Videoflex | Heat Transfer
There are a lot of T-shirt printing methods to be considered. Each has its advantages and dis-advantages, and each is preferred for certain circumstances. Choosing the right printing method is absolutely crucial.
Heat Transfer printing is arguably the most popular choice for T-shirt printing in small businesses. The process involves heat transfer to press an existing photo or design on to a fabric. While it certainly isn’t as lasting as other methods, transfer printing is great for small quantities and is much faster than other methods.
Heat transfer provides a smooth feel when the fabric is produced. You will certainly notice the difference in texture, but the print also has a tendency to crack more often.
One of the most important things to remember with heat transfer printing is the restrictions of pressing on to coloured garments, in general, most forms of transfer printing will focus on white T-shirts. This is due to the problems which arise when you try to transfer certain colours on to darker garments. For example, transferring yellow on to a blue garment would traditionally leave a greenish tone.
Vinyl transfers are one of those additional options. Focused primarily on offering support for colour layering, vinyl pressing allows designers to use multiple colours and produce high quality final prints.
The process is centred on embellishing a garment. To use it will require a vinyl cutter which allows you to cut out a logo or design from a specific sheet of vinyl, the design is then pressed through usual heat transfer means.
The process is not really geared towards mass production, and is actually better suited for single print t-shirts or a small quantity of print t-shirts. It’s a fairly new method, and not the cheapest, but the quality of output is high – perfect for lettering. Vinyl transfer print is suitable if you’re looking for a one-off print with distinct contrasting colours.