There are several ways to personalize t-shirts and other garments: from screen printing to DTG printing, plus embroidery, sublimation printing and even fabric markers, the possibilities are practically endless.
However, if you design custom t-shirts to sell and you have launched your business, some of these methods may not be profitable. 💸
When you are trying to add a specific design, a slogan or any other element to a t-shirt, using printable heat-transfer vinyl is a simple and affordable option that lets you print ALL the styles of designs you want. 🤩
What is printable HTV?
Printable HTV is a flocking print method that lets you personalize many types of fabric.
It is the simplest and highest-quality way to create multicolored graphics on your garments. Print images using an eco-solvent inkjet printer and transfer them onto t-shirts, sweatshirts, mouse pads, leather and other dark or light garments. 👕
Printable HTV lets you print logos, designs and vivid details that cannot be achieved with other fabric printing methods.
Use the printing features of cutting plotters to print designs in color, then cut them out to flock them.
⚠️ Printable HTV ≠ Sublimation paper
Before getting into the details of printable heat-transfer vinyl, it is important to clear up any confusion with sublimation paper. The biggest misconception about printable HTV is that it will work with your office printer! Printable flocking will not work in an office printer, but sublimation paper will.
Printable HTV requires an eco-solvent inkjet printer.
So there is a clear difference between printable vinyl and sublimation paper! Printable HTV is a true heat-transfer vinyl that withstands more than 60 machine washes, whereas sublimation paper is... paper that does not hold up to more than 2 or 3 machine washes.
Why use printable heat-transfer vinyl for your flocking creations?
You can use printable HTV to create digitally printed transfers.
Printed transfers are a great way to add variety if you are looking to grow your business. 👍
Compared to classic heat-transfer vinyl, printable heat-transfer vinyl lets you print small details and broader color ranges. On top of that, you do not need to layer vinyl to get multicolored designs!
Printable HTV is perfect for printing custom designs and even logos with an infinite number of colors. 🎨
Overall, printable vinyls are similar to solid heat-transfer vinyls, they hold up the same way on the garment, their quality is almost identical, except that printable vinyl can be used in an eco-solvent inkjet printer. This way you can flock designs with endless color gradients, something you cannot do with classic vinyl.
What equipment should you use for printable HTV?
Here are the essential tools and equipment for creating a printed vinyl design:
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An eco-solvent inkjet printer (to print the artwork onto the printable vinyl)
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Eco-solvent ink
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A cutting machine or cutting plotter (to cut out your design)
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A printing surface (for example a t-shirt, tote bag, etc.)
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An iron or a heat press (to heat-transfer the design onto the fabric)
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Printable heat-transfer vinyl of course
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Tape for printable vinyl (to transfer the printable vinyl the right way around)
How do you use printable heat-transfer vinyl? 🤔
It is important to fully understand the printing process before getting started, because even though it is not complicated, you need to get some practice to become a real expert.
It is also essential to choose high-quality printable heat-transfer vinyls. Feel free to order our premium-quality printable vinyl that can withstand more than 80 washes.
1️⃣ - Create your design
Designs can be drawn by hand and scanned onto a computer or created digitally. You can even buy and download ready-made templates on the internet. ➡️ Here is a set of 50 free, royalty-free designs to download! 🎁
If you copy designs from Google, please keep copyright laws in mind. Just because you can print something does not mean you can legally apply it to a t-shirt, especially if you are selling your products.
2️⃣ - Print the design
Before printing the design onto the vinyl, remember to print a copy on plain paper. This lets you check the size and quality and make adjustments if needed. When you are ready to print the actual transfer, load the printable vinyl into your eco-solvent inkjet printer or your cutting plotter (which also handles printing), making sure it is facing the right direction.
Printing plotters from the ROLAND brand, like the VersaSTUDIO BN-20, are a safe bet for working with printable vinyl.
As soon as the artwork has been printed, wait at least 10 minutes for the ink to dry.
Important: you will not need to apply a mirror effect to the design when printing.
3️⃣ - Cut out the design with your cutting machine
Next, load the vinyl with the printed design on it into your cutting machine to cut it out. You will then need to weed out the excess vinyl that the machine has cut.
Note: We recommend using the Silhouette Cameo 5 and Cricut Maker machines if you want to start a flocking business. (These 2 machines are cutting machines only, so they do not double as eco-solvent inkjet printers, but they are much cheaper and therefore ideal for the other types of heat-transfer vinyl.)
4️⃣ - Transfer the design
You now have your printable vinyl design ready, but before pressing it onto fabric, you will need to flip it over.
To do this, grab some transfer tape and gently apply it to your logo.
Once the logo has been properly applied, remove the transfer tape and your logo should come away with it. It will then be ready to be flocked. 😀
5️⃣ - Heat up your iron or your heat press
Plug in and turn on your iron or your heat press and heat the machine to 150 degrees. Be careful to set your heat press/iron down in a safe spot.
Make sure there is no cord hanging down, especially if you have children or pets.
6️⃣ - Applying the printable vinyl onto the t-shirt
Once your iron or your heat press has reached the right temperature, smooth out your t-shirt and place the printed vinyl in the desired spot. Take your time to position the artwork properly.
It is hard to remove the vinyl once it has been flocked, which is why you need to do it right the first time!
Close the heat press or use your iron to apply heat and pressure to the design. The printable heat-transfer vinyl logo should be applied at 150 degrees for 20 seconds.
Once the time is up, let the transfer tape sheet cool down slightly. Then carefully lift one corner to make sure the vinyl stays stuck to the t-shirt. If the design peels away, apply heat a second time and try again. When the vinyl has fully adhered to the shirt, you are done! 😉
What can you create with printable vinyl?
The possibilities are endless! ♾️
You can print a photo and turn it into a custom t-shirt, sweatshirt or blanket. Instead of layering vinyl, you can print the image of your choice (unicorn, mermaid, your children's or your pet's names, etc.) onto the printable vinyl and you will only need to press your design once!
We sell heat-transfer vinyls, including eco-solvent printable vinyls that are very handy for personalizing garments. Feel free to take a look at our Printable Vinyl and our Heat-Transfer Vinyl Shop! ⭐
