In this article, I’m going to explain how to use transfer paper which is also known as a heat transfer. This article is geared towards professional use of the transfer paper. There are many types of transfer papers in the market. Finding the best type of transfer paper for your garment or other items can be confusing until you become familiar with some of the products.
There are essential two (2) types of transfer paper with one being a combination of both types.
Screen Printed heat transfer paper is made using a silk screened ink which may be either a water based ink or a plastisol based ink. When using a screen printed heat transfer the individual ink colors are known as Spot Colors (see Glossary Heat Transfer Printing Terms).
Each “Spot” color is silkscreened or screen printed on a transfer paper which has been coated with a special “release” coating. This coating allows the transfer to peel away from the paper once the paper reaches the proper heat.
Screen Printed heat transfer benefits
Screen Printed heat transfer negatives
The second type of transfer paper is a Digital Heat Transfer. This type of heat transfer uses a digital printer or copier to create CMYK or four color process. Using cyan, magenta, yellow and “K” for Black, digital heat transfers can be a great solution to provide an unlimited amount of colors in your design. Printing using CMYK uses toner or ink which is transparent. Each color is printed one color on top of the other just like your inkjet printer works. The colors will not be opaque unless some type of white is applied to the transfer to block the transparent colors from bleeding into the dark colored garment. The latest type of Digital Heat Transfer combines both a digital image and a screen printed ink applied during manufacturing. (see Aqua Color HD)
Digital / Screen Print heat transfer advantages
Digital / Screen Print heat transfer negatives
There are many types of fabrics used in today’s garments. Some fabrics contain dyes and threads made of synthetic materials so it is important you know how to use the transfer paper as well as how to order the correct heat transfer paper formula. Not all heat transfer manufacturers make products that will work on every fabric or substrate. Be sure to check your manufacturer’s website for products that are approved and tested for your specific fabric.
Basic Screen Printed – Plastisol Transfers with no additives can print:
Screen Printed and Digital Screen Print Transfers with additives can print:
There are several advantages when considering how to use transfer paper for T Shirts and other fabrics.
Custom T Shirt transfer papers are printed as spot color inks as well as CMYK aka four color process inks such as Aqua Color HD formula. You can choose from several stock ink colors without incurring any extra charges for custom ink mixing. Plastisol transfer inks can be custom mixed to match a specific pantone ink color, however the color matching may look different on your fabric due to garment dye migration. To help stop the dye migration problem, you can choose a different plastisol transfer formula such as Polyester Athletic Formula heat transfers. This formula adds a special dye blocking adhesive which keeps the dye in your fabric from bleeding through the T Shirt transfer ink.
To get the most for your money using transfer papers you need to be familiar with what a “Gang Sheet” is. A “Gang Sheet” is simple a way to combine multiple images of the same logo or design one one sheet. When using the Digital / Screen printed heat transfers, you can even have multiple logos which are different on the same sheet. If you decide to go with spot color transfers, you can add different logos only if the logos contain the exact same ink colors. Using a gang sheet can be useful, especially if you have the need to print a crest print logo on the front of your shirt along with a full sized back logo. Gang Sheets can also be very cost effective when you have several small images which can fit many logos on one sheet. The more you can fit on your sheet, the lower your unit cost will be. When ordering a gang sheet you should consider the following:
To apply your heat press transfers you will need a commercial heat press which can provide at least 50 lbs of pressure and at least 375° F of heat. Many Cheap heat press machines will not work if they can not provide the minimum amount of pressure and heat. The application process with a heat press machine is slightly different depending on the Plastisol transfer formula you choose.
To apply Cotton soft custom heat transfers the application is
To apply Polyester Athletic Formula plastisol transfers the application is
To apply Aqua Color HD heat transfers the application for T-shirts is
You can apply heat press transfers to 100% cotton, 100% polyester, 50/50 cotton polyester fabrics. There are different ink formulas for each type of fabric. Wholesale T shirt transfers may also apply to fleece or sweatshirts as well as cotton or polyester bags. Be sure to check with BestHeatTransfers.com for the right product for your custom garments.
