Printing a design on transfer paper and then pressing it using heat and pressure to transfer it to a substrate, like a t-shirt, sports kits, cap, or bag, are examples of printed heat transfers.
Plastisol transfers and digital transfers are the two primary forms of these transfers. Plastisol transfers entail printing a design with a PVC-based ink known as plastisol, which is frequently used in screen printing, onto a particular transfer paper. After that, the design is transferred onto the substrate under pressure and heat, causing the ink to adhere to the cloth.
On the other hand, digital transfers employ a digital printer to print a design onto transfer paper using a special kind of ink that can be transferred onto the fabric using heat and pressure. For designs with various colours or intricate patterns that would be challenging to create using conventional screen printing techniques, digital transfers are frequently used.
There is now another type of digital transfer called DTF meaning Direct To Film transfer.
The printed DTF method can be used on cotton and poly blends, in contrast to the DTG (Direct To Garment) method, which exclusively works on cotton materials.
Direct to film printing, also known as film to garment printing, entails first printing the image on a film, then transferring it from the film to the fabric using a heat mechanism.
The fabric does not need to be pretreated prior to DTF printing, but after the image is transferred to the film, a powder must be sprayed to stop the ink from smearing or streaking.
Custom t-shirts, bags, hats, and other apparel are frequently made using printed custom heat transfers. Because to their low cost and simplicity of production, they are a popular alternative for small orders or custom designs.
Printed Heat Transfers are used for a variety of purposes, including:
Custom Apparel: Custom t-shirts, hoodies, hats, backpacks, and other gear are frequently made using iron on heat transfers. They are frequently used for promotional products, team kits and uniforms, and merchandise and can be used to add logos, graphics, and text on clothing.
Branding and Marketing: Printed heat transfers are also used for branding and marketing purposes. Iron on heat transfers can be used by businesses to apply their logo or message to products like bags, mugs, and other promotional items.
DIY Projects: DIY enthusiasts frequently utilise heat transfers to make customised goods like tote bags, home decor, and even personalised gifts. These transfers can be used on a variety of materials and are simple to utilise.
Sports Kits and Uniforms: Custom heat transfers are often used for sports uniforms, such as Football kits and Rugby kits. They are used to print the clubs badge as as well as players names and numbers.
Sports Clubs and Printed Clothing: Sports clubs of various types use Printed heat transfers to personalise clubs clothing and sell this merchandise to raise important funds.
Fashion: These quick and easy printed transfers are sometimes used in fashion design to add intricate designs to clothing items.
Designers can use custom transfers to create unique patterns and designs on fabric that would be difficult or time-consuming to create using traditional printing methods.
