Important Note On Sublimation Bundles, Software & ICC Profiles

There is much confusion surrounding ICC profiles, owing to misquotes regarding their purpose and if they are required to get great prints. Repeated marketplace listings offer free ICC profiles often advising potential buyers that an ICC profile is required to get a decent colour print.

This is in fact not correct and following is an attempt to clarify and clear up some of the misunderstandings and explain in simple terms how ICC profiles work.

Matched Consumables Will Print Great “To The Eye”

The truth is, a well-considered sublimation bundle containing properly matched consumables with a specific ink and paper combination, will print perfectly well “to the eye” without needing an ICC profile at all. You do not always need a profile to get vibrant, high-quality results.

The time to use an ICC profile would be for specific colour matching when required, on sublimated items. For most users this is not required.

I can hear the sharp intake of breath and picture many wagging fingers at this point, purists who would argue to the contrary. OK, let me put it another way, ask the bundle supplier if the printer, ink and transfer paper bundle, will produce great prints. If the answer is yes, start without the ICC Profile and see. If you have a colour issue, then try an ICC profile.

The probability is that if the bundle is balanced and put together with good quality inks and transfer paper, you will be fine. The printer bundle supplier should be able to accurately answer this question for you.

Understanding What Is Required to Use an ICC Profile

The Strict Rules of an ICC Profile – If you do choose to use an ICC profile, you must understand that it is not a generic “colour fixer.” It is an incredibly specific map. An ICC profile will only work if you keep every single factor exactly the same:

• The exact printer model and its driver settings
• The exact brand and type of sublimation ink
• The exact brand and weight of the sublimation transfer paper
• The specific substrate/item you are pressing onto (e.g., a mug vs. a polyester shirt)

Changing even one of these elements completely negates the profile and will alter your colours, in some cases, making them considerably worse.

If your finished item has a colour that doies not seem correct, do not simply assume that an ICC profiule will fix the issue. Most times, it will not. At the end of this artical we have given a few troubleshooting tips regarding colour issues.

The Software Trap: When Profiles Become a Waste of Time

Using an ICC profile is completely useless unless you are using appropriate, dedicated graphics or photo editing software that features proper colour management tools.

• Standard Office Software: Programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint have NO colour management. Trying to use an ICC profile with these programs is a complete waste of time and will result in incorrect, dull, or muddy prints.

• Suitable Software: For accurate colour reproduction, you must use dedicated graphic design or photo software that offers full interactivity with ICC profiles. Examples include:
  • Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator / Lightroom
  • CorelDRAW
  • Affinity Designer / Affinity Photo
  • Inkscape (Free open-source option with colour profile support)
  • GIMP (Free open-source option with color management features)

• Adobe PDF Files: Standard Adobe PDF print pipelines are designed for office documents and frequently strip out or ignore colour profile data during the print process, leading to unpredictable colours.

PDF Files Created in Canva or Other Online Programmes

Using online design creation software is a growing trend. Aplications like Canva or Adobe Express is becoming more popular. A popular file choice to download a deign is the PDF format. A PDF can be downloaded and printed from online software programmes and it will produce great and colourful prints.

There is a correct method to achieve this. Your printer bundle supplier should be able to advise you how to do this. Alternatively, click on the link below:

How to Download And Print a PDF From Canva

A Final Thought Before You Buy Your Sublimation Printer Bundle

It is a good idea to ensure your sublimation bundle supplier has the technical knowledge to advise you on setting up your specific software. A good supplier should not just give you a profile, but guide you on how to activate it within a compatible design program.

Troubleshooting Sublimation Printing: What to Do If Your Colours Look Wrong

If your colours appear incorrect, faded or noticeably different from your design, work through these checks before changing the artwork. The cause could be missing ink, print settings, paper or the heat-transfer process.

1. Start with a printer nozzle check

Perform a printer nozzle check to check for blocked printhead nozzles. You will usually find this under Maintenance or Printer Utility in your printer software.

Print the test pattern on plain paper and examine every colour. Look for missing lines, gaps or a completely missing colour. Missing nozzles can affect colour mixing across the whole image.

If the pattern is incomplete, perform a head clean following your printer’s manual, then repeat the nozzle check. Follow the manufacturer’s limits and waiting periods instead of running continuous cleaning cycles. If the pattern is complete, move on to the other checks.

2. Judge sublimation colours after pressing

Sublimation ink normally looks duller on transfer paper than it does on the finished product. A muted paper print does not automatically indicate a fault.

Make a small test transfer onto a suitable sublimation blank and allow it to cool before assessing the final colour.

3. Check your ink and ink levels

Confirm that you are using sublimation ink intended for your printer and printing setup. Ordinary desktop printer ink will not produce a normal sublimation transfer.

Check that every tank or cartridge has sufficient ink. If the problem began after refilling or changing ink, include that information when asking for support.

4. Check the printing settings

Use the correct printer driver and the paper type, quality and colour settings recommended for your sublimation setup. Check the settings in the actual print window before printing.

If you previously obtained good results, compare your current settings with those that worked. Changing paper, ink or software can mean the same settings no longer give the same result.

5. Check colour management and ICC profiles

If your setup uses an ICC profile, use the profile and accompanying settings recommended for your printer, ink and paper combination.

Avoid applying competing colour corrections. When suitable software manages colour using a printer ICC profile, colour adjustment in the printer driver normally needs to be disabled. When the printer manages colour, its colour-management settings need to remain enabled. Follow the instructions for your particular workflow.

6. Check the paper and printable side

Confirm that you are using sublimation transfer paper and printing on the correct coated side. Follow the pack instructions, as backing colours and markings vary between papers.

Keep the paper dry and protected from humidity. Printing on the wrong side or using damp paper can affect the transfer.

7. Check the blank and heat-press settings

Use a blank intended for sublimation. The material, coating and background colour can all affect the finished result.

Follow the blank supplier’s recommended temperature, time and pressure. Different products require different settings, so avoid using one setting for every item.

8. Change one thing at a time

Use the same small test design and record each adjustment. Changing several settings together makes it difficult to identify which change helped.

If you still need assistance, contact HobbyPrint® with your printer model, ink and paper details, a clear photograph of the nozzle check, your print settings and a photograph of the finished transfer. Include the pressing time, temperature and pressure so we can help narrow down the cause.