How Keycaps Are Made (Legend Types)
Legends aren’t just visual. They directly affect durability.
Doubleshot
Two pieces of plastic are molded together:
- One for the legend
- One for the outer keycap
The legend goes all the way through the cap and won’t fade.
Most commonly made with ABS plastic.
Dye-Sublimation (Dye-Sub)
Dye is embedded into the surface of the keycap.
A simple way to think about it: the legend is “in” the plastic, not on it.
Usually done with PBT.
Reverse Dye-Sub
Instead of dyeing the legend, the entire keycap is dyed around it.
This is used when the legend needs to stay lighter than the base color.
UV Print
Ink is printed onto the surface and cured with UV light.
This allows for more complex designs but sits on the surface, so it will wear faster over time.
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