Buying guide
Sublimation Supplies for Schools: Blanks, Paper and Ink
Student projects look sharp when the blanks, paper and ink are on the shelf before class starts. AGC Education (AGC), a classroom technology and supplies store formerly known as Tonas Graphics, has partnered with educators since 1985. This page covers sublimation supplies for schools: sublimation blanks for mugs, shirts and keepsakes, plus paper, ink and heat tape. Presses and printers have their own pages, and the sublimation items category holds the things you order again and again.
Why AGC
Why Schools Order Sublimation Blanks and Supplies From AGC Education
AGC Education sells classroom technology equipment and supplies to partner schools, and its tagline is 'Helping Schools to Communicate, Educate, and Inspire'. It only sells brand new equipment from manufacturers, and most products are in stock and ready for shipping.
Educational pricing is available, and adding items to the cart shows discounts based on order quantity. A school office can see those quantity discounts in the AGC Education shopping cart before it places an order.
Educator support includes lifetime technical support on all tools, and 90% of service calls are resolved over the phone at no charge. Basic user training is provided at no charge on all sublimation tools, and on-site training is available. Hands-on learning works well when teachers trust the heat press and the sublimation blanks.
The AGC funding page offers downloadable justification guides aligned to several school funding programs, including guides that cover sublimation printers. Your district decides whether a purchase of blanks and supplies counts as a qualifying expense.
The store sits at 600 Bursca Drive, Suite 601, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania 15017.
Pricing
Sublimation Blank Prices, Quantity Discounts and Shipping
Prices here come from the shop's product pages. A few blanks and tools have one listed price:
- Sublimation Inner Rim Color Mug, an 11 ounce mug sold in black, blue, green, orange and red: $5.00
- Sublimation Color Changing Magic Mug, an 11 ounce mug sold in black, blue, red and star sky: $5.00
- 20 ounce White Sublimation Aluminum Water Bottle, sold with black, blue, green, purple, red or rose red caps: $8.00
- Thermal Sublimation Tape: $20.00
Blank shirts, glass tumblers, mason jars, magnets and many other items have more than one price, by size or color, and the grid above shows each one. Sublimation ink, paper and larger orders show their current price on each product page. The AGC Education shopping cart shows the discount for your order quantity.
The store sends most orders out the same day, and an order placed after 3 in the afternoon, Eastern time, goes out the next business day. Average UPS (the delivery carrier) transit time is 1-5 days.
How it works
How to Order Blanks, Paper and Ink for Your Classroom
These six steps help a classroom, art room or makerspace prepare a sublimation project.
- Decide what students will make, such as mugs, shirts, keychains or ornaments.
- Pick the blanks and check each one's size against your heat press.
- Add sublimation paper and ink for your printer.
- Add heat tape, a mat and an alignment ruler for clean transfers.
- Add everything to the cart and look at the quantity discounts it shows.
- The buyer can call AGC Education support with any question about the blanks, paper or ink.
Sublimation Supplies and Printers in the Store
Open the sublimation supplies category to browse blanks, and visit the Sublimation Station category for the printer. Each product page shows the item's sizes, colors and price, and the shopping cart shows discounts based on order quantity.
More detail
What You Will Find in the Sublimation Category
The sublimation category in the AGC Education shop holds blanks, transfer tools and consumables. The blanks are coated or polyester items that take printed color when heat and pressure press a transfer against them. Many craft supplies work this way, and the category lists mugs, shirts, keepsakes and more. Customers shopping the range will see photo panels, notebooks and other gifts beside the drinkware.
How a Sublimation Transfer Works
A printer lays the design on paper with sublimation ink. A heat press then holds that paper against a blank, and the heat turns the ink into a gas that settles into the surface. Students prepare their designs in the design software the school already uses, and any course content can go into the artwork. The terms of each project, such as time and temperature, come with the blank, so read them first.
Sublimation Paper and Ink for Transfers
The shop lists Sublimation Station ink bottles and sublimation printer paper beside the blanks. Printer ink and paper are the two printing supplies that carry a design from the screen to the blank. A teacher who uses the sublimation paper and ink together can print a transfer, then press it. Ask support which ink fits your printer before you order.
Sublimation Tape, Mats and Alignment Tools
Thermal Sublimation Tape holds a transfer in place, and a Thermal Tape Dispenser keeps it handy. A 15 inch Heat Press Mat sits under the blank, and an eight piece shirt alignment ruler helps students center a design. A sock alignment jig is listed too. These small press supplies save wasted paper, and each one counts among the accessories a class needs.
Heat presses get hot, so adults should supervise every press and set out a heat resistant pad. Let each blank cool before a student picks it up, and keep the manual beside the press. Lifetime technical support is a call away if a question comes up.
Related Products
Sublimation Blanks for Mugs, Shirts, Keepsakes and Awards
The category lists many blanks. The groups below show how the shop sorts them, and each product page shows its sizes and colors. Pack sizes are part of the name, such as a five pack of ornaments or a ten pack of magnets. A school can start with one sublimation tumbler or mug blank and add more as the class grows.
Sublimation Drinkware and Mugs
Drinkware fills many listings. It includes 11 ounce mugs with color changing, glitter, gradient and inner rim looks, travel mugs from 15 to 25 ounces, a 20 ounce aluminum water bottle and frosted mason jars. A slim glass tumbler comes in gradient colors. A drinkware blank suits a class gift or a school store item.
Shirts, Bags and Fabric Blanks
Blank 50/50 shirts come in youth sizes from extra small to extra large and adult sizes from small to triple extra large. Other fabric blanks include socks, hats, backpacks, tote bags, lanyards, a 30 by 40 inch blanket and pillowcases. Sublimation works on polyester and on polymer coated surfaces, so check the fabric before you print.
Keychains, Magnets, Ornaments and Coasters
Keepsakes sell in packs. The category lists leather keychains, graduation cap keychains, magnets in heart, square, oval and circle shapes, acrylic ornaments, metal bell ornaments, marble and plywood coasters, notebooks and mouse pads. Students can create designs for a club or a class.
Sublimation Plaques and Awards
Hardboard plaques, an aluminum award plaque in gold, silver, bronze and white, crystal glass awards and a glass shield award let students make recognition pieces. A school supplies list for an awards night can include several of these.
Teachers use these blanks across subjects. An art class can turn student drawings into designs, a business class can plan a school store with a product range and a price list, and a student council can order matching shirts for an event. Each project teaches layout, measuring and careful pressing.
How Sublimation Connects to Heat Presses and Other Classroom Technology
AGC Education sells heat presses, including the Porta Press Mini, the Porta-Press Senior, the Educator 3D Heat Press and the Educator Multi-Function Heat Press. A Sublimation Station prints the transfers. The press supplies the heat and pressure, and the blanks and paper complete the set.
Other shop categories reach the same projects. The Cut-Out Studio contour cutter works with vinyl, paper, adhesive vinyl, heat transfer, window cling and magnetic sheets, so it fills the role of vinyl cutters for classes that mix decals and transfers. Laser Lab engravers handle wood, acrylic, leather, paper, board and coated metals, which puts engraving beside sublimation in one makerspace. Blank phone wallets and AirTag holders are in the sublimation category too, and the laminator category suits posters printed for the display wall.
FAQ
Sublimation Blanks and Ink FAQ
What are sublimation blanks?
They are plain mugs, shirts, keychains and other items made to take a printed transfer. Heat and pressure move the color from the paper onto the blank.
Can I sublimate on a cotton shirt?
Plain cotton does not hold the color well. Sublimation works on polyester and on coated surfaces, so choose polyester or a polyester blend for shirts.
What do I need besides blanks to start?
You need a sublimation printer, ink, paper and a heat press. Heat tape, a mat and an alignment ruler help students place each transfer, and the shop lists them in the same category.
How quickly can my school receive an order?
The store sends most orders out the same day, and average UPS transit time is 1-5 days. An order placed after 3 in the afternoon, Eastern time, goes out the next business day.
Does AGC Education offer educational pricing to schools?
Yes. Educational pricing is available, and adding items to the shopping cart shows discounts based on order quantity.
What if an item arrives damaged?
Report damages and shipping discrepancies within 10 business days of receipt. A return needs a return authorization number and unopened resalable items, and approved returns are credited to the customer account.