7 Reasons Why You Should Buy a White Ink Sublimation Printer in

A white ink sublimation printer allows full color printing on light fabrics, mugs, wood, and more. Learn why a white ink printer is perfect for t-shirts, apparel, decorations, signs, and unlimited customizable products.

Reviews of the best sublimation printers like the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 that use white ink for vibrant prints.

I recently decided to invest in a white ink printer for my home business, and it was one of the best purchases I’ve made. As a crafter and entrepreneur, the ability to print full-color designs onto white or light-colored fabrics and hard goods has opened up many new product possibilities.

Why You Should Buy a White Ink Sublimation Printer

After doing lots of research, I settled on the Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 as my sublimation printer of choice. Here are the top 7 reasons why I think a white ink sublimation printer is an excellent investment:

1. Print Vibrant Colors on Light Fabrics

The key benefit of a white ink printer is printing vibrant, entire colors onto light fabrics like white t-shirts, shoes, mugs, and more. The white ink acts as an under base for bold, bright prints that really pop. This allows so much more creativity and customization for products.

2. Perfect for Printing Apparel

Sublimation printing with white ink excels at apparel decoration. You can print professional-quality full-color logos, designs, and photos onto light-colored shirts, hats, shoes, and more. Way better than screen printing!

3. Print Directly onto Hard Surfaces

Unlike traditional inkjets, sublimation ink permanently bonds with specially coated hard surfaces like mugs, plates, wood, acrylic, etc. So, you can print excellent full-color graphics on various products.

4. Cost Effective for Short Runs

Sublimation printing is highly cost-effective for short runs compared to screen printing or embroidery. There are no setup fees, and you can print on-demand. Perfect for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

5. Get High-Quality Results

With photographic quality printing up to 1440 dpi, a white ink sublimation printer will give you professional, long-lasting results every time. Vibrant, permanent colors that won’t fade.

6. Wide Range of Use Cases

From t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, sportswear, signage, decorations, puzzles, and much more – a white ink sublimation printer opens up endless possibilities for unique, customizable products.

7. User Friendly and Safe

Modern sublimation printers are designed for easy everyday use. They are safe for home and office use with ink cartridges that avoid mess and spills.

How to Use your SawGrass SG400 Dye Sublimation Printer 01

Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 Sublimation Printer Bundle with Inks and Paper

Complete bundle from Sawgrass includes the SG400 sublimation printer, full set of SubliJet-HD inks, and 110 sheets of sublimation paper made in Japan. Authorized Sawgrass dealer.

Features:

  • Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 dye sublimation printer
  • Set of SubliJet-HD ink cartridges in CMYK colors
  • 110 sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ sublimation transfer paper
  • Made in Japan SUBLIMAX brand paper
  • 1 year warranty and support from Sawgrass
  • Creative Studio design software included
  • Works on polyester fabrics and hard surfaces like mugs, tiles, etc.
  • High quality sublimation printing up to 8.5″ x 14″
  • Authorized Sawgrass dealer – buy with confidence

Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer Bundle

Sawgrass SG1000 Printer

$1,626.45

Payment Options:
$64.37/mo (48 mo) • 12-mo interest-free Visa option

Professional Print Quality

Vibrant CMYK sublimation printing for custom apparel, drinkware, and signage

Complete Starter Bundle

Includes SubliJet UHD inks & TruePix paper (11” x 17” print capacity)

Smart Connectivity

Wi-Fi enabled with MySawgrass design software & auto-maintenance

👍 Pros

  • • Professional-grade print resolution
  • • Complete starter kit included
  • • Wi-Fi connectivity & smart software
  • • Expandable bypass tray for large prints

👎 Cons

  • • High initial investment cost
  • • Requires regular maintenance
  • • Limited to 11″ width without bypass
  • • Specialized ink/paper requirements

Technical Specifications

  • • Dimensions: 17.25″D x 15.75″W
  • • Print Speed: 25 ppm mono
  • • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • • Output: Full-color

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Price & availability may change.

Discover Sublimation Printing

Learn all about sublimation printing and explore our complete printer guide, featuring detailed analysis in our Reviews section.

Closing Remarks:

The ability to print full-color graphics on light products, combined with the photographic print quality and versatility of use, makes a white ink sublimation printer an excellent investment for businesses, crafters, and creatives. The Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 is a top choice for its performance and reliability.

I am excited to grow my product offerings and take my home business to the next level with my new sublimation printer! Let me know if you have any questions.

FAQs

White ink sublimation printers enable vibrant designs on dark fabrics and colored substrates that regular sublimation can’t handle.

  • Works on:
    ✓ Black/dark polyester shirts
    ✓ Colored ceramic mugs
    ✓ Metal plates with dark coatings
    ✓ Glass with special coatings

Traditional sublimation only works on white/light materials.

FeatureWhite Ink SublimationScreen Printing
Setup Cost$$ (Moderate)$$$ (High)
Color OptionsUnlimited gradientsLimited screens
DurabilityExcellent washabilityThick layers crack
Best ForSmall batches, photosBulk orders

Winner: Sublimation for detailed, colorful designs on demand.

Yes, but with advantages:

  • Higher upfront cost (1,500−1,500−3,000) for printer + white ink system
  • Lower long-term costs: No screens/plates needed
  • Less waste: Print-on-demand vs. bulk minimums

Tip: Calculate cost-per-print – often cheaper for small runs.

White ink printers need weekly attention:

  • Must-do:
    • Daily nozzle checks
    • Weekly head cleanings
    • Ink agitation (prevents settling)
  • Avoid:
    • Long idle periods
    • Using non-approved inks

*Neglect causes clogs – budget 15 mins/week.*

Top 3 reliable options:

  1. Sawgrass Virtuoso SG400 (Best for beginners)
  2. Epson F570 (Large-format capable)
  3. Ricoh SG 3110DN (Commercial-grade)

Key difference: Sawgrass uses pre-tuned ink systems; Epson/Ricoh need third-party ink solutions.

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