Student social network & education marketplace, Degreebook’s profile is rising in the world of online education and social media. The company recently celebrated the completion of its social network connecting students to the universities & businesses they love.
The world of education can be a difficult one to thrive in. Connecting to the right universities and businesses can make all the difference in the world. Enter a social network dedicated entirely to connecting students to the universities & businesses that they love. Recently, the company celebrated the completion of its student social network and is allowing both universities and businesses to use the platform for free.
“There’s no lack of good reasons to be excited about our student social network here at Degreebook,” commented a spokesperson from the firm. “We encourage interested students to really take the time to discover their needs and connect to those universities & businesses offering value. That is what makes us different from other social networks and social media. Here at Degreebook, our focus is on generating local relationships that lead to education & employment opportunities.”
According to Degreebook, some highlights include the ability of students to establish unlimited university connections, of universities to post education content, and of businesses to generate employment opportunities.
For more information and to register for free on Degreebook, be sure to visit:
Sofy® launches the best form-fitting pillow ever that will provide the perfect night’s sleep. It provides support during sleep where it keeps the upper body in alignment and helps to relieve pressure and counterbalances the points in the body.
One of the most talked-about form-fitting pillows on the market is set to be made available on Kickstarter with 50% off the Recommended Retail Price. The Sofy® form-fitting pillow provides people with the best night sleep they have ever had, but it does more than that. It also helps people to avoid damage to their neck or spine.
Most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best and avoid serious health problems which can include increased weight gain and obesity. However, due to using the wrong pillow tens of millions of people suffer from interrupted sleep and wake up in the morning feeling disappointed and exhausted. That is why it is important to purchase the Sofy® form-fitting pillow.
The Sofy® form-fitting pillow does not only provide comfort, but it also plays an important part in supporting the intricate structures of the head, neck, shoulders, hips, and spine. It provides important support during sleep where it helps to alleviate and preventing common forms of back and neck pain, as well as shoulder, hip, and other forms of joint pain. It adjusts to the person’s shape to provide a perfect and safe sleep.
The pattern designed pillow has been carefully designed and made using the latest technology and scientific research. It features a multi-regional contouring system, premium soft memory foam, spinal pressure relief, resistance to dust mites and allergens and ventilation channels to name a few. It is germ and heat resistant. With so many features, and with so much support, it is no wonder why the Sofy® pillow has caused so much excitement.
The comfy pillow which can be used at home or for travel has been described by lifestyle experts as one of the best on the market, while health experts have said they are impressed with the design and how it provides support.
For those people who want to be one of the first to get their hands on the Sofy® pillow, they will have to be quick. It is expected the limited pillows that are being made available on the Kickstarter platform will quickly go, which will mean those who miss out will have to pay full price at a retail outlet.
For more information on the new Sofy® pillow, and to grab one at a 50% discount, please visit:
Bonsai Architectural Designs is one of the best architects in Georgia and in the Atlanta area. In fact, Bonsai was rated #1 Architecture firm on Houzz in Atlanta. Our reputation was built on performance, trust and, most importantly, creativity. We love what we do and are constantly looking for new sources of inspiration. We are a Georgia architect firm specializing in Contemporary homes, Craftsman Style, Modern, and one of our favorites, Lake Home Properties.
Bonsai was started by Corey Austin in 2015 with hopes of being the best architect in Georgia and as another avenue for expressing his ideas and creativity pertaining to architecture. Prior to that he had worked and studied under a number of well-known Architects and designers for a little over a decade. Starting a design firm of his own gave him complete freedom of ideas and ability to spread his wings in order to allow the creativity to flow freely.
As the client base grew in size, so did the company. Slowly recruiting a veritable plethora of artists who also share the same love and passion for architecture and design. This enabled Corey to focus primarily on the design element due to the assistance of his other team members whose main focus is the engineer perspective and completing construction documents for permitting.
Corey eventually created the perfect storm by starting a partnership with Justin Mizell who is also an expert in CAD design and residential development. Today Justin’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: on-site consultations, taking measurements in order to document existing conditions, remaining on call for any additional assistance throughout the design process and construction. Meanwhile, Corey works behind the scenes to make the customers dreams come true by designing a home or building which is the byproduct of all the inspirations provided by the client.
And now building your own home is easier than EVER! As of March 20, 2020 the Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, has issued Executive Orders Regarding the Home Building Industry making the permitting process faster than ever before. Call Bonsai Architectural Designs today at (404) 903-0124 or visit us online for your free onsite consultation and let us know how we can help you!
Media Contact Company Name: Bonsai Architectural Designs Contact Person: Media Relations
The ups and downs of life, especially during these trying pandemic times, are what keeps us inspired as well as challenged every day. The moment everything is going well, we should appreciate and give thanks. However, when things get tough, we should seek out the opportunity to come out of the situation stronger. Unfortunately, in life’s ebbs and flows, what often stands between us and peace of mind are our own thought processes and perception. Many times, our attitude is what drives our perception, and if positive, helps us find those needed solutions to life’s obstacles.
To keep things in the positive lane, try practicing the following;
Be mindful
Being mindful is being self-aware of the patterns that lead to negative thinking. If it’s someone or something in your life that makes you feel self-doubt, you need to identify it. When we take note of the source of our fears, worries, anxiety, etc., we take back the power of the situation. This is a first step in reversing the negative to a positive.
Practice gratitude
How many times do you show your friends and family that you appreciate them? How many times do you say thank you for life’s gifts? You don’t have to wait until next Thanksgiving. The spirit of gratitude is a discipline that helps change negative thinking into finding a ray of light in most every situation. Being grateful assists one to lead a life of happiness and self-love.
Don’t hide
Negativity has a way of stripping us of our confidence. Continuing to live life in this state can, therefore, become harder each day. Eventually, our will is crushed. A way to help change this is by not hiding. If something that threatens your confidence happens, do not allow it to own you. Confront it with positivity and take control of your life.
Trust your intuition
We all have those gut feelings from time to time (our “inner voice”). Learn to trust your intuition, especially if it tends to lead you down the more positive road.
Go for positive friends
To help rid your life of negative thinking, your support system has to be living on the positive side in order to keep encouraging you and each other. It is the concept of positive emotional contagion. When you surround yourself with positive friends, you live and breathe in a more positive manner too. In case you can’t let go of toxic connections, say, family members or co-workers, you can shield yourself from letting them lead you to negativity.
Negative thinking is a choice influenced by those around us, our general attitude in life, and what we feel deep inside. Do not allow yourself to go to the “dark side”. By practicing gratitude, trusting your intuition, surrounding yourself with positive friends, and being mindful, you can change your situation and lead a more stabilizing, healthy, and wonderful life! If things are seeming too unbearable, reach out to a mental health professional immediately.
As of March 17, 2020, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 179,111 with 7,426 deaths reported, and these numbers are likely to continue rising.1 States, townships and cities are being called upon to take swift and intensive action to halt the spread of this pandemic.
Social distancing is the main strategy being used across America to help prevent the virus from spreading. Events have been canceled, gatherings of large groups of people are prohibited, schools have temporarily closed or moved online and nonessential businesses are required to close, reduce their hours or minimize their offerings. Small and local businesses are likely to suffer greatly, but if communities are vigilant, there are several ways you can still support your favorite spots.
Tip #1: Purchase Gift Cards
Considering buying a gift card for your favorite coffee shop, restaurant or bar to visit at a later time, or get them as gifts for a friend or family member. Some cafes and eateries may even accept payment online, eliminating the need to visit in person.
Tip #2: Buy Local Produce
If your community has a local farmer’s market, visit and stock up on vegetables, fruits or local proteins. If you are a weekly customer, consider purchasing a bit more than usual, as the market may have to close in weeks to come. Freezing, canning or finding creative ways to utilize these local veggies and fruits is another way to spend the extra time allotted from social distancing.
Tip #3: Shop for Products Online
If a restaurant or coffee shop that you love sells products online, consider checking out their offerings and ordering a few. Whether it’s a branded t-shirt, hat or coffee maker, purchasing products from local businesses can help sustain them during the pandemic. You can also consider purchasing artwork or albums online from smaller artists or musicians who will miss out on extra sales from canceled events, art shows and concerts.
Tip #4: Purchase Books from a Local Bookstore
While forms of entertainment are canceled or prohibited, reading is an excellent way to stay busy and productive. Picking up some books from the bookstore for yourself and your family can help small businesses stay afloat. Since more and more stores are closing, it’s a good idea to go as soon as you can.
Tip #5: Order Food for Delivery or Take-Out
While some restaurants are closing completely, others are still able to offer delivery and take-out options. Consider ordering food from a local restaurant for pick-up, and tip a bit more to help out the workers who will be missing out on a large portion of their pay. You can also opt for delivery, if possible. Some delivery platforms, like Grubhub, are doing things such as eliminating commission fees for independent restaurants.
Tip #6: Donate Your Refund
If you were scheduled to attend an event, concert or show that was canceled, donating your refund back is an immense help to organizations, artists and performers who will no longer be able to exercise a central portion of their livelihood. You can also choose to donate the refunded amount to other individuals, organizations or restaurants.
Tip #7: Help Local Businesses to Market Themselves
Spread the word about your favorite coffee shops, restaurants and stores. You can do this by leaving online reviews, interacting with their social media posts and sharing their accounts with your own following. These small marketing efforts can go a long way when it comes to attracting new patrons.
Preventing the spread of this pandemic requires effort from each individual, state and country. Just as health risks are on the rise, however, the financial implications are also increasingly wearisome. By supporting local businesses in creative ways, you can help sustain your favorite shops, restaurants and bars through the upcoming hardships.
This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information, and provided by Twenty Over Ten. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.
Media Contact Company Name: Silverman and Associates Contact Person: Mark Silverman
The newly founded charitable organization will raise funds to provide financial assistance to the “fly-in” sportscar crew members affected by Covid-19 pandemic
March 30, 2020 – The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, announced today that it is launching the Real Racing Heroes campaign. The initiative will focus on raising funds in order to provide emergency financial assistance to the “fly-in” and contract sportscar crew members who have been left without a job due to the racing event cancellations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
March 12, 2020 was a dark day for professional motor racing in the United States, and around the world. With the postponement of IMSA’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, a chain reaction of race event cancellations spread like wildfire across the US due to the Covid-19 pandemic. By the time the dust settled, all professional sportscar racing in the country was wiped off the calendar until Summer 2020, at the soonest.
As fans, this is a real downer, but for many of the hard-working men and women who fly in every weekend to put on the show, this could mean months without work.
Some of the hardest hit will be the contract or “fly-in” crew that make their living slinging tires, working wheel guns, and slamming fuel probes for teams up and down pit lane. These jobs are not glamorous, nor do they pay glamorous wages – so the men and women behind those helmets often book crew spots on multiple teams, in multiple series, to piece together enough paying race weekends to provide a sustainable living for themselves and their families.
This is not a hobby for them, it is their livelihood – and without races to support, there is no livelihood.
They are the real racing heroes and they need our help. Because of this we’ve launched the #RealRacingHeroes campaign and we will be raising funds in few different ways:
1. “Flatten the Curve” Merchandise Line – Hardpoint Outfitters has partnered with motorsport apparel and design firm 8380 Laboratories to produce a line of “Flatten the Curve” products. These limited-edition products will be sold exclusively through the www.realracingheroes.com online store.
2. GoFundMe Page – Through gofundme.realracingheroes.com this page we encourage fans, sponsors, and anyone involved in the racing industry to donate whatever they can in order to help our #RealRacingHeroes.
The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation is a 501(c)(3) a non-profit charitable organization incorporated in the state of North Carolina on March 20, 2020. Its directors are Rob Ferriol, Toni Calderon and Randy Hembrey.
Rob Ferriol
President – Hardpoint Paddock Foundation:
“As a fan, driver, and a relatively new team owner, I’d certainly like to have a healthy sport to come back to when this is all over – and that means having this key cog in the race economy still intact when the tracks go green again. I’ve put measures in place to make sure the men and women of Team Hardpoint are taken care of during this period of uncertainty, but that’s only one team out of hundreds.
“So, in response to the CV-19 crisis, I’ve decided to form The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation, The Foundation’s mission is to provide emergency financial assistance to contract crew members hardest hit by the CV-19 shutdown. Its outreach will focus initially on professional sportscar racing teams but may expand to include other series and support elements based on the success of our fundraising efforts.
“I have also pivoted the resources of Hardpoint Outfitters to focus on the design, production, and sale of a Flatten the Curve line of products with help from motorsport apparel and design firm 8380 Laboratories. The design acknowledges the phrase we are all living daily during this crisis, but also its dual meaning for racing drivers and our beloved apexes. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go to The Hardpoint Paddock Foundation, where they will be used solely to provide emergency assistance to those in need.
“Lastly, we have also established a GoFundMe page for individuals or corporations wishing to join us in this effort by making donations. Our race family needs us, and we can’t sit idly by while we wait for the track to go hot.”
Over three billion people from all the corners of the world joined together in a global prayer service led by the esteemed pastors of the global evangelical movement, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church and Pastor Benny Hinn, to pray for an end to the spread of the coronavirus.
During a moment of uncertainty as the world grapples with the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Benny Hinn brought together three billion people from around the globe in an inspirational Global Prayer. The event is a milestone in digital and multimedia communications. These new pathways of communication have enabled the Word of God to reach billions of people simultaneously as never before.
The online offering of the Global Prayer Service drew people from 247 countries and territories actively participating in the united prayer. Major television stations in 95 countries broadcast the event across their systems on Friday night. The communal prayer was also carried by radio systems in 189 countries with 472 individual radio stations taking part in sharing the Global Prayer Service with their audience.
The unprecedented event allowed those who are confined to their homes due to increasing travel and movement restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) an opportunity to come together through the Word of God. The prayers of Pastor Chris offered solace and peace to those who are suffering.
The Man of God asked for participants to not only pray for themselves but to pray for all of those across the world whose lives have been affected by the crisis caused by the infectious disease. Pastor Chris reminded those who joined the prayers that when praying for the healing of others, you must pray for longer, and you mustn’t cease until your prayers have been affirmed.
Three billion people joined together to pray for an end to the spread of the virus that has killed tens of thousands and brought society to a near standstill. The timely and meaningful messages brought by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Pastor Benny Hinn were also an effort to initiate what is likely to be a lengthy process of global healing.
The landmark event will be rebroadcast in addition to live programs encouraging communal prayers over the coming days. Those who wish to take part in upcoming prayer sessions can register here to confirm their participation.
About Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is the founder and president of Loveworld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy. He is the lead pastor of a global network of Christian churches with millions of congregants and followers. Pastor Chris has preached and taught a transformative revelation of God’s Word for over 30 years and led a unique ministry that caters to the spiritual and material needs of millions around the world. He has held massive Christian events throughout the world, from Nigeria to South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom and more.
Media Contact Company Name: Christ Embassy Houston Contact Person: Josh Matthews
Phone: +1 281-829-4443 Address:8623 Hemlock Hill Dr City: Houston State: Texas Country: United States Website:http://prayer.yourloveworld.org/
From Southern California to South-East Asia, people around the world are beating the ‘isolation blues’ by getting together in fast-growing online Meetups.
Meetup groups that normally get together face-to-face are refusing to let ‘stay-at-home’ restrictions cramp their style. Thanks to online conferencing technology such as Zoom, they are able to hold international online ‘meetups’ to chat, socialize and avoid going ‘stir crazy.’
“These are challenging times for all of us – but challenge also brings opportunity,” says Keith Mueller, organizer of SoCalSingles.com, BKKFun.com, BangkokSingles.club and a pioneer of online socializing. “While people may not be able to meet up face to face, the wonders of today’s technical wizardry mean we can ‘zoom’ into a new era of online meetups!”
Following the great success of the inaugural Worldwide Happy Hour on March 27, more Meetup organizers are getting in on the action. The next event on April 03 is already attracting great interest, and promises to attract people from Atlanta to Australia.
“The first event was a great success, and now a real buzz is building,” says Mueller. “So we’re turning this into a global, weekly event. Everyone is invited, no matter where they live. We are turning lemons into lemonade by creating a new, coronavirus-safe way to meet, chat and socialize. Social distancing can be fun!”
The best way to join in is to become a member of one of the three sponsoring groups: (SoCalSingles.com, BKKfun.com or BangkokSingles.club) It doesn’t matter where you live, they are all free to join, and there’s no cost to attend the Worldwide Happy Hour event.
After joining a group, the next step is to RSVP for the Zoom meeting.
Durban, RSA – E.D Digital has been helping businesses in Durban, South Africa generate more profits, acquire better ROI (Return On Investment), and achieve a higher brand credibility through outstanding web design and SEO optimization.
With years of research, they have taken the Durban, South Africa business market by combining their website design service and digital marketing strategies. Hence, it has allowed them to bring in more customers for local businesses. “Duane is a total rock star! He completes his work ahead of any deadline and he is super proactive. He is also a great educator, helping us make the right decision for the right reason. I HIGHLY recommend Duane,” says Claire, a satisfied customer from the online Antique Store East Coast Decor.
As a branch of digital marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a rising field and it is certainly gaining ground. Most businesses are starting to take advantage of it because they know that the results have a lower cost compared to AdWords and pay-per-click (PPC). E.D Digital knows this and uses their experience to grow businesses in the area.
E.D Digital uses South Africa SEO strategies in combination with Durban Website Design to bring in 100’s of new customers to local businesses. They specialize in boosting website traffic by utilizing sophisticated algorithms used by search engines like Google. They also work with the existing site content to enhance the online visibility of businesses and ensure that they get on the front page of any search. Interested businesses can visit their website at https://eddigital.co.za.
E.D Digital’s team are experts in HTML5, Javascript, PHP, and CSS3 coding. As a result, they have developed highly responsive and smart web designs for their clients. They have also helped them increase their business opportunities through the creation of powerful and effective marketing strategies, incorporation of SEO practices, development of brand identity, and engagement in social media marketing. Some of their satisfied customers are Colon Care South Africa, Sparkie J Prints Durban, Forest View Primary, and LAMTA Musical Academy.
Before his agency was established, Duane Clark has also co-founded several large-scale websites that have generated massive traffic including KZN Roofing and VIP Pet Care. For businesses who wish to optimize their market visibility and improve their web design to entice more consumers, they may check out the company profile on Facebook or find them on Google. For queries, interested personnel may call +27 67 626 0225 or email info@eddigital.co.za. E.D Digital is located in Durban South Africa and available for nationwide consulting.
Media Contact Company Name: E.D Digital Contact Person: Media Relations
There are four factors that you have to consider for choosing the right sublimation transfer paper.
1.INK LIMIT / CAPACITY
This is a very basic factor. The higher the ink limit (wet), the heavier gram the paper should be in order to accept the moisture from the ink without any problems like curling and warping of the paper.
2.HEAVY INK PATTERNS
This explains the printing of an artwork that has a very complex design that has a mixed heavy and light ink loading. You can face this in low gram papers, curling will occur and also shifting after pressing. To eliminate this the best solution is a 110gsm or more that accept heavy ink and also light inks.
3.ROLL TO ROLL OR ROLL TO SHEET
Calendar press loves low gsm papers. But on heavy ink, consider factor #1.
4.PRINT SPEED
This is the equation:
Fast printing = lightweight paper
Slow printing = thick paper
According to the humidity of the working environment
Low humidity: In the humidity under 45% , It’s better to choose 70gsm . Because when in a low humidity , the paper will shrink, and the print side is hunch-up. During the printing , the paper absorb ink , the “hunch-up” will be more obviously. 90g and 120g paper are harder than 70g , so the “hunch-up” will damage the print-head . 70gsm is more softer , it could relief the “hunch-up” and protect your print-head from damage .
High humidity: In the humidity above 70% . It’s better to choose 90-120 gsm . Because the paper is very easy to become damp in a high humidity , it will become softer and stiffness is weak at the same time . If you use low weight paper, it will be very hard to print smoothly because of the stiffness and hardness go down . At this time , 90-120 gsm is your best choice.
When choosing the best transfer paper, there is rarely one paper that will work well with everything. The type of transfer paper you should be using depends on the substrate you will be transferring to.
Please briefly explain to us inkjet sublimation transfer paper process?
Inkjet sublimation transfer paper is a widely used thermal transfer paper, load it using the sublimation transfer ink jet printer to mirror the way the graphic is printed on an inkjet sublimation transfer paper, then after heat transfer equipment heated to around 200 ℃, so sublimation paper sublimation disperse dyes penetrate into the substrate, so that the paper color images vividly transferred to one kind of printing process to the polyester-based textiles.
How to Choose The Best Sublimation Paper When We Need?
More issues need to be addressed too: How important is transfer yield? When do I need “high speed” sublimation paper? An entrepreneur who is considering his first investment in digital transfer printing is confronted with other dilemmas, too: Do I choose a water-based system, or should I consider oil-based or solvent-based inks? Which type of sublimation paper is preferable for transfers onto metal or tiles?
The Aim
As a specialist supplier, Easty Ltd carries a broad range of sublimation paper. As our customers are entitled to objective advice, we wanted to describe the right sublimationpaper choice in a simple diagram for us to use when advising them. When we showed the draft diagram to a number of dye sublimation experts, they encouraged us to provide more background information. Thus, this article evolved from a diagram into a manual for choosing the right sublimation transfer paper, based upon the professionals’ collective experience. Unfortunately, it is not the simple diagram that Easty thought of at the outset. Rather, it is more complex.
Overview
First, we shall discuss the fundamental choices for ink systems: water-based, oil-based or solvent-based.
Then we will provide a guide for water-based systems focusing on three aspects:
transfer onto textile fabric versus transfer onto a hard substrate
the “basis weight”- “high speed” versus “normal” transfer paper
Finally, we shall look at other aspects of the transfer printing operation because the right paper choice is by no means the only condition for successful transfer printing.
Water-based Systems versus Oil-based and Solvent-based Systems
For many reasons, water continues to be the ideal carrier for sublimation inks. However, water and paper are not ideally suited for each other. Paper fibers absorb water by swelling. This mechanism poses an inherent problem for printing processes with water-based inks. Small variations in the amount of water can cause the paper to expand or shrink by as much as 1 percent or more. Such moisture variations not only occur as a result of the water-based ink being applied to the paper surface, but also because of variations in the air’s moisture content in the print room, to the extent that the unpacked paper is exposed to them. The limited dimensional stability of paper as a function of variations in moisture content generally does not pose many problems with narrow printers and small sheet sizes. However, wide-format printing is an altogether different matter. A change of 1 percent in the web width amounts to as much as 2.5 cm (nearly 1 inch) or more across the full width!
Grand Format printers are used for sublimation transfer printing with oil-based inks at widths of more than 3 metres.
Compared with water-based inks, oil-based inks cause less swelling of the paper fibers and none of the resulting problems, such as linear extension and cockling. For widths greater than 250 cm (98 inches), we advise our customers to consider oil-based systems but to take into account the following limitations.
Limitations of Oil-based Systems
Printed transfer paper is made up of a highly unstable system. This is because the transfer paper delivers a maximum amount of dye to the substrate during the transfer process. Dye particles in the printed paper must sublimate freely when exposed to heat in the transfer press. They must not be bound chemically or by any other means. Yet, before the transfer, the dye is not supposed to “migrate.” These more or less conflicting demands make the system extremely vulnerable and susceptible to contaminants from the environment. Even certain components of the paper and the ink may cause problems. Unfortunately, the “oil” in the oil-based ink is such a component.
When an oil-based ink is drying, the oil does not evaporate from the paper. At most the volatile fractions will evaporate. The remaining fractions facilitate the paper dye’s migration, causing colors to shift and details to lose their sharpness. Therefore, transfer paper printed with oil-based inks must be run through a transfer calender immediately after printing.
Promise of Solvent-based Systems
Solvents hold the best promise of enabling wide-format printing systems without having the limitations associated with oil-based inks. Solvent-based systems would make a larger number of printing platforms available for dye sublimation transfer.
There is a very good reason why solvent inks have not played a bigger role in sublimation transfer printing. Solvents bring environmental and safety hazards, which printers thought they eliminated when they embraced water-based sublimation inks. Printers with a background in the textile industry are accustomed to water-based ink chemistry, which has its own environmental problems. To them, water-based transfer printing provides a clean and safe business model. The situation in the sign industry is quite different. Solvent ink is the preferred method for producing outdoor graphics on uncoated, non-absorbent media. Sign printers are fully familiar with health and safety requirements. To the sign industry, solvent-based dye sublimation is not equivalent with new health and safety hazards.
It is too early to make recommendations about solvent-based sublimation transfer printing because there are still technical hurdles. However, we will be following developments in this new technology closely.
Small objects – the most popular application of sublimation transfer printing on hard surfaces.
Guide for Water-based Systems
Open Substrate (textile fabric) versus Closed Substrate (metal, ceramics)
EastyLtd Transfer papers for textile fabrics are specially designed to deliver the maximum amount of dye to the substrate (maximum “transfer yield”) during the pressing process, thus meeting the highest coloristic demands and allowing for the least ink consumption. Maximum-dye release occurs when carrier liquid and dye particles are not strongly absorbed into the paper and the dye particles are not bound to the internal paper structure. To achieve this, manufacturers have developed a closed film coating, which forms a gel with water from the printing ink. The barrier character of these coatings makes the papers less suitable for transfer to hard (closed) substrates. The vapor, generated when the paper is heated during transfer, can only escape in a lateral direction. This can easily cause damage to the print, which is visible in the cloudy vapor patterns in full colors and blurred contours.
For transfer onto hard surfaces, we recommend a transfer paper that allows the vapor to escape through the paper. This type of paper is similar to photo-quality inkjet papers, which dry immediately after printing. But there is a tradeoff. The dry paper surface is made possible by a special silicate-based coating, which draws the ink faster and deeper into the paper compared with the paper for textile fabrics. This results in a noticeably lower transfer yield. A second disadvantage of the hard-surface papers is that they cockle more easily due to the quick water absorption.
It should be noted that the hard-surface paper is popular with textiles and rigid surfaces in North America. Elsewhere textile printers generally prefer papers specially designed for soft substrates.
