Question 1

What temperature do I use for a sublimation tumbler?

Accepted Answer

Most 20oz stainless steel skinny tumblers press at 400°F (204°C) for 60 seconds at medium-firm pressure, using a tumbler press or a convection oven with shrink wrap. The safe range is 360–400°F for 60–90s. Because tumbler brands differ, always measure your blank and run one test press first.

Question 2

What temp and time for an 11oz mug?

Accepted Answer

An 11oz ceramic mug presses at about 375°F (191°C). In a mug press that's roughly 3.5–5 minutes (150–300 seconds); in a convection oven with a mug wrap, similar. Cheap thin-coated mugs can yellow. Stay at the lower end of the range.

Question 3

Do I have to mirror my design for sublimation?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sublimation prints face-down onto the blank, so text and images must be mirrored (flipped horizontally) before printing, otherwise everything comes out backward. Forgetting to mirror is the single most common ruined-print mistake, which is why this tool flags it on every blank.

Question 4

Can I sublimate on cotton or dark shirts?

Accepted Answer

No. True dye sublimation only bonds to polyester (or high-poly blends) in white or light colors. On cotton the ink washes out, and on dark fabric it won't show. Blends under ~65% polyester give a faded, vintage look. For cotton or dark garments you need a different method such as HTV or DTF.

Question 5

Why is my sublimation print faded or dull?

Accepted Answer

Faded results usually come from too little time, temperature or pressure, moisture in the blank (pre-press fabric 3–5s), or a substrate that isn't sublimation-coated. Colors can also shift. Reds lean orange, neons can't be reproduced, and skin tones need the right ICC profile. Use the exact settings above and test one first.

Question 6

Mug press or convection oven, which is better?

Accepted Answer

Both work. A mug press is faster and more consistent for one mug at a time. A convection oven with mug wraps lets you do several mugs at once, which is why sellers batch with it. Times are similar (3.5–5 min for an 11oz mug); ovens can need slight tweaking since heat is less direct.

Question 7

What is the ‘scorch box’ on shirts and how do I avoid it?

Accepted Answer

The scorch box is a faint rectangle left by the edge of the heat platen. Avoid it with a heat-press pillow, by placing butcher paper or cardstock under the shirt, or by using a lower platen smaller than the garment. It's the #1 apparel complaint in sublimation groups.

Question 8

Are these heat press settings exact?

Accepted Answer

They're verified consensus starting points that reconcile the official Sawgrass chart with HTVRONT and community-tested values. Every press runs a little hot or cold and every blank brand differs, so treat them as a reliable starting point, then confirm with a single test press before a production batch.

Blank	Temp	Time	Pressure
11oz Ceramic Mug	375°F	3:30	Medium Firm
20oz Skinny Straight Tumbler	400°F	1:00	Medium Firm
Adult T-Shirt (front print)	400°F	45s	Medium
11oz Color-Changing (Magic) Mug	360°F	3:30	Medium
15oz Ceramic Mug	375°F	4:00	Medium Firm
16oz Glass Can (Libbey-style)	380°F	3:00	Medium
30oz Straight Tumbler	400°F	1:10	Medium Firm
3in Round Ceramic Ornament	360°F	2:20	Light Medium
40oz Tumbler with Handle (Stanley-style)	400°F	1:20	Medium Firm
Adult Hoodie (front print)	400°F	50s	Medium
Keychain (acrylic/aluminum/MDF)	385°F	1:00	Medium Firm
Mouse Pad (rectangular)	390°F	50s	Medium
Pillow Cover (square)	390°F	1:00	Light Medium
Poly-Linen Hat Patch	400°F	55s	Light Medium
Polyester Tote Bag	390°F	1:00	Medium
Round Coaster (ceramic/hardboard)	385°F	3:00	Medium
Youth T-Shirt (front print)	400°F	45s	Medium
12oz Latte / Tapered Mug	375°F	3:40	Medium
12oz Skinny / Kids Tumbler	400°F	50s	Medium Firm
16oz Skinny Tumbler	400°F	1:00	Medium Firm
20oz Stainless Water Bottle	400°F	1:00	Medium Firm
Aluminum License Plate	400°F	1:00	Medium
Aluminum Ornament (assorted shapes)	400°F	1:00	Medium
Aluminum Photo Panel	400°F	1:00	Medium
Garden Flag	390°F	55s	Medium
Glass Cutting Board	400°F	6:00	Medium Firm
Infant Bodysuit / Onesie (front print)	385°F	40s	Medium
Jigsaw Puzzle	385°F	55s	Medium
Phone Case (sublimation insert / coated)	375°F	50s	Medium
Square Coaster	385°F	3:00	Medium
Toddler T-Shirt (front print)	400°F	40s	Medium
Aluminum Wind Spinner	400°F	1:00	Medium
Slate / Rock Photo Panel	400°F	7:00	Light Medium

Heat Press Finder

20oz Skinny Tumbler

Full sublimation temperature chart

Sublimation heat press FAQ

Your next print is going to come out right.