When it comes to starting or growing a sublimation business, the printer you choose can make all the difference. With so many options on the market, some adapted from generic models, others promoted as “budget-friendly” but lacking reliability, it can be overwhelming to decide where to begin.
At Joto Imaging Supplies, we recently had the privilege of hosting the Sawgrass team, for an in-depth training session. They shared not just product features, but the competitive advantages that make Sawgrass printers stand out. What we learned reinforced something we already knew: Sawgrass isn’t just another brand, it’s the pioneer and global leader of the sublimation industry.
In this article, we’ll explore in depth why Sawgrass is the best choice for both businesses and creators. From patented innovations and unmatched ink quality to purpose-built hardware and lifetime support, Sawgrass offers far more than a machine, it offers a complete ecosystem designed to help you succeed.
Industry Leaders and True Pioneers
When people think sublimation, they think Sawgrass, and for good reason. More than 30 years ago, Sawgrass pioneered the process of making sublimation inks compatible with digital inkjet printers.
Before this breakthrough, sublimation printing was limited to roll-to-roll offset presses, a costly and complex process reserved for large-scale operations. Sawgrass changed that. By inventing and patenting the process of refining sublimation pigments so they could pass through inkjet print heads without clogging or damaging them, Sawgrass opened the door to desktop sublimation.
This innovation gave Sawgrass a 30-year head start over other competitors and positioned them as the reference point for sublimation worldwide. Today, their name is synonymous with the category because they didn’t just join the market, they created it, refined it, and continue to drive it forward.
Ink Quality and Consistency That Sets the Standard
Your sublimation business is only as strong as the quality of your ink. Sawgrass inks, branded as SubliJet, are considered the gold standard of the industry, and Andy Costa, Sawgrass Channel Manager, explains why.
Every batch of SubliJet ink undergoes rigorous quality testing before it leaves the U.S.-based production facility. In fact, Sawgrass keeps samples of each batch on file, ensuring that future production can be tested against past batches for exact color matching. This means that if you print “Coca-Cola Red” today, and you need to print the same shade a year from now, you’ll get the exact same color every time.
This kind of batch-to-batch consistency is unmatched and critical for businesses handling repeat orders, corporate clients, or large-scale production. It protects your reputation and ensures you never have to explain to a client why their logo looks “off” in a new order.
Sawgrass inks are also water-based, solvent-free, and certified safe for sensitive products, including baby clothing. Their cartridges and packaging are 100% recyclable, so you can drop them off at retailers like Staples or Office Depot. For businesses and creators who want to appeal to eco-conscious customers, this is not just a nice-to-have feature, it’s a competitive edge.
While cheaper third-party inks may look tempting, they often lead to clogged heads, color inconsistency, and wasted blanks. With Sawgrass inks, you’re investing in quality, reliability, and a reputation your customers can trust.
Printers Engineered Exclusively for Sublimation
One of the biggest advantages of Sawgrass is that their printers are not repurposed photo printers, they are engineered from the ground up for sublimation.
For more than 15 years, Sawgrass has maintained an exclusive partnership with Ricoh, one of the world’s most respected imaging technology companies. In fact, Ricoh dedicates an entire factory to manufacturing Sawgrass printers, built specifically to run on SubliJet inks.
This matters because sublimation pigments are larger than standard inkjet pigments, and typical photo printers, like Epson, are designed with extremely fine nozzles that clog easily. Sawgrass printers, by contrast, are designed with Ricoh print head technology optimized for sublimation ink, which translates into greater durability, reliability, and lower maintenance.
The result? A printer that doesn’t just print, it prints perfectly, consistently, and with less downtime than adapted alternatives.
Consistency and Reliability with Self-Cleaning Print Heads
Ask any sublimation business owner what their biggest headache is, and most will tell you: clogged print heads. Ink drying in nozzles leads to wasted time, wasted blanks, and frustrated clients.
Sawgrass solves this with self-cleaning print head technology. The printers monitor how long it’s been since the last job and automatically clean themselves if needed. That means when you go to print, whether it’s after an hour or a week, the output will be perfect the first time.
With other printers, manual maintenance is routine and inevitable. With Sawgrass, you focus on printing, not troubleshooting. As Andy Costa puts it: “Nobody complains about our printers. They just work great. They’re so reliable.”
Warranty and Lifetime Support That Protect Your Investment
Choosing a sublimation printer is not just a purchase, it’s an investment. Sawgrass protects that investment with one of the strongest support systems in the industry.
Every Sawgrass printer includes a two-year warranty, compared to as little as six months from some competitors. More importantly, Sawgrass provides lifetime, U.S.-based technical support.
Support tickets are answered within minutes, and the team works alongside Sawgrass’s product managers, ensuring you’re always speaking with experts who know sublimation inside and out.
This combination of warranty and unlimited technical help means your printer isn’t just covered for defects, it’s backed by a company that is committed to your success for as long as you own it.
CreativeStudio Free Design Software
Design shouldn’t be a barrier to entry. That’s why Sawgrass includes CreativeStudio®, a web-based design tool built specifically for sublimation.
CreativeStudio makes it easy for beginners to start designing right away with templates, built-in print settings, and free artwork. For professionals, it integrates seamlessly with advanced tools like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Photoshop.
For those who want even more, Sawgrass offers CreativeStudio Plus, a premium version with hundreds of licensed, ready-to-use templates and designs that can be customized and resold.
This unique combination of free and premium options ensures that both hobbyists and high-volume print shops have the tools they need to succeed.
Professional Color Management with Print Optimizer
Precision color management is critical in sublimation, especially when working with corporate logos or large product lines. Sawgrass includes Print Optimizer, an advanced print utility that goes beyond a simple driver.
Print Optimizer acts almost like a professional RIP (Raster Image Processor), providing granular control over color accuracy, ink usage, and output quality. This ensures that what you design on screen is what you’ll see on your final product, every single time.
It also optimizes ink efficiency, reducing waste and keeping your cost per print as low as possible. For businesses, this translates into higher profitability and fewer headaches.
Education and Training Programs to Keep You Growing
Sawgrass knows that buying a printer is only the beginning of your journey. That’s why they invest heavily in education and ongoing training.
Every new customer can register for a personalized onboarding session, conducted in small groups of five people. These sessions cover everything from unboxing and setup to printing your first product, ensuring you start with confidence.
But the training doesn’t stop there. Sawgrass also runs weekly workshops, often focused on seasonal business opportunities. For example, in July they guide customers on preparing for the holiday season, because planning ahead is critical for maximizing sales.
This proactive, customer-first approach ensures you’re not just using a printer, you’re building a profitable business with the full support of Sawgrass behind you.
Sustainability at the Core
In a world where consumers value responsibility, sustainability is a key differentiator. Sawgrass embraces this by making all of its inks water-based and solvent-free, ensuring they are safe for people and the environment.
Their cartridges and packaging are 100% recyclable, and customers can easily return used cartridges at retailers like Staples and Office Depot. Sawgrass inks also carry multiple international certifications, making them suitable for even the most sensitive products, such as baby apparel.
For businesses that want to align with eco-conscious values, Sawgrass makes it possible to deliver products that are not only beautiful but also responsible.
SG500 and SG1000: Flagship Printers
The Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000 are the flagship models for businesses and creators. Both include a two-year warranty, self-cleaning print heads, and access to CreativeStudio and Print Optimizer.
- SG500: Prints up to 8.5” x 14”, making it ideal for smaller items like mugs, coasters, phone cases, and mousepads.
- SG1000: Prints up to 11” x 17”, and with the optional bypass tray, up to 13” x 19”. This makes it perfect for larger products like t-shirts, apparel, and signage.
The difference is size and application, not quality, both deliver the same world-class results. Businesses often start with the SG500 and upgrade to the SG1000 as demand grows.
VersiFlex: Innovation Beyond Sublimation
Beyond SubliJet inks, Sawgrass has recently introduced VersiFlex, a new ink technology designed to expand creative possibilities. While we’ll cover VersiFlex in detail in a future article, it’s another proof point that Sawgrass continues to innovate and lead the market.
The Joto Advantage - A Complete One-Stop Solution
When you purchase Sawgrass printers through Joto Imaging Supplies, you gain more than just access to a world-class printer, you gain a partner.
- 20+ years of experience selling Sawgrass printers.
- Recognized as one of the Top 10 Sawgrass distributors worldwide.
- A complete line of blanks, inks, heat presses, and supplies.
- Dedicated customer support to guide you every step of the way.
This makes Joto one of the most trusted names in sublimation worldwide. By choosing Sawgrass through Joto, you’re not only investing in the best technology, but also in the experience and support of a partner committed to your long-term success.
Why Sawgrass Is an Investment in Long-Term Success
At the end of the day, choosing Sawgrass is about more than buying a printer, it’s about investing in your success. With patented innovations, purpose-built hardware, unmatched ink quality, lifetime support, free software, ongoing education, and a commitment to sustainability, Sawgrass delivers an ecosystem that helps businesses and creators thrive.
And with Joto Imaging Supplies as your partner, you gain not just a printer, but a complete, one-stop solution that makes sublimation easy, profitable, and sustainable.
👉 Ready to start or grow your sublimation business? Explore the Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000 printers with Joto Imaging Supplies today and experience the difference.
