Sublimation paper vs transfer paper — what's actually different?

These two products get confused constantly. They are not the same thing.

Also known as: dog leash sleeve, personalized dog leash, custom dog leash, leash cover, lead wrap. Lead Sleeve ships worldwide — UK, US, EU, Canada, Australia, Asia, LATAM.

Sublimation paper

• Holds sublimation ink until heat turns the ink into gas.
• Bonds dye directly into polyester fibres — no layer sits on top.
• Result: soft hand-feel, no cracking, no peeling, vivid colour.
• Only works on polyester (or polyester-coated) substrates.

Heat transfer paper

• Holds regular pigment ink (or laser toner) plus a polymer layer.
• Press transfers the layer itself onto the fabric.
• Result: a slightly raised film that can crack and peel over time.
• Works on cotton, blends, and dark fabrics with the right variant.

Which one for dog products?

Almost always sublimation, if your blank supports it. On a daily-use product like a leash sleeve, sublimation's durability is the whole point. Heat transfer is a fallback for cotton bandanas where sublimation isn't an option — but it won't last as long.

Common mistakes

• Loading sublimation paper into a non-sublimation printer (the ink won't gas out).
• Pressing sublimation paper onto cotton (no polyester = blank result).
• Using heat transfer paper on polyester at high temps (the polymer film yellows).

If your range is built on polyester blanks like the Lead Sleeve, stay in the sublimation lane.

Related guides

• Print instructions & press settings
• Lead Sleeve blanks for makers
• For makers — bulk pricing & specs