• Dye Sublimation: The artwork is first printed on to a special type of paper that has a coating expressly designed to hold and then later on release (under heat and pressure) the printed image. The paper is brought into contact with the fabric in a heat press. The ink on the paper is then "gassed" directly onto the fibers of the canvas. This is the sublimation process where the solid colorant is converted into a gas to penetrate into the fabric. It results in vibrant colours and a print that can't be scratched or separated from the canvas.
• Flatbed (Direct) Digital Print: A flatbed digital printer is used to print directly on the umbrella canvas. To achieve the best resistance to fading, UV inks should be used. These inks are cured by UV-light, and are inherently more colour-fast than standard ink. UV inks can be expensive compared to other inks, and since UV printing essentially lays down a thin polymer film, this can also result in stiffer printed canvas.

Digital printing using UV inks is much more colour-fast than sublimation printing. Umbrellas can be exposed to a lot of sunlight, especially in a hospitality environment where they might be used every day. Due to this, it is crucial to ensure your umbrella supplier is quoting/using the best quality UV inks rather than dye-sublimation. Using inferior sublimation printing may save you a bit of money at first, but if your umbrella becomes faded and shabby and needs replacing after 3-6 months this is not the best outcome.

Below are some great examples of UV-digitally printed umbrellas produced by Instant Shade Umbrellas for one of our customers, Stockade Brew Co. They make great beer, check them out at: www.stockadebrewco.com.au.

For more information about branded promotional umbrellas, visit: www.instantshadeumbrellas.com.au.