Posted on April 18, 2025 by George

Tag: heat transfer media

What is Heat Transfer Vinyl?

In the world of custom apparel and fabric decoration, Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) stands out as one of the most popular and accessible methods for adding unique designs to clothing, accessories, and promotional items. Known for its versatility, affordability, and ease of use, HTV has become a go-to option for small businesses, hobbyists, and large-scale production alike. Whether you’re starting a custom t-shirt business or just looking to create personalized gifts, understanding what heat transfer vinyl is—and how it works—can help you achieve professional results. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about HTV, from its composition and application process to its benefits and common uses.

What is Heat Transfer Vinyl?

Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is a specialized polyurethane (PU) material that can be cut into designs and applied to fabrics using heat and pressure. Unlike printed transfers, HTV does not involve ink; instead, it is a solid-colored material that is physically cut into shapes or lettering using a cutting machine. Once the design is cut and “weeded” (removing the excess material), it is placed onto the fabric and applied using a heat press or household iron.

HTV typically comes in sheets or rolls and includes a carrier sheet—a clear backing that holds the vinyl design in place during the transfer process. The adhesive on HTV is heat-activated, bonding the vinyl permanently to the fabric when heated at the correct temperature for a specified time.

Types of Heat Transfer Vinyl

One of the appealing aspects of HTV is the wide range of styles and finishes available. Here are a few common types:

Standard HTV – A smooth, matte or glossy finish in a variety of solid colours.
Glitter HTV – Adds a sparkle effect, ideal for eye-catching designs.
Metallic & Foil HTV – Offers a shiny, mirror-like finish for bold, reflective prints.
Holographic HTV – Creates a prismatic effect that changes colour depending on the angle.
Stretch HTV – Designed for use on athletic wear and stretchy fabrics, providing flexibility and durability.
Flocked HTV – Has a velvety, raised texture that adds a tactile dimension to designs.
Glow-in-the-Dark HTV – Absorbs light and glows in dark settings, great for novelty items.

Each type of HTV may require different temperature and pressing settings, so it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for best results.

How Does HTV Work?

The process of using HTV involves several key steps:

Design Creation – First, you create your artwork using graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator or free alternatives like Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio. The design must be mirrored before cutting because it is applied face down on the fabric.
Cutting the Vinyl – A vinyl cutter (e.g., Cricut, Silhouette Cameo, or Graphtec) cuts the design into the vinyl sheet. The blade cuts through the vinyl layer but not the carrier sheet.
Weeding – After cutting, you remove the excess vinyl from around and within the design. This is called “weeding” and is usually done with a weeding tool or tweezers.
Heat Application – Once the design is weeded, it’s placed vinyl-side down on the fabric, and a heat press or iron is used to apply heat and pressure. The temperature, pressure, and duration depend on the type of vinyl and fabric.
Peeling the Carrier Sheet – After pressing, the clear carrier sheet is peeled away, leaving the vinyl design adhered to the fabric. Some vinyl requires a hot peel (removed immediately), while others require a cold peel (wait until cool).

What Can You Apply HTV To?

HTV is incredibly versatile and can be used on a wide variety of materials. Common applications include:

T-Shirts and Hoodies – Probably the most popular use, HTV is ideal for customizing apparel with names, logos, slogans, and graphics.
Hats and Caps – Special curved heat presses make applying HTV to hats much easier.
Tote Bags and Backpacks – HTV adheres well to cotton, canvas, and polyester bags.
Sportswear and Activewear – Using stretch HTV, you can decorate items like leggings, jerseys, and swimwear.
Home Decor – HTV is often used on pillowcases, curtains, and towels to add a personal touch.
Promotional Products – Businesses frequently use HTV for giveaways and branded merchandise.

Benefits of Heat Transfer Vinyl

1. Easy to Learn and Use

HTV is beginner-friendly. Even with minimal experience, you can start creating quality custom designs at home with just a vinyl cutter and a heat source.

2. Low Initial Investment

Compared to screen printing or sublimation, HTV requires relatively little equipment, making it an affordable entry point for small businesses and crafters.

3. Great for Small Batches

HTV is perfect for producing small quantities or one-off designs without costly setup.

4. Durable and Washable

When applied correctly, HTV can withstand multiple washes without peeling or fading, making it suitable for regular wear.

5. Wide Range of Styles

The variety of finishes—such as glitter, metallic, and textured options—allows for creative freedom and eye-catching designs.

Considerations Before Using HTV

While HTV offers many benefits, there are some limitations:

Not ideal for large volume runs – For large-scale production, methods like screen printing or DTF might be more efficient.
Limited to single-color layering – Although you can layer some types of HTV, it can become bulky and time-consuming.
Not suitable for all fabrics – HTV adheres best to cotton, polyester, and blends. Some synthetic or heat-sensitive fabrics may not work well.

Heat Transfer Vinyl is a powerful tool for anyone looking to personalize or produce custom garments and fabric items. Its affordability, ease of use, and professional finish make it ideal for beginners and small business owners alike. Whether you’re starting a side hustle or adding HTV to your existing custom printing service, it offers the flexibility to create high-quality, unique designs with minimal equipment and training. With the right tools and a bit of creativity, HTV can help you bring your design ideas to life and grow your brand in the custom apparel space.

If you’re envisioning a successful venture in the world of vinyl printing, look no further. PRINTFINISH is here to support your journey every step of the way. Let’s turn your vinyl printing business into a thriving reality. Contact us today to explore the endless possibilities that vinyl printing can offer your enterprise.

Posted on February 6, 2024 by George

Tag: heat transfer media

Printing 101: Dye Sublimation Printers – Everything You Need to Know

In printing technology, dye sublimation printers stand out as versatile and high-quality machines capable of producing vibrant and long-lasting prints. Whether you’re in the business of creating personalized merchandise, photography, or textile printing, understanding the ins and outs of dye sublimation printers is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of dye sublimation printing, covering everything from its basic principles to its applications and advantages.

What is a Dye Sublimation Printer?

Dye sublimation printing is a unique printing process that utilizes heat to transfer dye onto various printing materials, such as paper, fabric, or plastic. Unlike traditional printing methods that rely on inkjet or laser technology, dye sublimation printers use special dye sublimation inks that are designed to sublimate, or transition directly from a solid to a gas, under heat and pressure. This sublimation process allows the dye to penetrate the surface of the material, resulting in vibrant and permanent prints that are resistant to fading, peeling, or cracking.

How Does a Dye Sublimation Printer Works?

The process begins with a digital image that is created or selected on a computer. This image is then printed onto a special transfer paper using a dye sublimation printer.

Once the image is printed onto the transfer paper, it is placed onto the surface of the material to be printed, such as a polyester fabric or coated substrate. The transfer paper is then subjected to heat and pressure, typically through the use of a heat press or rotary transfer machine.

As the transfer paper is heated, the solid dye particles on the paper turn into a gas without passing through the liquid state, a process known as sublimation. This gas penetrates the surface of the material and bonds with the fibres or coating, resulting in a permanent and vibrant print.

The heat and pressure applied during the sublimation process ensure that the dye is transferred evenly and completely, resulting in prints with smooth gradients and vivid colours. Once the transfer process is complete, the transfer paper is removed, leaving behind a high-quality, durable, and long-lasting print on the material.

Dye sublimation printing is particularly well-suited for printing on polyester fabrics and coated substrates, as the sublimation process requires a high polyester content in the material to ensure proper bonding of the dye. The resulting prints are resistant to fading, peeling, or cracking, making them ideal for applications such as photography, apparel, signage, and personalized items.

Advantages of Using a Dye Sublimation Printer

One of the key advantages of dye sublimation printing is its ability to produce high-quality prints with vivid colours and smooth gradients. Since the dye sublimation process allows the ink to permeate the surface of the material, rather than sitting on top of it like traditional ink, prints produced with dye sublimation printers have a seamless and professional finish. This makes dye sublimation printing ideal for applications with paramount image quality and colour accuracy, such as photography, graphic design, and signage.

Another advantage of dye sublimation printing is its versatility. Dye sublimation printers can be used to print on various materials, including paper, fabric, metal, ceramic, and plastic. This versatility makes dye sublimation printing suitable for a variety of applications, from creating custom apparel and accessories to producing promotional items, signage, and interior décor. Additionally, dye sublimation printing is compatible with both roll-fed and sheet-fed media, allowing for flexibility in printing large-scale projects or individual items.

In addition to its exceptional print quality and versatility, dye sublimation printing offers several other advantages. For one, the prints produced with dye sublimation printers are highly durable and resistant to fading, making them ideal for outdoor use and applications that require long-term durability. Furthermore, dye sublimation printing is a relatively fast and efficient process, with many printers capable of producing prints in a matter of minutes. This makes dye sublimation printing suitable for on-demand printing and quick turnaround times.

What Can You Print on a Dye Sublimation Printer?

A dye-sublimation printer is capable of printing on a wide range of materials, including:

Fabrics: Polyester fabrics are the most common material used for dye sublimation printing due to their ability to accept and retain dye. This includes clothing items such as T-shirts, hats, and jackets, as well as textiles for home décor such as curtains, tablecloths, pillows, tapestries, and upholstery.
Apparel: Dye sublimation printing is popular for creating custom apparel items such as jerseys, uniforms, athletic wear, and fashion garments like dresses, scarves, and handbags. The process allows for vibrant and durable prints that won’t fade, crack, or peel, even after repeated washings.
Hard substrates: Dye sublimation printing can also be used to print on hard substrates such as ceramic tiles, metal plates, and aluminum panels. These prints are ideal for personalized gifts, home décor items, signage, and promotional products.
Soft substrates: In addition to hard substrates, dye sublimation printing can be used to print on soft substrates such as mouse pads, coasters, and phone cases. These items can be customized with vibrant and durable prints that are resistant to scratching and fading.
Large format prints: Dye sublimation printers are capable of producing large format prints for applications such as banners, flags, posters, and trade show graphics. These prints are ideal for indoor and outdoor signage, advertising, and promotional displays.

Best Dye Sublimation Printers

Here are some of the best dye sublimation printers available:

Roland Texart RT-640 Dye-Sublimation Printer: Designed to provide superb quality, productivity and value with ease of operation that will please both experienced operators and beginners. It boasts the new Texart SBL3 ink and advanced, state-of-the-art print control technology for quality imaging and colour consistency at a top speed of 351 square feet per hour.

Roland Texart XT-640 Dye Sublimation Printer: Designed especially for the production of colourful fashion and sports apparel. Features dual print heads to achieve high-speed performance.

In conclusion, dye sublimation printing is a powerful, versatile printing technology that offers exceptional print quality, durability, and efficiency. Whether you’re a professional photographer, graphic designer, or business owner, investing in a dye sublimation printer can open up creative possibilities and opportunities. With its ability to produce vibrant and long-lasting prints on a variety of materials, dye sublimation printing is sure to remain a popular choice in the world of printing for years to come.

Are you ready to elevate your wide-format printing capabilities and unlock a realm of possibilities? Invest in the cutting-edge technology of dye sublimation printers and experience a paradigm shift in print quality, versatility, and efficiency. Take the next step toward transforming your business by contacting us today. Our experts are ready to guide you through the process, ensuring that you make a well-informed decision tailored to your unique printing needs. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to redefine your printing capabilities – inquire now and embark on a journey of innovation and success!

Posted on December 8, 2021September 25, 2023 by Roland DGA Specialist

Tag: heat transfer media

Specialize in Print Customization – 5 Small Businesses You Can Start Today!

While there are many people trying to make money in online customization, there’s no reason why you can’t find your own path through the ecommerce crowds. We can point to hundreds of Roland DGA customers who have found online success in the customization market— often starting with a desktop device like a BN-20 printer/cutter or a VersaUV LEF-12i UV printer and building hugely profitable businesses by making smart business decisions.

Find Your Online Marketplace
Online customization is a growth market. According to statistics website, statista, US ecommerce sales grew 14.9% in 2019 and have continued to grow exponentially in 2020— despite the challenges that people faced in this year. It’s the reason why, right now, it would be a good time to start an online business during this upward curve. However, before you start investing in a new online business and choosing what products you want to print on, there’s three things, right off the bat, you should consider:

a. Have a solid plan on what products you want to customize
Find what really interests you in the customization and personalization market and concentrate your efforts in those product areas. You may find that you’ve “spread yourself too thin” in to trying to serve too many markets at once— it’s often asking too much of yourself to manage a myriad of shopfronts and products all-at-once.

b. Keep focused on what marketplaces you want to sell in
Like any business, you’ll need to promote your products and so you’ll probably want to to invest in online ads. However, providing different designs to fit each different application and marketplace is going to be costly and inefficient. It’s preferable to concentrate your online ad spending in one niche area to avoid having to stretch your costs across many product interests.

c. You’ll need multiple machines if you want to offer customization in different markets
If you have a business plan that includes serving apparel, décor, art, merchandising, and accessory markets, you’ll need more than one Roland DG machine. While all Roland DG desktop devices are versatile and allow you to print on a range of applications, you’ll need to invest in multiple devices to fulfill different customization markets.

Instead of looking to try to do everything, you might consider just one or a few items to produce so that you can focus your skill and creativity on them, get really good at making them, and turn them over really quickly. The following list of applications represent some specific customization markets you could specialize in.

5 Customization Markets to Specialize in

1 – Quick Print Accessories

There’s a huge market for accessory customization right now and there are a few major reasons why it’s a smart one to get into.

1. In comparison to custom tees and jerseys, while the final markup doesn’t tend to be massively different, the cost for products like socks, underpants, masks, scarves, bandanas is much lower from wholesale sites like S&S activewear, Alibaba, Amazon Business, Sinalite and other bulk order suppliers.

2. Right now, there’s still a huge market for products like custom masks and bandanas and that is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Maybe you choose one or a handful of these products to specialize in and build a business around them.

3. Once you start focusing on fewer markets, you’ll start to gain extensive knowledge of these markets, i.e., what designs are trending, where the best shopfronts are to sell your products, who your biggest competitors are in this field. This helps you streamline your thinking and gain condensed, potent knowledge in one area.

Recommended Desktop Technology for Quick Print Fabric Accessories

BT-12 Direct-to-Garment Desktop Printer

Print on cotton apparel, accessories and more, with this easy-to-use, versatile device

2 – Wall Décor

Wallpaper is a product that people used to associate with old-fashioned decorating techniques where buckets of paste and a whole load of mess were required to install it. With the introduction of the peel-and-stick wallpaper, wallpaper is now big business with mess-free, easy installation, modern designs, and custom options now offered.

Owners of BN-20 printer/cutters or CAMM-1 GS-24 vinyl cutters have many wall graphic options available to them as either a custom décor service for personalizing family rooms in homes, or branded designs for businesses. You might also consider providing “off-the-shelf” products to sell in your online marketplaces— this could be as simple as oversized vinyl wall decals with fashionable designs and sayings or “roll-to-order” wallpaper designs that you can print on-demand.

The following facts explain why wall décor personalization is a smart market to get into right now:

1. The home improvement market in the US was worth 407 billion in 2019*— it’s a huge industry that keeps growing exponentially each year, despite fluctuations in the housing market

2. Wallpaper and wall coverings are really on-trend right now for creating accent walls and specific décor touches in homes

3. Sold by the roll, custom wallpaper is seen as a specialty décor item and can command a high premium

4. Wallpaper media is easily available and not an expensive, specialty media item— it’s price comparable to other adhesive vinyl products on the market.

Recommended Desktop Technology for Wall Décor

VersaSTUDIO BN-20 Desktop Printer/cutter – Print and cut vinyl, poster paper, heat transfer media and much more.
CAMM-1 GS-25 Desktop Vinyl Cutter – Cut vinyl, film and heat transfer media with this affordable solution.

3 – Specialty T-shirts and Jerseys

It is inconsequential that so many people are printing and selling t-shirts, because t-shirts have not decreased one iota in popularity. In fact, according to the statistics site, statista, the t-shirt market that’s currently at 1.18 billion dollars is predicted to reach a value of 3.1 billion dollars by 2025. To break into this huge market, you might consider specializing in specific t-shirts and t-shirt designs— rather than trying to throw out a huge net to catch customers, it might be better to use the marketing equivalent of a line and a rod with your designs and sales strategy.

The line and rod could come in the form of specializing in t-shirt markets like bachelor and bachelorette t-shirts, team jerseys, holiday t-shirts, etc. These rely on photo and text personalization— the perfect applications for a VersaSTUDIO BT-12 desktop direct-to-garment printer or a VersaSTUDIO BN-20 desktop printer/cutter. To stand out in the marketplace you might also consider printing on just pocket t-shirts or just raglan t-shirts. Whatever you have to do to make your shopfront stand out from the crowd while making it more straightforward and focused than your competitors. A big problem with online t-shirt shopfronts is how chaotic and distracting they often are, containing many different designs that all trying to vie for different markets. It’s smart to be more customer and market focused.

According to popular t-shirt shopfronts Bonfire and Etsy, here is a top 10 shortlist of some of the most popular apparel categories to consider concentrating your efforts on:

1. Animal portraits
2. Inspirational sayings and words in handwritten fonts
3. Retro typography
4. Pop culture quotes, characters, and movie tie-in’s (note: there will likely be issues of copyright infringement if using these sources without permission)
5. Religious message designs
6. Mountains and outdoor themed designs
7. 90’s retro vibe designs
8. Pocket print shirts
9. Funny/ironic messages and quotes
10. Band t-shirts (note: there will likely be issues of copyright infringement if using these sources without permission)

Recommended Desktop Technology for T-Shirts

VersaSTUDIO BN-20 Desktop Printer/cutter – Print and cut vinyl, poster paper, heat transfer media and much more.
BT-12 Direct-to-Garment Desktop Printer – Print on cotton apparel, accessories and more, with this easy-to-use, versatile device.

4 – Phone Cases, Pop-ups and Electronics

In spite of the electronic market being subject to rapid changes in technology, there are some applications within it that remain constant. The following items are ones that you might consider specializing in.

One of the biggest customization markets on the internet, personalized electronic accessory printing is an entire industry within itself. With this in mind, it would likely benefit you to concentrate on selected applications and create your own personalization niche within this market. With technology like the VersaUV 12i desktop flatbed printer, you have everything you need to personalize plastic, silicone, leather, and polycarbonate accessories— common materials used in electronic accessory production.

One thing to be aware of however, is that the electronic accessory market is an ever-changing one that’s in constant flux, making many accessories obsolete very quickly. The following list amalgamated from buzzfeed, etsy and other online sources outlines some of the trending electronic accessories to consider personalizing and creating a niche market for yourself while they’re still en vogue:

1. Bluetooth speakers and home pods
2. Electronic (smart) doorbell covers
3. Roombas and robot vacs
4. Pocket photo printers
5. Echo frames
6. Phone sanitizer and charger
7. VR headsets
8. Electronic beer dispensers
9. Drones and drone cases
10. Soundbars

Recommended Desktop Technology for Electronic Accessories

VersaUV 12i Desktop Flatbed Printer – Print directly onto electronics, giftware, souvenirs, and merchandise with this product personalization solution.
VersaUV LEF2-300 Flatbed Printer – Customize small and medium-sized items on-demand by adding corporate branding and stunning graphics – from a single object to a short production run.

5 – Photo Printing

And while there’s a mountain of online and offline companies who put photos on canvas, there’s world of possible applications to consider for adding photos and artwork too and building a successful business by specializing in one or more of these products. Many owners of VersaUV flatbed printers and other Roland DG devices have forged success in the photo-personalization market and almost all of them have gravitated to one or more products to specialize in.

The following list outlines some business profiles of people who create photo personalized products to make the optimum use of their business:

Photographers who have extended their wedding and event photography services— upselling customers with photos on memento products
Pet store owners and pet sites who put pet pictures on pet apparel, souvenirs and giftware
Businesses in the décor, interior design and craft markets who are making home furnishings, décor pieces, and wall art a more individually personalized experience
Jewelers and Jewelry suppliers who are offering an added photo personalization service to add extra value to jewelry and keepsake items
Souvenir and giftware suppliers who are including the additional option of photo personalization to make inexpensive products into high-value ones

Recommended Desktop Technology for Photo Printing

BT-12 Direct-to-Garment Desktop Printer – Print on cotton apparel, accessories and more, with this easy-to-use, versatile device.
VersaUV 12i Desktop Flatbed Printer – Print directly onto electronics, giftware, souvenirs, and merchandise with this product personalization solution.

As well as providing multiple desktop printing solutions for small businesses and home-based business startups, Roland DGA has a huge range of large format printers, laser engravers, 3D milling machines and more technology to help you start and succeed in graphics and product personalization markets.

Source/Content provided by Roland DGA
rolanddga.com/blog