An image is permanently transferred to a substrate having a cotton component, or other component which is absorbent or porous, from a medium printed with the image by a computer driven printer. A polymer surface preparation material and an ink are transferred by the printer to the medium from a ribbon or ink composition containing the ink and the surface preparation material, without activating the surface preparation material. The image is transferred from the medium to the substrate by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the medium to transfer the ink and the surface preparation material, with the surface preparation material bonding the ink to the substrate.