Because the dye only goes into the face it touches. Sublimation presses a printed transfer sheet against the velveteen under heat; the ink turns to gas and bonds with the polyester pile on that side. The woven back never meets the ink, so it stays white.
How the print gets in
- The crest is printed in reverse on transfer paper with sublimation ink.
- The paper is laid on the white velveteen blank and pressed at high heat for about a minute.
- The ink vaporizes, penetrates the polyester fibers, and re-solidifies inside them as the fabric cools.
The result is color that is part of the fiber. There is no layer on top to crack, peel, or feel stiff, which is the difference between this and a screen-printed or vinyl blanket.
What that means when you use it
- The front is the plush, printed side. Put that side up on the couch.
- The back is smooth white woven polyester. It is not rough, but it is not pile.
- Because the dye is in the fiber, the print feels the same as the unprinted white area. You cannot find the edge of the crest with your fingers.
- The white field around the crest is deliberate. It frames the artwork on every size; see the photos on any blanket page.
Two-sided printing
It exists, on a heavier double-face fabric, at a higher price and with a softer image. We chose the single-sided velveteen because it gives the sharpest print of the crest artwork. If a two-sided version ever joins the range it will be listed as its own product.
Care follows from this
Heat put the dye in; sustained heat is the only thing that will slowly take it out. Wash cold, dry low, never iron. The full routine is on the Size & Care page.