You probably have a flocked t-shirt in your wardrobe that you love. But after lots of wear and washing, the heat-transfer design can start to peel slightly at the edges.
If you want to save your t-shirt, it isn't difficult, but you need to do it quickly and carefully. Flocked heat-transfer designs are made to be permanent, but over time the adhesive may no longer stick as well as it used to. Repair your flocked design before it gets completely ruined and give your garment back its former glory! 😀
Re-stick your flocked design easily in 5 steps:
Re-sticking a flocked design that has peeled off a textile can seem like an intimidating task. But rest assured, the steps you'll need to follow are very simple and the process will only take you about ten minutes. 🕐
To re-stick your flocked design cleanly, you'll need:
- an iron or a heat press
- a table to position the textile
- a sheet of baking paper or a Teflon sheet
- high-temperature tape (optional)
Step 1: Lay your t-shirt flat
First, it's important to position your t-shirt (or other textile) nice and flat on a suitable surface so you can re-stick the flocked design in the best possible way.
We recommend laying the textile flat on an ironing board. Make sure there are no objects around you that might melt from the heat, because the flocked design needs strong heat to be re-stuck.
You can also use an ironing pillow or another heat-resistant support to ensure optimal safety. ✔️
Step 2: Reposition the flocked design that peeled off correctly
Once your t-shirt is nice and flat, gently reposition the flocked design that peeled off.
If you're not sure your flocked design is positioned correctly, or if you think it might move during pressing, you can use high-temperature tape to hold the flocked design in place.
Step 3: Baking paper, an indispensable tool
After placing the flocked design in the right spot, take a sheet of baking paper or a Teflon sheet and cover your design with the sheet.
The flocked design must be entirely covered by the sheet of baking paper.
Step 4: Press the textile
Grab your iron (or your heat press) and heat it to 150 degrees. 🌡️
Wait a few minutes for the iron to reach the right temperature.
Once the iron is nice and hot, press the flocked design (always keep the sheet of baking paper over the design to protect the flocked vinyl) and, with a circular motion that covers the whole design, apply the iron's heat while pressing down with medium pressure.
Make circular motions with your iron for about 30 seconds. (If you have a heat press, there's no need to make circular motions.)
Once the 30 seconds are up, switch off the iron and lift it off the textile.
Step 5: Peeling
All that's left is to wait just 5 little seconds and remove the sheet of baking paper to admire the result.
You now have a flocked design that shines again on your textile! 🤩
How to stop heat-transfer vinyl from peeling off a garment?
When you make a custom flocked design on a textile, it's frustrating to find out that it didn't hold on the garment and that it peeled off slightly.
So here are a few tips to flock your textile correctly and stop the heat-transfer vinyl from peeling off:
1️⃣ - Make sure the heat-transfer vinyl works on the material in question
Sometimes the fabric you want to customize simply isn't compatible with the flocking process.
Indeed, to transfer a flocked design, you need to heat it to around 150 degrees. If the fabric in question melts when it comes into contact with heat, then it won't be possible to flock it. 🤷♀️
Other materials are also impossible to flock because their surface isn't smooth enough. For example, there's little chance you'll manage to flock a rug, since its surface isn't even.
Here are the main textile materials you can flock onto:
- Cotton
- Polycotton
- Polyester
- Burlap
- Rayon
- Leather
- Nylon
2️⃣ - Insufficient pressure
It's essential to apply firm pressure to the heat-transfer vinyl when transferring it onto a garment. It's best to use a heat press if you can, because it applies the right pressure and makes sure the vinyl adheres properly.
The drawback of an iron is that it can be hard to gauge how much pressure to apply. If the pressure is too low, the vinyl won't adhere properly, and if the pressure is too high, the vinyl risks being pressed too deeply into the fabric.
Examine your flocked design carefully after pressing it. Can you see the garment's fibers showing through the design? If not, we recommend giving it another press.
You can also pre-heat the garment inside out by running the press over the textile for 10 seconds. Then turn it right side out and transfer the flocked design. With this method, you'll be sure the vinyl's glue has melted properly and adhered to the textile.
3️⃣ - Use quality heat-transfer vinyl
One of the most important points is to always source quality heat-transfer vinyl. Indeed, since vinyl is the consumable used to make a flocked design, it must be of impeccable quality. 💯
Be sure to read the reviews of the various heat-transfer vinyl shops carefully before making a purchase.
Even if you feel like you're saving money in the short term by buying cheap heat-transfer vinyl, investing in quality will get you much better results in the end.
Our company has specialized in selling heat-transfer vinyl since 2019. Our heat-transfer vinyl withstands nearly 100 washes at 30 degrees! This lets the flocked design hold on the textile for at least 3 years. ✅
So don't hesitate to take a look at our heat-transfer vinyl shop and discover our different types of vinyl. 😉
4️⃣ - Please use a heat press larger than your design
If your heat press plate is smaller than your design, that can cause a problem, especially if you're using an iron or a handheld press like the Cricut EasyPress Mini.
In that case, if you press the textile several times to cover the whole design, some areas may not receive the right amount of heat for the flocked design to adhere properly to the textile. 👕
5️⃣ - Follow the pressing instructions provided to you
This is admittedly obvious (but we'll say it anyway), you should always follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to press heat-transfer vinyl. Every brand is different and each type of vinyl (glitter, standard, velvet, and so on) has heating instructions specific to its use.
For example, our brand's velvet vinyl (Paper Transfer) needs to be pressed at 160 degrees for 25 to 30 seconds with strong pressure. Whereas standard vinyl should be heated to 150 degrees for just 15 seconds with medium pressure.
6️⃣ - Is the textile's fabric coated?
Another issue is sometimes linked to the fact that the fabric has a coating. Some textiles have a waterproof coating, while others may be coated with a flame-retardant layer.
Vinyl adheres to the fibers of fabrics, so if the textile is covered with a coating, it will prevent the flocked design from adhering properly. It's therefore best to go for plain garments that have no coating.
7️⃣ - Wash your custom garment properly
Washing your flocked textile properly helps stop the heat-transfer vinyl from flaking. Here are the care instructions we recommend:
Once the textile is flocked, please wait at least 24 hours before the first wash.
Wash textiles inside out for better durability over time.
Machine wash at 30 degrees.
Do not bleach, do not dry clean, and avoid liquid fabric softener.
Let the textile air dry (please do not use a tumble dryer).
In conclusion, re-sticking a flocked design on a textile can seem like a tough task, but with the right tips, you can do it yourself and bring your favorite jersey back to life.
We hope this article helped you learn more about how to re-stick a flocked design that's peeling.
To order heat-transfer vinyl in exceptional colors with excellent value for money, don't hesitate to take a look at our heat-transfer vinyl shop.
