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The right sublimation printer for shirts is decided by one number: how wide it prints. An 8.5-inch printer is fine for chest logos and kids' shirts, but a full adult front needs at least 11 x 17 inches, and oversized or all-over designs need a 24-inch machine. Buy for the biggest shirt print you'll sell, not the average.
The second thing to know: sublimation t-shirt printing only works on white or light polyester. If your customers want black cotton tees, no sublimation printer will make them happy, and you should look at DTF vs sublimation first.
Quick picks
- Sawgrass SG1000 – Best overall for shirts. 11 x 17 standard, 13 x 19 with the bypass tray, factory support.
- Epson SureColor F570 – Best for oversized prints, gang sheets and all-over panels at 24 inches.
- Epson EcoTank ET-15000 – Best budget 13 x 19 option, as a one-way conversion.
- Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex – Best for light cotton shirts without powder or film.
- Epson SureColor F170 – Best for chest prints, sleeves and kids' sizes.
Comparison table
| Printer | Best for | Max shirt print (single sheet) | Roll printing | Warranty | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawgrass SG1000 | Adult fronts | 13 x 19 in (bypass tray) | No | 3 yr / 100K prints* | Check price |
| Epson SureColor F570 | Oversized and all-over | 24.4 in wide roll | Yes, with cutter | 1 yr on-site | Check price |
| Epson EcoTank ET-15000 | Budget adult fronts | 13 x 19 in (rear feed) | No | Not for sublimation use | Check price |
| Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex | Light cotton | 8.5 x 14 in | No | 3 yr / 100K prints* | Check price |
| Epson SureColor F170 | Chest and youth | 8.5 in wide | No | 1 yr | Check price |
*For printers bought on or after October 1, 2025.
Print size: what fits on a shirt
These are common design sizes used by apparel decorators, not hard rules. Measure your own shirts. For roll and 13 x 19 options, see our wide format sublimation printer guide.
| Placement | Typical design size | Minimum printer width |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest logo | 3–4 in wide | 8.5 in |
| Youth front | 8–10 in wide | 8.5 in |
| Adult standard front | 10–12 in wide | 11 x 17 / 13 x 19 |
| Adult oversized front | 12–15 in wide | 13 x 19 or 24 in |
| All-over / cut-and-sew panel | 20 in+ | 24 in |
The best sublimation printer for shirts, by print size
1. Sawgrass SG1000: Best Overall for Shirts
Who it's for: small shirt businesses that need adult-size fronts on a desktop and value support.
The SG1000 takes 11 x 17-inch paper in its main tray and 13 x 19 inches with the optional bypass tray, which covers a standard adult front comfortably. It's the only Sawgrass desktop that accepts 70 mL extended cartridges, and its color management through Sawgrass Print Utility means your brand colors look the same from shirt to shirt. Recent purchases carry a 3-year or 100,000-print warranty.
The downsides are price and cartridge-based ink, which costs more per print than Epson's bottles. And remember the 13 x 19 size needs the bypass tray, so budget for it.
Pros
- Covers adult fronts at 13 x 19 with the bypass tray
- Consistent, software-managed color
- Long warranty and lifetime tech support from Sawgrass
Cons
- Premium price for a desktop
- Cartridge ink costs more than bottle systems
- Bypass tray is an extra for the largest size
Sawgrass SG1000 Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
2. Epson SureColor F570: Best for Oversized Prints
Who it's for: shops doing oversized fronts, jerseys, gang sheets and all-over designs.
At 24.4 inches wide on rolls, the F570 removes size as a limit. Print a run of adult fronts side by side on one roll, cut them with the built-in rotary cutter, and press. It prints up to 2400 x 1200 dpi, feeds sheets up to 11.7 inches from a 50-sheet tray, and uses 140 mL T49M bottles that cost far less per print than desktop cartridges. Epson's standard warranty includes next-business-day on-site service.
You'll also need a press big enough to match, such as a 16 x 20, and a sturdy table for an 84 lb printer. The Pro edition adds Epson Edge Print Pro RIP software for gang-sheet layout.
Pros
- Any shirt size, plus panels and gang sheets
- Cheaper factory ink per print than any cartridge printer here
- Built-in cutter and roll feed
Cons
- Premium price and 84 lb weight
- Needs a large heat press to use its full width
- Stock can be thin; Epson's store has shown it out of stock
Epson SureColor F570 24-Inch Dye-Sublimation Printer
by Epson
3. Epson EcoTank ET-15000: Best Budget 13 x 19
Who it's for: side-hustle shirt makers who want adult fronts at the lowest cost and accept the risk.
The ET-15000 feeds 13 x 19-inch sheets through its rear specialty slot, the same size as the SG1000 with its bypass tray, for a much lower upfront cost. Cosmos Ink, Hiipoo and A-SUB list it as compatible with their sublimation inks, and the 250-sheet front tray handles everyday letter-size work.
The trade-offs are real. Epson says non-genuine ink can cause damage not covered by the warranty, and once sublimation ink goes in, the printer can never go back to regular ink. Color is your job: expect test presses and ink-maker ICC profiles.
Pros
- 13 x 19-inch prints at a mid-range price
- Cheap refill ink
- Separate trays for big and small jobs
Cons
- No warranty protection for ink-related failures
- One-way conversion
- Oversized sheets feed one at a time
Epson EcoTank ET-15000
by Epson
Planning a conversion? Read our EcoTank sublimation guide first.
4. Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex: Best for Light Cotton
Who it's for: sellers whose customers want cotton tees, not polyester.
VersiFlex is a Sawgrass ink system that replaces the black cartridge with an "Expander" fluid. With VersiFlex Light transfer paper, Sawgrass says it decorates natural fabrics like cotton, plus uncoated wood, with no weeding and no powder. Dark tones are built from cyan, magenta and yellow. The same printer still does standard sublimation on polyester with sublimation paper.
There are limits. There's no white ink, so it's for light or bright garments only, and Sawgrass cites up to 30 washes for a quality image with cold-water washing and air drying, which is far below polyester sublimation's permanence. The print area is 8.5 x 14 inches; for bigger cotton prints there's an SG1000 VersiFlex configuration.
Pros
- Prints on light cotton without powder or film
- Same machine does polyester sublimation and hard goods
- Sawgrass warranty and support
Cons
- Light garments only; no white ink
- Wash life on cotton is shorter than sublimation on polyester
- Ink system is a one-time choice; Sawgrass warns against mixing inks
Sawgrass SG500 VersiFlex Sublimation Printer
by Sawgrass
5. Epson SureColor F170: Best for Chest Prints and Kids' Sizes
Who it's for: makers who mostly do chest logos, sleeve prints, baby and youth shirts, plus mugs and tumblers.
The F170 prints 8.5 inches wide, which is plenty for a left-chest logo or a youth front. It's the cheapest factory sublimation printer here, refills from 140 mL bottles, and arrives ready to print with Epson's own ink and drivers.
It isn't an adult-front printer. Piecing two sheets together on a shirt rarely looks clean. If adult fronts are the plan, Epson's SureColor F370 (13 x 19 inches, announced for November 2026) is the upgrade path within the same ink family.
Pros
- Lowest-cost factory sublimation printer
- Cheap bottle ink
- Also handles drinkware and coasters
Cons
- 8.5-inch width rules out adult fronts
- Epson-only ink
- 1-year warranty
Epson SureColor F170 Dye-Sublimation Printer
by Epson
Buying guide: sublimation printer for t-shirts
Match the printer to your press
A 13 x 19 print needs a press at least that big; a 15 x 15 press won't cover it in one press. With a 24-inch printer, plan on a 16 x 20 press or larger. A press that's too small forces you to press a design in two passes, which almost always leaves a visible overlap line. See our sublimation heat press guide.
Fabric rules don't change with the printer
- 100% polyester gives the brightest, permanent results.
- Blends work, but colors fade in proportion to the cotton, for a vintage look.
- White or light colors only. Sublimation ink is transparent and there's no white.
- Cotton needs a workaround: VersiFlex, a sublimation spray for cotton, Epson's upcoming Sublimation Primer for Cotton, or a clear sublimation HTV layer.
Our guide to the best shirts for sublimation covers specific blanks.
Roll vs sheet
Sheets are simpler. Rolls (F570) let you gang many prints together and cut automatically, which saves paper and time at volume. Under roughly a few dozen shirts a week, sheets are fine.
Gang sheets on a desktop
Even without a roll printer, you can gang small designs. A 13 x 19 sheet fits several left-chest logos or youth designs at once, and the SG1000's bypass tray accepts long media (JP Plus lists up to 13 x 51 inches). Print once, trim, and press a batch. It's the easiest efficiency win for shops doing lots of small apparel prints.
Running cost per shirt
On a full adult front, ink is a real cost. Bottle-fed Epsons are cheapest; Sawgrass cartridges cost more but include color management; converted EcoTanks are cheapest of all, at the price of warranty and support.
Press settings for shirts
Most polyester garments press in the high 300s °F for under a minute, but settings vary by blank and paper. Start with your shirt supplier's numbers and fine-tune with test presses. Use a lint roller, a short pre-press to drive out moisture, and protective paper on both sides.
Sublimation time & temperature chart
Geo Knight notes that your transfer supplier's instructions are more accurate than generic figures.
Dial it in: run one test piece first. HTVRONT's rule of thumb: if a transfer looks faded, add about 10 seconds; if colors bleed or scorch, lower the temperature by 5–10°F. Change one setting at a time.
Sources: Geo Knight press manuals and DK3 mug press manual; Unisub Times & Temperatures; HTVRONT heat press chart, tumbler guides and blank listings; Siser application instructions; Cricut. Every value is a starting point, not a guarantee: presses, blank coatings and papers vary, and your blank or paper supplier's own settings come first.
Sublimation t-shirt printing, step by step
Whatever printer you choose, the shirt workflow is the same.
- Pick the right blank. White or light, ideally 100% polyester. Check the label, not the listing title.
- Size and mirror the design. Set the design at final print size in your design app and mirror it.
- Print on the coated side of the paper, using the recommended paper setting, and let it dry briefly.
- Lint roll the shirt. Any fiber left on the surface blocks the dye and leaves a white speck.
- Pre-press for a few seconds to drive out moisture and flatten wrinkles. Moisture causes blotchy transfers.
- Protect the press. Slip a sheet of uncoated butcher paper inside the shirt so dye can't bleed through to the back, and put another sheet on top of the transfer.
- Position and secure. Center the transfer ink-side down. Heat tape or a tacky paper stops it from shifting when the press opens.
- Press at your shirt supplier's time and temperature with even, medium pressure.
- Peel promptly and in one motion. Lifting slowly or letting the paper slide causes ghosting.
- Wash inside out, cold, on the first wash, and tell customers the same. Sublimation on polyester is permanent, but gentle care keeps whites white.
For press marks (the shiny square outline around the print), use a heat-resistant pressing pillow or foam under the print area, or reduce pressure slightly.
Sublimation or DTF for a shirt business?
Many shirt sellers end up asking this before they buy anything.
| If most of your orders are… | Better fit |
|---|---|
| White or light polyester performance shirts, jerseys, all-over prints | Sublimation |
| Dark or colored cotton tees | DTF |
| A mix of shirts plus mugs, tumblers and photo gifts | Sublimation (and add DTF later if needed) |
| Mostly cotton, but light colors | Either: DTF, or Sawgrass VersiFlex |
Sublimation wins on feel and permanence: there's no layer on the fabric, so nothing to crack or peel, and it breathes like the shirt itself. DTF wins on fabric and color flexibility. Our full DTF vs sublimation comparison goes through cost and equipment.
How we chose
We didn't test these printers hands-on. We compared manufacturer specifications from Epson and Sawgrass, authorized-retailer listings, ink makers' compatibility lists and recurring owner feedback from apparel decorators. Print width for adult shirt fronts weighed most, followed by ink cost, color consistency and support.
FAQ
What size sublimation printer do I need for t-shirts?
An 8.5-inch printer handles chest logos and youth sizes. A full adult front needs 11 x 17 or 13 x 19 inches. Oversized prints and all-over designs need a 24-inch wide-format printer.
Can you sublimate on 100% cotton shirts?
Not with standard sublimation ink, which only bonds to polyester. Sawgrass VersiFlex, sublimation sprays, Epson's Sublimation Primer for Cotton (announced for November 2026) or a clear sublimation HTV layer are the workarounds.
Can you sublimate on dark shirts?
No. Sublimation ink is transparent and there's no white ink, so the shirt color shows through. Use white or light polyester, or DTF for dark garments.
What polyester percentage do I need for sublimation t shirt printing?
100% polyester gives the brightest, most permanent results. Blends work but fade in proportion to the cotton content.
Is sublimation better than DTF for shirts?
Sublimation leaves no feel on the fabric and won't crack or peel, but it only works on light polyester. DTF works on cotton and dark shirts but adds a thin film layer.
Can I print adult shirts on an 8.5 x 11 sublimation printer?
Only small placements: left-chest logos, pocket prints, sleeves and designs under about 8 inches wide. Splitting a large design across two sheets usually leaves a visible seam. If adult fronts are a regular order, buy a 13 x 19 printer.
Verdict
The Sawgrass SG1000 is the best sublimation printer for shirts on a desktop: 13 x 19 prints with its bypass tray, consistent color and a long warranty. Go to the Epson F570 for oversized and production work, or the ET-15000 if budget beats warranty. For the whole category, see our best sublimation printers roundup and our SG500 vs SG1000 comparison.