Patent ID: 6890883

Claim:
A method for dye sublimation printing of photographs or graphics onto biaxially stretched polyester comprising the steps of: obtaining a quantity of biaxially stretched polyester (“BSP”) that has some crystallinity in its polymers in order to reduce any inherent tendency of said BSP to adhere to a sheet of transfer paper during a dye sublimation printing process, said BSP being a clear film having a thickness of from about 0.0001 to about 0.014 inches, selecting a white substrate, laminating said BSP clear film to said white substrate to produce a laminate with a BSP clear layer, said white substrate and said BSP remaining adjacent each other while carrying out said dye sublimation printing, said white substrate being of a thickness that affords relative light opacity to said substrate, selecting a piece of transfer medium containing a photograph or graphic for dye sublimation printing, disposing said transfer paper against said BSP clear layer of said laminate, disposing said transfer paper and said BSP clear layer of said laminate in a press, closing said press to apply pressure to said transfer medium and said BSP clear layer of said laminate, causing said transfer paper and said BSP clear layer of said laminate to be exposed to heat, keeping said press closed for a desired time period in order to cause a photograph or graphic image on said transfer paper to be transferred to said BSP clear layer of said laminate by dye sublimation printing, opening said press, and removing said laminate to reveal a printed image.