Some problems about what materials can be sublimated

Can i sublimate 100% cotton?
No. Organic fibers, such as cotton, do not accept the sublimation dyes.  However, you can sublimate popular blends such as 50/50 and 65/35.  Only the polyester fibers will accept the dyes.  So the higher the percentage of poly the brighter your graphic will be.  If you use a 50/50 the resulting image is going to be more of a washed out or faded look.  Perfect for some type of graphics and not acceptable at all for others.  It just depends on your customers expectations.
Expect polyester-based fabric, any substrates can be sublimated?

1. Ceramics:  Ceramic mugs and plates would make a perfect gift or decoration with a photo that you took printed on them, or any other kind of image that holds some meaning! You can also transfer images to tiles for decoration in your home, as well as any other ceramic pieces that provide a flat surface for the sublimation printing to take place. Before purchasing your ceramic objects, ask about the type of glaze they may have on them, if any, and whether or not this will affect the quality of the sublimation dye. 
2. Metal :  Transferring an image onto a flat metal sheet can be an incredibly unique way to display art or photographs in your home or business! This is a new, innovative way to capture anyone’s attention with the bright colors and high resolution that sublimation printing provides, along with the unique addition of a metal surface.
3. Glass : If you have a special design or symbol that you think would look amazing on a glass to drink out of, you now have the chance to make that idea come to life! Transferring sublimation prints onto glass is a great way to make personalized cups, whether for business or personal purposes. Any glass item, such as unfrosted pint glasses, vases, or other unique glass objects, could make the perfect gift or advertisement with a personalized logo printed on the front of it.

Can I sublimate the new moisture wicking shirts? 
Yes!  Dye sublimation works perfectly on most of the new moisture wicking fabrics. Due to being made by plastic, polyester is not as porous as cotton, which means it is not going to absorb as much moisture. Cotton can absorb up to 7% of its weight in water while polyester is only .4%. This is ideal for lifestyle shirts as it allows for high activity without the un-comfortableness if sitting, running, hiking in your own sweat, rain or other outdoor elements.

Can I print on black or darker colors? 
There are no "white" sublimation inks.  We can only dye the fabric darker.  My analogy here...if you have a photo of a white poodle and you press it on a pink shirt...you then have a pink poodle.

How does sublimation compare to plastisol transfers? 
Dye sublimation actually dyes the fabric.  We are not melting plastic on top of the fabric.  There will be absolutely no feel to the printed area. The print will never crack, peel or fade. 
Anyway, if you have any other questions about sublimation printing, you can leave message on our blog, or contact us directly. 

More info:
Website: www.skyimagepaper.com
Company Name: Fei Yue Digital Technology Co.,LTD
E-mail: sales@feiyuepaper.com 
Tel: 86-025-86628894
Whatsapp: +86 18252072197
Address: Central Road 323, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China