Sublitech bringing ideas to life

What do leading international brands like Zimmermann, Sea Folly, Bec and Bridge and Budgy Smuggler have in common? They are all iconic Australian companies and Sydney digital sublimation printer Sublitech has been a significant long term partner in helping their products achieve success on the global stage.

Founded in 1998 by Peter Faill, Sublitech specialises in working with stretch fabrics and as a result has always worked closely with the Australian swimwear and fashion industry. All printing is dye-sublimated using environmentally friendly, water-based digital inks which are colour-fast and non-fade. "An important factor in the production of swimwear and athletic wear is our ability to laser cut stretch fabric," says Peter. "It's a bit of a black art, and we've invested significant resources in perfecting it, and it is one thing that sets us apart." With a maximum print width of 3.2m, the bulk of the printing is done on two custom-built Mimakis. "Our products are proudly Australian made, and all of our fabric is sourced locally from key long term suppliers Stretchtex and Charles Parsons. The appearance and performance of the fabric over time is one of the most important criteria for our customers as it drives brand loyalty and repeat purchases". 

While Sublitech does print soft signage such as banner walls, roll-up banners, teardrop banners and backlit lightboxes, most of the soft signage is done to support their customers' instore brand campaign, to ensure the quality of colour matching and consistency of brand image. "We tend to focus on specialty textile printing things such as backdrops for theatre companies and events such as Vivid. We even print gaming tables."

One of the most unique projects we have been involved in was Sculpture by the Sea last year. We partnered with Goldberg Aberline Studios and Ricky Richards to print, cut and stitch an inflatable coral bed for the eye-catching entry titled "Microcosm". Seen by half a million people every day at Tamarama beach, it was an excellent opportunity to inspire people as to how printed textiles can be used in different applications.

In addition to working with global brands, Sublitech nurtures a strong contingent of local designers by partnering to make it easier for them every step of the way. "From an in house pattern maker, extensive expertise in material selection and performance, to labelling, swing tags and even brand marketing we become an integral part of a designers extended team,"
says Peter.

In terms of industry trends, boutique brands are flourishing with ethical and sustainable practices being at the forefront of peoples minds and a shift towards movements such as slow fashion.

Conscious about their environmental footprint, Sublitech aims to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Sublimation printing is environmentally friendly and doesn't use harsh chemicals that are dangerous to the environment. Water based inks are used so there is no washing or pit drains required after printing and inks are disposed of correctly and not tipped down the drain. All discard paper is recycled. Even textile offcuts are recycled by a company called Suez to ensure they won't end up in landfill. Says Peter, "we are constantly focussing on how we can improve our production processes to reduce the environmental impact".