About 85% of sublimators are using a small format system and most likely doing pretty well. Small format is actually defined in the sublimation industry as any printer under 42” in width. So with all of those people using small format technology, why was I was excited to see the editorial calendar for the month of July? Wide Format Sublimation technology is one of those fields in our industry that has some misunderstandings that I would like to explore so we can all have a better sense of the benefits of this process. So, let’s discuss the economics of wide format sublimation and misconceptions to a few of the new markets that are opened up by adding wide format sublimation equipment to your company.
More than likely, one of the most important factors sublimation companies need to consider is the economics of wide format sublimation. I know for a lot of people, including myself, as soon as the words “wide format” is tossed around, visions of hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent, huge warehouses and big business politics. Well, fortunately for those of us who have those over active imaginations, it really is not that bad. Typically, you can purchase a 44” printer system with all the inks, software and paper to get started for about $8,000 to $9,000. While knowing that it is a very healthy investment it is not one that is out of reach. Some other costs involved could be a large format heat press, but it needs to be noted that not all wide format printing needs a large format heat press. If you do need a large format heat press you can expect to spend between $10,000 to $20,000 depending on your needs. So now that investment could be up to $30,000 to fully get into wide format sublimation with a wide format heat press and that number probably makes you a bit more uncomfortable. A different way to make this type of large investment within reach might be to consider leasing the equipment. If your credit is pretty good on a standard 60 month term lease with a $1 buyout, you would need to come up with about $700 per month. I won’t get too deep into the ROI calculation in this article, but many companies with this equipment have proved that making $7500 a month in profit with sublimation printing is well within reach.
So, the actual outlay of cash is less than we probably anticipated, but what are the real reasons I feel so strongly about educating others about wide format sublimation? The finished goods costs will change substantially for the better. I have talked to some who took the plunge into the wide format arena who are producing items that are only 6” x 8” in size. They want the increased production capabilities and they are also going to drastically reduce the cost of ink and paper. Again, all it takes is a little bit breakdown of costs and you will find that things change pretty quickly. Let’s say you are a small format sublimator paying about $70 for a 30ml ink cartridge. That is about $2.30 per ml. A typical sublimation transfer uses about 1.5ml of ink per square foot, you have about $3.75 per square foot of ink and paper cost (assuming paper is about $.25 per square foot for paper cost). Now let’s compare that to large format sublimation where you are paying approximately $0.15 per ml of ink. So, your cost for paper and ink is now less than $0.50 per square foot. That is less than 2,500 square foot of sublimation transfer you would have to print to pay for the price of the wide format printer. Breaking those costs down even further, just about 1,900 sheets of 11 x 17 paper and you are already spending more on ink and paper compared to wide format and you could have paid for the printer.
Also, we cannot forget to consider the improved production speed. The greatest part about sublimation and its digital capabilities is that you can produce many different images, sizes and type of product all at the same time with the printing portion. Then you can gang up the items on the heat press as long as they are the same thickness and type of product and your pressing cycle doesn’t have to go up. You are essentially reducing your production time by the number of items you can get under your heat press. Instead of 6 cell phone cases at a time with the smallest format printer, maybe about 20 or 30 under a 16 x 20 heat press. If you are making $10 per cell phone case than that becomes $300 per minute of production time versus $60 per minute. I think it is safe to say, more money can be made with a wide format printing system and the return on investment makes sense for a lot of sublimators.
Another common misconception I have heard is that it is hard to use. While yes at first glance it can seem more difficult but the process is the same. The ugly word that gets used is RIP software, but really if you are working with the right ink manufacture and supplier the RIP software should be set-up on the front end and most of the major RIP brands actually have features that make using the wide format printer easier. With most wide format RIP programs, you should have the ability to drop your jobs into it and let it “nest” it for you to optimize your printing and paper usage. Most of them also have a job costing calculator to more accurately quote your work and some of them even have the ability to do variable data output which makes jersey creation and other creative markets even more appealing for you without a lot of manual work.
Many people still think it is necessary to have a wide format heat press to properly use a wide format printer. As we briefly discussed earlier, this is simply not true. Many companies choose to go with the wide format printer only for the ability to increase their production and to reduce their costs dramatically. Also, numerous products can be created that can simulate a larger heat press with a smaller heat pressed just by pressing in multiple locations. The wide format printer will give you options to create larger designs to take advantage of your full 16 x 20′ heat platen size.
One final misconception that I have heard before is wide format will not print as high quality as some of the small format printers on the market. While the initial setup can be trickier, using the correct ink manufacturer and supplier should eliminate any issues. If you were trying to create high-end photography reproduction, then yes you will need to find a system that has eight or more colors but with the current 4 color wide format systems in the marketplace today, the correct profile, ink and paper combination will allow you to create the same quality, if not better, than the current small format systems in the market today.
Finally let’s talk about some of the new markets this can potentially open up for you. The first big one to me goes back to our discussion at the beginning about how many small format sublimators are out there in the world today. With your newfound production speed, larger imprint capabilities and drastically reduced production costs now you can easily become a contract sublimator. This allows for plenty of profit margin for you and someone who would be reselling these items to the end user. This opens up a completely new market to you without all the marketing expense and other headaches that go along with dealing directly with the users at times.
Wide format sublimation opens up new markets that are much larger than the limitations of a small format sublimation system. Even without a wide format heat press you, certainly can create a lot more in the smaller realm like socks and other smaller wearables such as infant and toddler onesies or youth sized all over or full print t-shirts and apparel. If you are able to make the bigger investment into a wide format heat press a huge realm of possibilities will be available to you. Outside of all of the reasons discussed about above, you can now create all over garment decorations, cut and sew pieces for a clean sublimation look for jerseys and other sports gear, blankets, throws and towels. Consider large size photo panels, commercial building decorations, scarves, neck ties and the possibility of creating some soft signage, flags and banners.
Less expensive, faster production and new markets are some pretty good benefits when using wide format sublimation technology. I hope this breakdown of wide format sublimation will bring more positive thoughts to the sublimators out there and spark some interest in producing some new productions with this process.
