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Sublimation Resources
Guides, press settings and videos for print shops, Etsy sellers and promo distributors working with ORCA coated sublimation blanks.
01 Videos
See it in action
Product demos, step by step tutorials and a look inside Photo USA. More on our YouTube channel.
Product videos
ORCA coating grade test
The same design pressed on Black, Green, Red and AB grade ORCA mugs under identical conditions, comparing color, saturation, sharpness and gradients side by side.
Best layout styles for 11 oz and 15 oz mugs
Four ways to lay out a design on a white mug, from a full 360 degree wrap that includes the handle to clean layouts that leave space at the rim and base.
Create your own two tone mug
A full color design pressed onto a white mug with a pastel colored handle in an ORCA oven, from blank to finished two tone mug.
White patch mugs up close
Black mugs with a 7.5 x 3.3 in. white patch, showing how full color images stand out against the black body. A favorite for promotions and prizes.
How-to tutorials
How to wrap a ceramic shot glass
How to cut a curved transfer for a tapered ceramic shot glass and tape it tight so the image presses evenly.
How to wrap a latte mug
A quick demo of wrapping the transfer around a tapered latte mug before pressing.
How to wrap a 20 oz stainless steel water bottle
How to prepare a stainless steel water bottle for sublimation, from positioning the transfer to securing the wrap.
How to make a sandstone coaster
Pressing a square sandstone coaster on a standard flat heat press, from setup to finished coaster.
Inside Photo USA
Our Fremont, CA warehouse
A walk through the Fremont, California warehouse where cases are stocked and shipped to customers across the US.
Inside our Fremont facility
A look at the work floor of our Fremont, California facility.
Inside the Photo USA sublimation factory
A look inside the Photo USA sublimation factory in Zibo, Shandong, where ORCA coated blanks are produced.
Photo USA and Save The Whales
Our partnership with Save The Whales, the ocean conservation nonprofit we have supported for years. The ORCA name was inspired by the orca whale.
02 Press settings
Get the press right
Start here before pressing a new blank. Every press runs a little differently, so press one test piece from each new case.
03 Templates and design
Design to fit
Exact print areas and layout ideas for our most popular mug sizes.
04 Know your blanks
Choose the right blank
What ORCA Coatings is, and how mug styles and materials compare.
What is ORCA Coating?
How the coating works, how it was tested, and how the grades differ.
Color accent mug styles
Colored inside, rim, handle or patch.
Coffee mugs by the case
From 6 oz espresso to 16 oz latte, two tone and color handle options.
Travel mugs
Ceramic, insulated and insert style travel mugs compared.
Tumblers
Which tumbler size to stock and how to buy by the case.
Enamel camping mugs
Custom enamel mug blanks by the case.
Color changing mugs
Which size to stock and how they work.
Glassware sizes
Shot glass, pint and beer stein sizes for wholesale buyers.
05 Buying and planning
Buy smarter
How wholesale ordering works, and how to plan a profitable product line.
Buying mug blanks by the case
Case packs, minimums and what to check before ordering.
How many mugs pay off a case?
Simple ROI math for a case of sublimation mugs.
Which color sells to which buyer
Team colors, baby showers, weddings and brand merch.
Choosing a blanks supplier
Seven things to compare before you buy.
06 Seasonal guides
Plan for the season
Order deadlines and what to stock for the busiest selling seasons.
Still have a question?
Tell us the blank and what you are trying to do, and our team will help.
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