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Understanding Heat Transfers

Just as the word transfer is used many ways in the English language, there are many types of transfer technolgies available to decorate garments and textiles. The common factor making the different technologies all transfers is they are all applied with the same type of heat machine. Screen printed transfers - generally are hot or cold peel - and can be printed in regular transfer plastisol or printed in metallic or glitter in a plastisol base. Heat Transfer Vinyl are vinyl sheets you use a plotter cutter to cut and peel away the excess from your design. Rhinestone transfers offer the wearer a little bling. Sublimation transfers work on polyester or polycoated items. And even color copies can produce a viable product. All of these technologies are called transfers or heat applied graphics and are applied using the same heat machine process. There are many different heat machines but they all do basically the same thing. Heat the garment or textile to a temperature recommended by the transfer manufacturer and press the design onto it, transferring the image from a piece of paper or backing to the item being printed.
Why would you use one transfer technology over another? In the custom world, it's all up to what your customer wants and is willing to pay for. Why would one transfer rather than direct screen print? Why would a large screen print house use screen printed transfers? Some items such as bags, hats, gloves, etc are easier to transfer than direct print. Why is it sometimes more profitable to use transfers even if the cost per print is a little more? Transfers have a shelf life so you can print your shirts as it sells, a tremondous savings in inventory. This blog will go into more detail about these questions/topics and how to profit with transfers.
Screen printed transfers will look and feel the most like direct screen printing. Often even direct screen printers cannot tell the difference. This is because screen printed transfers are printed with a special blend of plastisol ink, similar to ink a direct screen printer would use. A vast majority of our customers prefer our professionally printed transfers over direct screen printing for many reasons. The soft durable print that delivers complete coverage even on dark garments. The ease of applying transfers and their long shelf life are another reason people choose screen printed transfers over direct screen printing. People can be in the decorated apparel business with only a heat machine and a table as opposed to the 10K+ it takes to set up a screen print shop.
Historically there have been two types of screened transfers. Hot peel or Cold Peel. Hot peels generally would go on a white or light color fabric, either 50/50 or 100% cotton or polyester. Cold Peels are more like old style transfers, almost bullet or fool proof. Great for logos on bags or hats.
*All ideas expressed in this post are the exclusively those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of Decorated Apparel Magazine. The author represents that he or she is exclusively responsible for the content contained, and that he or she is the owner of any intellectual property used or expressed, and has the right to publish any statements or images contained herein. All content is offered 'as-is' and Decorated Apparel Magazine does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of any statements contained in this or any other post. Your use of any advice or statements of fact or opinion offered are completely at your own risk.
Comments
The "Feel"
Not sure if it's a smart thing to do but sometimes after curing the ink from a screen printed design I will through my shirt in a heat press for a few seconds with a teflon sheet over it and it will get a nice smooth feel BUT it then has that "vinyl-ly" feel.
It's not dumb...
Hey Scott! You said you are 'not sure if it's a smart thing...' It's not always smart, but it's not really dumb, either. As you mention, doing this leaves your work looking like an old-school plastisol transfer from the 1960's. It will also re-liquify your ink, driving it into the shirt and causing spread and/or dye migration. HOWEVER - there is no greater assurance of heat transfer (used as a verb, not noun) than conduction. I've encountered a lot of printers who find themselves in big trouble because after about 6 months they discover that their dryer wasn't set right, or never really was up to the task of fully curing the ink. If you do what you point out, you can likely be quite sure your ink is completely cured. That said, I'd choose when to press / when not to press very carefully, and watch the pressure. It your only objective is to achieve that smooth, almost rubbery feel - then yes, nothing dumb about it at all, so long as you don't destroy the sharpness or opacity.
My response was to using
My response was to using teflon with transfers as my blog is about transfers. I missed that you are using your heat machine to cure your direct screening after it has gone thru the dryer. Again I feel this is an unnecessary step and waste of time. You might be wise to invest in a heat gun or heat test strips so you have an accurate temperature reading.
Heat Gun, Got It!
Yes, I also use a heat gun. Test strips I have not tried yet.
Using teflon sheet
Generally teflon sheets are used as a barrier between ink and heat press, example vinyl. Our screen printed transfers are printed on specially coated paper for easy release so there is no need for teflon as a barrier as you have the paper backing.
I find the extra step of pressing a transfer again with teflon, unnecessary, however if you and your customers like the rubbery feel of vinyl and you don't mind the extra time, then why not??
Teflon can be used as a correction tool as well.
There is also a rubber pad out there with texture that a printer can use to take away that shiney rubbery feel that is vinyl. Again I feel it is an extra unnecessary step but if the customers like it and the printer does not mind, it's available.
Thank you for your comments!
Heat Press Hangout
Now a days it's easy to design and print anything using Heat Press Machine. I already bought some good Heat Press Machine for my small business. Serving very well so far.
Source: https://heatpresshangout.com/best-vi...