Are You Using the Right Dye Sublimation Paper?

Whether you are running a desktop printer, or a grand format, choosing the right dye sublimation paper can play a critical role in your production. The right paper will reduce ink load, shorten dwell time, and most importantly, yield consistent results. The wrong paper will cost you more in ink, more in labor, and produce inconsistent results, which of course also comes at a cost. So, the question then is what paper is best for your application? For answers, we went to one of the world’s oldest paper manufacturers, Neenah Coldenhove, established in the Netherlands in 1661, for a breakdown of which papers work for which substrates and why.

Hard Surface

Jetcol® DHS is a revolutionary dye sublimation paper with an innovative coating that keeps the ink on the surface, providing a complete release. With DHS, you can reduce ink load by 40% and cut transfer time by up to 50%, greatly improving production speed while reducing ink cost.

Though you improve product speed, you still get brilliant, consistent color reproduction every time. DHS is best for hard surfaces such as mugs, tiles, phone cases, tumblers, etc. Jetcol® DHS is available in sheets and rolls.

Sports Wear & Elastic Fabrics

Jetcol® Thermal Adhesive (TA) was created to minimize the issue of “ghosting”. TA is a specially coated sublimation paper that adheres to the textile during the heat transfer process the alleviate issues with bleeding of colors or “ghosting” and shadow lines.

Jetcol® TA can be used on the traditional plotters but also today’s fast printers. It is ideal for sportswear, athletic wear, and fabrics with elasticity.

Home Décor to Soft Signage Fabrics

Jetcol® HTR3500 was developed to solve a quality challenge that occurs quite often in the dye sublimation industry, called “rivering”. Jetcol® HTR3500 paper is designed with a special coating that prevents gas build-up between the paper and the textile. With HTR3500, gases are released through the paper instead of making its way to the sides causing “rivering” in prints.

The result is a sublimation paper with a high transfer yield leaving a very sharp image and reducing rivering waste up to 99%. Jetcol® is ideally used on home décor/furnishing and soft signage markets.

Multi-Purpose Utility Paper

The 95 gsm Jetcol® High Speed sublimation paper combines exceptional transfer yield with fast-drying times without any external dryers. Jetcol® High Speed was developed as a production-level multi-purpose paper that produces consistent colors with crisp detail across multiple substrates.

Jetcol® High Speed comes in a wide range of sizes and specifications and can be used in soft signage, home furnishings, and sportswear.

High Speed Production Paper

For high-speed production-level printing, Neenah Coldenhove has two specialty paper options in their lineup for Home Décor and Fashion applications.

Jet-X® is designed to work optimally with all different types of water-based sublimation inks, regardless of the glycol content, which typically requires a different paper based on ink type.

The base structure of the Jet-X® paper and the unique coating guarantee the highest transfer yield and the brightest, most consistent colors across multiple runs regardless of the sublimation equipment being used. Jet-X® is incredibly adaptable for fashion and home furnishing applications.

With Xtreme® Dry, Neenah Coldenhove created endless possibilities for new markets. This sublimation paper is specially designed for high production printers where revolutionary drying speed and anti-rivering properties can help increase production.

Xtreme® Dry is great for the soft signage and home decor markets and suitable for close-knit textile applications. Xtreme® Dry was developed to dry in even the worst conditions. Ink is dry to touch within an inch or two of the printhead path.

Dye Sublimation Paper – Started with Neenah Coldenhove

Neenah Coldenhove, founded in 1661, is a globally recognized name for high-quality, premium papers. For the last 25 years, they have revolutionized the dye sublimation paper industry starting with the Jetcol® line, which was the first patented paper for digital sublimation printing. Since then, Neenah Coldenhove has continually played a leading role worldwide in the sublimation industry through their Innovation & Development Department which focuses on the development of paper solutions.

The Secret to Consistency

Unlike most paper companies, Neenah Coldenhove manufactures from pulp to finished coated paper in their dedicated paper mill for sublimation production. This in-house, in-line process eliminates unexpected changes outside vendors may make in sourced materials that can result in inconsistent results.

This in-line process ensures consistency and high-quality papers every time. Since each Neenah Coldenhove sublimation paper is designed and developed with a specific solution to a sublimation challenge in mind, no matter what substrate you press to, there’s a Neenah Coldenhove paper designed to give consistent, premium results.

Environmentally Sustainable, and Responsible Manufacturing

Neenah Coldenhove’s motto is “Nature is good to us, so Neenah Coldenhove will be good to nature.” This holds true throughout their entire operations. All the Coldenhove papers are FSC certified, meaning that they withhold the highest environmental and social standards in the market and are produced with high-quality fibers that can be recycled up to 7 times.

Neenah constantly invests in saving and re-using energy. In addition to solar panels, the energy required by the factory comes from the paper manufacturing process itself. Residual heat from production is used to heat offices and even the city’s swimming pool. The plant’s water recovery system allows them to reuse 95% of the water used during production.

Where to Buy Neenah Coldenhove Papers

Imaging Supplies Warehouse (ISW) is the master distributor of Neenah Coldenhove sublimation papers. With ISW as the distribution partner, Neenah gains access to their phenomenal system of technology, processes, and people that allows them to pick, pack, and ship 88% of their orders within 2 hours of receipt. With a prime central warehouse location in St. Louis, Missouri, and 4 warehouses around the country, ISW provides reliable delivery and stock to its network of dealers. For samples, email distributors@goisw.com.