If you have never designed and printed a t-shirt or any other apparel before, then heat transfer vinyl is a great first project for you. Heat Transfer Vinyl often referred to as HTV, is a particular type of vinyl that can be used on a variety of fabrics and materials to bring your designs to life. Most vinyl comes in a roll, or in sheets, and has an adhesive backing that can withstand cutting, weeding, and being placed on the materials of your choice for application to numerous substrates (using heat!).
What fabrics will yield the best results?
You can compare the tags of many different t-shirts and find that they truly do vary. The following materials are recommended for the best results when applying heat and using vinyl transfer materials.
● 100% Preshrunk Cotton: A pre-shrunk cotton t-shirt or apparel item is the most common type of item used for HTV. If the shirt is not pre-shrunk, you may find that your design is altered (may become skewed) during the washing and drying process. These shirts can be easily found in stores and online.
● 100% Polyester: There are many upsides to using polyester fabrics. They are durable, do not tend to fade, dry quicker when washed, and they’re also compatible with the vinyl transfer heat process. For the best results, consider slightly dampening the t-shirt before applying heat, possibly with a misting spray bottle.
● Cotton/Poly Mix: This mixture brings you the best of both worlds. Common in t-shirts and home decor items, it may shrink slightly – but always evenly – and is easy to use. To avoid issues with shrinking post-heat transfer, go ahead and wash and dry the item first before applying the vinyl.
● Lycra®/Spandex Blends: Many people highly favor this fabric blend. Apparel items made of a lycra and spandex blend include t-shirts, yoga pants, loungewear, skirts, and dresses – all of which drape wonderfully are are the go-to cozy type of fabric.
● Nylon: This synthetic material is commonly used in textiles and is strong, durable and known to have excellent elasticity. Nylon items include socks, windbreaker-style jackets, some undergarments, and even unique objects like parachutes.
● Neoprene: Neoprene has good chemical stability, which allows for flexibility when exposed to varying temperatures. Items made of neoprene include laptop sleeves, mouse pads, and rash guards, etc.
● Canvas: It is very durable in withstanding heat and is the most common go-to choice for bags.
● Leather: Though it seems questionable, items like leather notebooks or laptop cases are popular for applying monograms, quotes, etc. Be sure to use a protective barrier between the iron and the transfer paper, just to be extra careful and avoid any burning of the leather.
You will want to avoid the following material when doing a heat transfer vinyl design:
● Synthetic Materials: There is no guarantee with how some of the materials will work under extreme heat. The HTV process requires the application of high temperature which may cause the material to melt or burn easily.
What are your vinyl options?
The options seem limitless when it comes to the vinyl needed to make shirts and apparel items in this process. Though the vinyl only comes in single color options, you can also purchase specialty vinyl the glittered, which are flocked, or 3D puff to add some extra pizazz to your creation.
While there are many vinyl options on the market, the following choices tend to be the highest rated and easiest to find for purchasing:
● SISER EasyWeed Heat Transfer Vinyl: Users praise this brand because of its known durability. It can be washed time and time again, and there is never a trace of fading or cracking in the vinyl. SISER EasyWeed also offers a beginner’s pack which is worth its weight in gold. It includes 12 different colors in the variety pack so you can get a feel for what you like without investing tons of money upfront.
● Thermoflex Heat Transfer Vinyl: This vinyl is soft, flexible and also known to be durable. With over 56 colors and style to choose from, Thermoflex Vinyl has something for everyone and every design.
● Cricut Heat Transfer Vinyl and Iron-On Transfer Vinyl: If you have a Cricut machine, the Cricut brand vinyl may be your best option. Like many other brands, the Cricut vinyl comes in a variety of colors and styles and can be found at your local craft store or online. It is very common. (Disclaimer: You do not have to use Cricut vinyl if you own, or decide to purchase a Cricut machine. All you need to do is make sure the vinyl fits, which can be cut down to the dimensions you need.)
What are vinyl stickers?
Vinyl stickers, often called vinyl-cut decals, are more simply put, peel-and-stick vinyl cut outs. The vinyl sticker has an adhesive backing and can be transferred after peeling off the backing. While many of these vinyl stickers will adhere to most fabrics, the disadvantage to vinyl stickers is that they will not withstand the washing machine or the tumbling in a warm dryer as an iron-on vinyl would. Compared to the security of the heat transfer vinyl, the vinyl stickers are elementary and do not have the same guaranteed longevity.
Which programs and vinyl cutters are best for HTV?
The typical programs people use for in-home or small production heat transfer vinyl are either the Cricut or Silhouette, as the programs allow you to design and also easily cut the vinyl. Many also swear by the Roland brand of vinyl cutters. The models of some of these tops machines include:
● Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine
● Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutter Machine
Which heat sources work best?
If you are just doing a shirt out of the comfort of your home, the lowest budget option is going to be your standard clothes iron. Simply pull out your iron and ironing board like you would when you do laundry, and you’ve got your heat press ready to go! Be sure to avoid using the steam setting on the iron for the best results.
Several other heat presses that will make the HTV process very simple.
● Cricut EasyPress: At a little under $150, you can score this foolproof heat press. It’s easy-to-use, has an adjustable heat setting that goes up to 350℉ (not a high enough temperature for sublimation), a built-in timer to make the transfer process simple, and is lightweight and portable for storage. The best part is, it’s compatible with all major vinyl brands (so you aren’t locked into using only Cricut brand vinyl).
● Silhouette Clamshell Heat Press: Compatible with the Silhouette CAMEO, this heat press is similar to the look and style of other larger heat presses on the market. The clamshell approach applies heat from both sides, ensuring that your vinyl has adhered to the t-shirt or fabric of your choosing.
Other key items to keep in mind when doing an HTV
We have gone over some of the bigger concepts already, but here are a few additional things to keep in mind:
● Do not forget to reverse or mirror your image before cutting. Failure to do so will result in an image that appears backward.
● You will want to invest in some additional tools, including a weeding tool. This instrument is a small pick, if you will that allows you to quickly peel out the parts of the design during the weeding process. Many of the vinyl cutting machines will also require that you use a cutting mat, which has a light adhesive that will hold the vinyl in place when the cutting process takes place. Lastly, a scraper tool (you could even use your ID or a credit card) is vital to make sure that the vinyl is flat to the cutting mat – and has no air bubbles – before beginning the cutting. It’s imperative that the transfer paper and vinyl are smooth to yield the best results.
● When preparing to cut the vinyl, be sure that the plastic-feeling side is facing downwards so that the vinyl is facing upwards and will cut correctly.
● Depending on the heat press method you are using, it is wise to lay a sheet or pillowcase over the transfer paper (between the shirt and heat press). This precaution will prevent any burning of the fabric or possible melting of the vinyl and transfer material.
Heat transfer vinyl versus screen printing
There are many differences beyond just the look of the vinyl and screen printed designs.
● Length of the process: Though the heat transfer vinyl process is easy to set up, it takes a great deal of time as the quantity of shirts increases because the setup has to be done repetitively per shirt. Screen printing does take longer during the initial set up. If the shirt order is a more substantial quantity, then screen printing will be faster than vinyl transfer because no weeding of material is required from shirt to shirt.
● Colors and details: Screen printing opens doors to using a wide array of colors. The colors can be mixed and matched – you could print every color in the rainbow if you truly wanted. Vinyl, on the other hand, is limited in the color options it uses. There is no way to create true gradients with vinyl, and any details would be lost.
● The lifespan of t-shirts: Both heat transfer vinyl and screen printed t-shirts should last the lifespan of the clothing item if cared for properly.
Heat transfer vinyl versus sublimation printing
● Fabric options: While vinyl can be easily transferred on to a variety of materials, sublimation restricts a user to only polyester or items that are pre-treated with a polyester coating. This coating also drives up the cost compared to vinyl.
● Colors and details: The same goes for this as it does for screen printing. Sublimation will allow for much more detail whereas vinyl limits the color options and level of detail for an image or design.
● Ease of process: Sublimation printing is a very in-depth process that would require a great deal of investment upfront, and vinyl heat transfer can be a straightforward and low budget method. For someone who is looking to make a few t-shirts for Nana’s 80th birthday party or a quick promotional item, vinyl is the way to go.
So what are the key takeaways of HTV?
● You have the option of using various materials. If there is something you want to personalize with a vinyl logo, you most likely can! If not, you will undoubtedly be able to find a similar option for a reasonable price.
● Synthetic materials are not a viable option for heat transfer vinyl. Fabrics can melt or become compromised when extreme heat is applied.
● Detail and color options are limited with HTV. Vinyl comes in single color sheets or rolls, and the only extra spark you can get with vinyl is to opt for glitter or 3D puff option.
● Compared to screen printing and sublimation printing, HTV is cheaper and easier to do from the comfort of your home.
● You do not need to purchase a heat press if it is not within your means. A household iron, sans the steam setting, will also get the job done.
● Though vinyl stickers are an option for quick branding, they will not last long and cannot endure the regular washing and drying of clothing items.