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You may be wondering how hard it is to bleach shirts for sublimation? It’s actually not as hard as you think as long as you have the right materials for the project. This tutorial will help you create amazing bleached shirts. I will share my personal experience with you and a few secret tips and tricks along the way.
Sublimation Supplies
In order to create sublimated shirts, you are going to either need a sublimation printer of your own or you will need to order sublimation transfers that ready to heat press. I chose to have my own sublimation printer as it gives me more creative freedom.
Sublimation printers can be pricey, which is why many crafters choose to convert Epson printers into sublimation printers. There are many YouTube videos out there to help you do this, but I would highly recommend checking out Cosmos Ink. They not only sell the conversion kits you need, but they have amazing step-by-step video tutorials. Along with a special printer and ink, you’ll need sublimation paper to get started.
Be sure to print images that are high resolution of at least 300 DPI, and utilize PNG files as they do not have a background. You may have to adjust your printer settings to get the highest quality sublimation printer.
Sublimation ink requires that you have a heat press in order to release the ink onto the shirt. There are many heat presses out on the market. You can get a heat press that only does shirts, or you can order one that also can sublimate on mugs and hats. Heat presses also come in various sizes, so you will need to do a little research to figure out which heat press will be best for your needs.
Supplies to Bleach Shirts
The higher the polyester count, the brighter the design looks on the shirt. Sublimation inks work best on 100% polyester, but polyester doesn’t bleach well. In order to bleach shirts for sublimation, you’re going to need a shirt that is mixed with cotton and polyester. Additionally, you’ll want the polyester to be a higher count than the cotton or it will have a very faded look to it. I recommend shirts that are 65% polyester and 35% cotton. When you bleach shirts with this percentage, the dye in the cotton is removed and the white polyester is left behind.
I have had the best results bleaching shirts that have the word “Heather” in front of the color name. I order mine from Jiffy shirts. Gildan soft style and Tultex are great for bleaching and sublimating.
Aside from shirts, you’re going to need new bleach. Don’t use old bleach you have laying around as the quality of it may have diminished. Next, you’ll need a good quality spray bottle that allows you to adjust the nozzle. Adjusting the nozzle allows you to change the way the bleach sprays out of the bottle. I initially bought cheap spray bottles from Walmart, but I regret getting them now due to their quality. I recommend getting a glass spray bottle if you plan to make a lot of bleached shirts to sell.
Time to Bleach Shirts
It’s best to bleach shirts on a bright and sunny day outside. This helps the shirts bleach faster and get whiter. Be sure to put cardboard in-between the shirts so that the bleach doesn’t bleed through to the back. I bleach my shirts on my deck where it is the sunniest, so I make sure that I put cardboard underneath them as well.
Start by bleaching a medium to large sized area on the front of the shirt in the shape of a circle or a square. You can actually make a cardboard template to help you contain the bleach to one area if you desire. I choose to do mine by hand because I like how they all look different. I just try to eye-ball the area I am spraying. You can also paint the bleach onto the shirt with a brush to help give it a unique look.
Make sure the bleached area is large enough for the design you’d like to put on the shirt. Now you have the option randomly spray the shirt with bleach. You can change the setting to mist or stream and spray in patterns. There is no right or wrong way to bleach a shirt because that’s what makes them look unique. When you bleach enough shirts, you’ll develop your own method and style.
It won’t take long for the shirts to get white. Once the front of the shirts are white, then flip the shirts over if you want to bleach the back. Spray bleach lightly on the back of the shirt in a similar pattern. This is completely optional, but it gives the shirts a unique look.
Immediately stick the bleached shirts into the washing machine to stop the bleaching process. Use very hot water and laundry detergent. I like to put mine on an extra rinse cycle to be sure I get all the bleach out of the shirts. Leaving the bleach sit too long on the shirts can cause the shirts to fall apart. The bleach can also make the fabric very thin, and it may rip or get holes after a few cycles in the washing machine.
It’s Time to Sublimate
After the bleached shirts are washed and dried, you can sublimate on them. I heat press my shirts at 400 degrees for 60 seconds. You may have to play with your heat press settings until you find the right temperate and time that doesn’t scorch your shirts. All heat presses are different. While your heat press is warming up, you can prep your shirts for sublimation. First, put a piece of butcher paper inside the shirt to keep the ink from fusing through the shirt. Next, add a fresh piece of paper on top of the sublimation design to keep the ink from bleeding through and sticking onto your heat press.
Your printed design should be mirrored on your sublimation paper. When you lay it ink side down onto the shirt, place special heat tape onto the paper and the shirt so that your design doesn’t move when you close the heat press. After all these steps, you’re ready to heat press your sublimation design onto your bleached shirt.
When you remove the shirt from your heat press, peel back a tiny corner to see if your design transferred. You may need to press it longer. If any part of the bleached areas turned yellow, spray them with some hydrogen peroxide and stick the shirt under your heat press plate. This will turn any yellow areas back to white. Don’t close the heat press all the way down when you do this. Just pull it down enough to get the heat to activate the peroxide.
How to Price Bleached Shirt to Sell
To factor in how much you can sell the shirts for, you’ll need to take into account the price you paid for your shirts, materials and overhead costs plus the time it took you to make the shirts. Additionally, you’ll have to factor in shipping costs.
When I price shirts that I sell, I look at what other people are charging, and I try to put mine into that price range. If you are paying a lot for your shirt blanks, you may want to consider sourcing them from another place. I wouldn’t pay more than $5 a shirt personally as you will make a lot less profit. I currently price mine at $25 with shipping, and I tack on a couple extra dollars for the larger sizes shirts as the material usually costs more to order.
If you don’t like the idea of bleaching the shirts yourself, you can actually order blank bleached shirts on Etsy and in crafting groups. You will pay more money per shirt, but it will take you less time to make your shirts as you can just press them and ship them. This is a good idea for anyone who is sensitive to bleach smells or someone who has limited time on their hands.
A Few Tips
Don’t forget to check my Store out as I sell PNG files that are perfect for sublimation! I add new digital downloads monthly. I also have many freebies to help you get started.
If you are new to sublimation, I suggest joining beginner sublimation groups on Facebook. This is a great way to learn more about sublimation, and you’ll find other beginners who are just starting out like you. Facebook groups are a great place for you to ask questions and get help.
I hope that this tutorial helps you get starting making bleached shirts. If you have any questions, advice or comments, be sure to leave them down below. I try my best to answer everyone who comments on blog posts.
Happy crafting!
