Sublimation Ink Buying Guide
How much is sublimation ink?
Our sublimation ink costs $8.99 for a 70 ml bottle of cyan, magenta or yellow (about 13¢ per ml), $9.99 for a 140 ml bottle of black sublimation ink (about 7¢ per ml), and $45.99 for the 4-pack with 350 ml in total (140 ml black plus 70 ml each color). Sublimation ink has no ISO page-yield rating, because how far it goes depends on image size and coverage. Ink is usually the smallest part of the cost per print; see our sublimation cost breakdown for ink, paper, blanks and equipment.
Where to buy sublimation ink, and wholesale orders
Castle Ink sells sublimation ink by the bottle, directly from this page. Bottles ship the same business day from California when ordered by 4 PM ET, Monday to Friday, and shipping is free on orders over $50 ($6.95 standard below that, $25 for expedited 1–2 business day delivery). If you go through a lot of black, the 140 ml black bottle is the lowest cost per ml we sell.
When the cheapest ink is the wrong choice
- Your printer still has regular Epson ink in it. Sublimation ink only belongs in a printer dedicated to sublimation. Once a tank has held regular Epson ink, it needs a thorough flush, and a new, never-filled printer is the safer route.
- You have a 512-bottle printer (Expression Premium ET-7700, ET-7750). These have a fifth photo-black tank and our 4-pack has no photo black, so contact us before using it in one of these.
- You have an Epson ET-16500. It uses Epson 774/664 bottles, not 502/522, so these bottles are not for it.
- You want to print on cotton. Sublimation bonds only to polyester and polymer coatings. For cotton, look at DTF instead of sublimation.
Which Printers Does This Sublimation Ink Fit?
These bottles are made for Epson EcoTank, Expression and WorkForce "Supertank" printers that take Epson 502, 512 or 522 bottles and have already been converted for sublimation. That means the tanks were filled with sublimation ink from the start and never held regular Epson ink.
- 4-pack (black, cyan, magenta, yellow): 140 ml black + 70 ml each color. A full refill, or the first fill of a new sublimation printer.
- Black: 140 ml. Topping up the color you use most.
- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow: 70 ml each. Replacing one color at a time.
Compatible printers listed for the 4-pack: Epson EcoTank ET-2400 (522), ET-2700 (502), ET-2720 (522), ET-2750 (502), ET-2760 (502), ET-2800 (522), ET-2803 (522), ET-2840 (522), ET-2850 (502), ET-3700 (502), ET-3710 (502), ET-3750 (502), ET-3760 (502), ET-3830 (502), ET-3850 (502), ET-4700 (522), ET-4750 (502), ET-4760 (502), ET-4800 (522), ET-4810 (522), ET-4850 (502), EcoTank Pro ET-15000 (502), and WorkForce ST-2000, ST-3000 and ST-4000 (502).
Not sure your model can be converted? See how to convert an Epson EcoTank to a sublimation printer (and which models work).
What Is Sublimation Ink?
Sublimation ink (encre sublimation) is a special dye ink. You print onto sublimation paper, then use a heat press to turn the dye into a gas that bonds permanently with polyester fibers or poly-coated surfaces. The result won't crack, peel or wash out. It works on mugs, tumblers, mouse pads, phone cases, polyester shirts, hats, coasters and similar blanks. It does not bond to plain cotton, untreated wood or uncoated ceramics. New to the process? Start with sublimation printing explained.
What Actually Makes Ink "Sublimation Ink"?
Sublimation ink isn't just a color variant of regular inkjet ink — it's a completely different formulation built around disperse dyes, the same class of dye originally developed to color polyester fabric. Those dye particles are suspended in a low-viscosity carrier fluid designed to flow cleanly through piezoelectric print heads (like the ones in Epson EcoTank and Supertank printers) without clogging. What makes the ink "sublimation" ink is what happens next: under heat and pressure from a heat press, the solid dye particles convert directly into a gas without ever passing through a liquid state. That gas penetrates the surface of a polyester or polymer-coated substrate, then resolidifies as it cools, permanently bonding with the material itself rather than sitting on top of it.
That distinction matters. Standard dye or pigment inkjet ink is designed to sit on top of paper or fabric fibers and is held there by a binder — it never becomes part of the material, which is why it can crack, peel, or fade with washing and abrasion. Sublimation ink has no binder to hold it to the surface; instead, it needs a polyester or poly-coated substrate to bond with, which is why it can't be used on plain paper, untreated cotton, or most everyday print jobs. It's a purpose-built system: the right ink, the right heat, and the right substrate all have to line up for the process to work.
Why Sublimation Ink Needs a Converted Printer
Most home and office inkjet printers ship with pigment or dye-based ink meant for paper, so they can't run sublimation ink straight out of the box. That's why the printers used for sublimation projects are almost always Epson EcoTank or Supertank models that have had their tanks emptied, cleaned, and refilled exclusively with sublimation ink, then dedicated to sublimation printing only. Once a printer is converted, replacement ink needs to match the original conversion — mixing sublimation ink with standard ink, or running it through a printer that hasn't been converted, can clog the print head and ruin your results. That's also why our sublimation ink bottles are sold as direct refills for already-converted Epson 502, 512, and 522-style tanks rather than as a conversion kit.
Tips for Better Sublimation Prints
- Never mix inks. Once a tank has held regular Epson ink, it can't be used for sublimation without a thorough flush, and a dedicated printer is the safer route.
- Print a nozzle check before each session and print at least a few times a week. Sublimation ink clogs faster than standard ink when it sits. Our sublimation printer maintenance guide covers the routine.
- Use real sublimation paper and mirror your image. See the sublimation paper guide.
- Expect duller colors on paper. The print looks faded until it's pressed. That's normal.
- Store bottles capped, upright and out of direct sun.
More Sublimation Questions
Do I need an ICC profile? This ink is formulated for close color matching, so many users get good results without adjusting profiles. For critical color work, a profile matched to your paper and press settings will still help.
Which printer should I buy for sublimation? See the best sublimation printers for small businesses and the best sublimation printer for tumblers and mugs.
Shipping and guarantee. Every bottle is covered by our 1-year 100% satisfaction guarantee: a full refund with no restocking fee, and we pay return shipping unless you simply changed your mind. Castle Ink has served 100,000+ customers since 2005 and is BBB-accredited. Looking for regular ink instead? See Epson 502 ink bottles and Epson 522 ink bottles.
