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Using Transfer Printing for Superb Mass Production Image Application

Transfer printing is a mass-production method of applying an image to a curved or uneven surface. First used to print on china or ceramic in the 1750s, transfer printing on to fabric is a relatively new method of decorating materials. In essence it means putting images onto special paper and then using that printed paper to transfer the images to your fabric with heat.

Most t shirt printing companies use heat-applied plastisol transfers when transfer printing. They print a design with plastisol ink, but instead of printing it directly on the garment, they print the design on to special paper. The paper is then passed through a conveyer dryer where the ink is heated until it has gelled just enough to be dry to the touch. The resulting print, called a transfer, can be stored until needed.

When it needs to be applied to a T-shirt, the garment is placed in a heat transfer press, the transfer is put on top of the garment, ink side down, and the press is closed. The heat and pressure applied by the press will force the ink into the garment. When the press is opened and the paper is peeled off the shirt, the ink remains behind. When done correctly, transfer printing is as permanent as a direct print and under some circumstances nearly indistinguishable.

Although transfer printing often requires extra materials and more equipment, there are several situations where plastisol transfers are actually more efficient, economical, and profitable than direct printing for both end client and manufacturer!

For example, if you need to provide printed t-shirts for a once-a-year event but you have no way of knowing in advance how many shirts will be sold, transfer printing is perfect. You can print the design on transfers, print as many as you need and essentially decorate the shirts to order.

Plastisol heat transfers are also the most profitable decorating method when you have to reprint a design frequently, but in small quantities. Let's say you have a design that you print four or five times a year, but each order is for a small quantity of shirts. The labour involved in setting up the print press each time will significantly increase the cost of the job. But if you print an entire year's supply of transfers in one press run, you can store them, then quickly and inexpensively apply them to blank garments as each order comes in. Job costs are onsiderably reduced and the shirts can be decorated in minutes. Passing the reduced cost of transfer rinting in this way on to the client of course makes everyone happy!

Plastisol heat transfers are in particular a popular method of decorating baseball caps. Baseball caps are difficult to print well because of the complications involved in printing on a curved surface. Transfers for baseball caps can be printed very quickly because the design is so small that you can print several on one sheet of paper. Applying the designs is also quick and easy with a special cap transfer press that automatically wraps the transfer around the curve of the cap.

Although it is possible to apply plastisol transfers to garments with a hand iron and an ironing board, this old-fashioned technique is of course impractical for mass production. For the most productive and profitable transfer printing you will need a well-made heat transfer press. Good garment customisation and corporate clothing companies such as Indigo in London, Fanela in Leicestershire and Streetshirts in Bradford all specialise in heat transfer processes – allowing them to get the crucial transfer printing factors of temperature, time and pressure just right.

Dye sublimation transfer printing is another, very different kind of transfer printing - a process whereby a solid dye, when subjected to heat and pressure, turns into a gas and can then be transferred to a synthetic fabric (preferably polyester). When the gas goes into the polyester fibres it re-solidifies as a solid color again. It is an ideal process for many corporate clothing kinds of applications such as sports shirts, overalls and swimwear.

About the Author

Sarah Allom writes here about transfer printing on printed t shirts and corporate clothing even. She explains the method used here very convincingly, how innovative they need to be in the fabric market.

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