There are two DIY clothing and t-shirt printing techniques that are streamlined versions of the ones used by professional iron on transfer printers like ourselves.
On top of this there are also screen printing techniques which is a completely different method and will be covered on another blog post.
Iron on Transfers to Print Your Own Clothing and T-Shirt’s
If you have the time and only need a low quantity of custom iron on transfers then the home made iron on transfer printing method is simple and one way to do it.
This process of custom iron on transfers uk printing does not limit how complex your design is either so it can be a completely custom iron on transfer.
The downside is to print your own clothing or t-shirt will require an investment into an office printer and you need artwork or a correct file type to print from.
But apart from this and some patience you can do this at home.
Step by Step Guide to Printing onto Clothing or a T-shirt
1. Choose the Design or Create the Design
Any design, logo, or image can potentially be used to print your own clothing or t-shirt. However this may not be as simple as it sounds. As well as designing something that is required or liked, the file type has to be the type that can be printed as an iron on transfer. If a logo already has been designed by a branding agency as a brand design then the file type will be correct and have the correct resolution for iron on transfer printing. But if you are designing the iron on transfer design then you need to make sure it is in any one of these file types 300dpi high res jpegs, gif, png, pdf or if you have professional graphic design software as ai or vector eps.
We offer our own football logo design and any badge design that is required.
If you are printing these logos and designs make sure you have created it yourself and if you have, then not infringed any copyrights.
When you create your custom iron on transfer design you need to be aware any unusual shaped designs, rather than those in a box, will require difficult cutting out when printed.
2. Buy the Transfer Paper
Stores that sell office, craft, and stationery supplies also have heat transfer paper which is the basis of iron on transfers.
There are two kinds available; one transfers onto pastels and whites, and the other transfers onto other colours.
Transfer paper usually comes in the same dimensions as printer paper. If you don’t want that size, ensure your printer can handle the one you want.
3. Mirror Pictures for Clothing and T-shirts with Light Colours
Mirror images are made using transfer paper intended for light-coloured fabrics. Prior to printing, you must flip or mirror the image to get the desired results.
This might be a setting on your printer, or you might need to edit the image in a photo editor before printing.
Test the mirror image before printing onto a shirt by printing the image on regular printer paper.
You can skip this step when printing on darker shirts.
4. Print off your Creation
If you only want to iron on a piece of the photo, crop it.
To make sure your image will fit on the transfer paper, click preview. If it is very large, select “fit to scale” from the printer’s menu or crop the image in a photo editor.
In the printing options, select “landscape” if your image is broader than it is tall.
Make sure there isn’t a correct and wrong side to your transfer paper. The logo, colour, or opacity on one side may differ somewhat from that on the other.
This can allow you to print on the incorrect side. Before printing your own t-shirt, read the instructions.
5. Cutting out the Picture
To ensure that no blank transfer paper remains, you must precisely cut around the image. A shadow in the shape of the transfer paper will be left on the shirt if you attempt to iron on an image with extra paper.
You can use a ruler and a good knife to achieve a clean cut.
6. Pick a Surface and Cover it
A smooth, heat-resistant table, countertop, or ironing board are the best options. You don’t want to interfere with the print or harm the surface.
Cover the surface with a cotton pillowcase to further protect the surface and the clothing or t shirt.
7. Iron on
Observe the ironing guidelines printed on the transfer paper. If not, use standard iron-on printing techniques and set the iron to “cotton” or “high”.
Ensure that dry heat and no steam are selected. If your iron has water in it, pour it out to ensure the water doesn’t produce any steam.
Prior to transferring the design, flatten the shirt by ironing it on top of a pillowcase. Your design shouldn’t have wrinkles printed onto it.
Dark transfer paper should be facing up, and light transfer paper should be facing down.
Verify the alignment and positioning of the image.
Using your entire hand, forcefully push the iron against the T-shirt.
How long to iron for should be specified on your transfer paper. It can take a few minutes or only a few seconds.
To ensure even, consistent heating throughout the entire image, move the iron as little as possible.
8. Let it Cool Down
The picture and shirt should cool for at least a few minutes after the iron has been removed. The paper should have a room-temperature feel to it.
Peel off the paper.
So the pro’s of printing iron on transfers on clothing and T-shirts at home are:
- It’s quite simple.
- It’s orderly.
- Chemical handling is not required of you.
- A complicated image or design can be printed exactly as it appears.
Cons of printing iron on transfers on clothing and T-shirts at home are:
- The major con is that you can only print 1 design at a time. So if you require 3 or more it will take a long time.
- If your design is an odd shape you have to take time to cut around the shape. This is again adds a lot of time as well as adding the chance of doing wrong or poorly.
If you require to print onto clothing and t-shirts and need more then 1 producing then you should get them professionally printed.
Our custom iron in transfers you be produced within a few days. These are delivered to you ready to be simply ironed on or using a heat press.