decorate ceramic mugs, use these settings:

• Temperature: 185 - 195 °C
• Time: 380 - 420 s

Stainless steel tumblers

Sublimating a stainless steel tumbler may involve much trial and error, which can be time-consuming.
First, make sure to use infusible ink and sublimation paper explicitly for stainless steel tumblers. Then you'll have to preheat the heat press to 185 °C.

We recommend flipping your tumbler halfway through the pressing process to ensure the whole image is pressed. You can do this by looking at the recommended timing below or in your press’ manual. Set your machine to half of that time, and then flip the tumbler 180° before you press it again for the remaining time.
Once you have heat transferred your design, allow the tumbler to cool off before handling it.

Note that the design may not be as durable as ceramic and glass heat press designs, so use mild soap and soft cloth to clean the tumbler.

If you want to use your tumbler press to decorate stainless steel tumblers, use these settings:

• Temperature: 180 - 190 °C
• Time: 110 - 150 s (total process)

The right tools for the job

You can find everything you need to create your own custom mugs right here.

LOKLiK Auto Mug Heat Press

Sublimation paper

Blank sublimation mugs