When it comes to creating custom products, there are a number of different ways to do it. So how do you know which is right for you, your specific project, and your business overall? We’re going to help break it down for you. As you’ve seen from our Friday Facebook Live videos we love to create things and two of the main ways we make our designs is with heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and sublimation.

With HTV you can create an endless supply of personalized shirts, bags, hats, aprons, etc. It is available in a number of different colors, sizes, and finishes, and you can use it alone or layer it for a more dimensional look.

Sublimation is a great way to add a premium full-color, photographic quality image to your project, especially since it will not crack, peel, or wash away. When sublimation inks are heated to 400*F with a heat press, they turn into a gas and form a permanent bond to white or light colored polyester fabrics, or items with a polymer coating.

HTV gives you more options when it comes to garments as it works on any color, unlike sublimation which can only be done on white or light colored fabrics. But if you are personalizing phone cases, mugs, frames, etc., sublimation is a more simplified process that gives you more options.

And while HTV and sublimation are each great in different ways and for different projects, they can also be used together. Want to sublimate on a dark colored garment? Create a design using HTV and then sublimate on top of it. Talk about one of a kind!

For more tips check out our Facebook Live videos.