Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
Using Epson 4800 with Artanium Inks, Am searching for BEST heat transfer paper for light colored cotton. I tred Alpa Red Hot (hot peel) paper and got pretty good results, but still have a little more hand than I'd like. They have made it through multiple washings with very little fade. I tried Conde Elasti-jet yesterday which has VERY little hand, but it REALLY faded after just one wash.
Anyone have a suggestion for the BEST heat transfer paper to use with dye-sub inks?
Why are you using sublimation to print on cotton. If you want the feel on cotton get some vapor shirts if you want to print on cotton just use a plain ink jet. A plain ink jet with tranfer paper would be a lot cheaper and the colors will last longer in the wash then sublimation on cotton will even with the transfer sheets.
Just to clarify somethings. When doing sublimation, you use a release paper (i.e. TexPrint XP, QC Pro,...). When doing inkjet transfers, you will use light and dark transfer paper. Sublimation transfers should have zero hand if you are going to a 100% polyester shirt and you should not get any fading. It sounds like you are using an inkjet transfer paper for sublimation. Hope this helps.
I usually use soft-link or vapor shirts, but I had a request for cotton on this job. My Epson 4800 is set up with dye sub inks.. BUT I also have an Epson 1280 with reg inks. Will the reg inks with the transfer really last longer than the dye sub using a transfer?
Sublimation is the most permanent decorating application compared to inkjet transfers and screen printing. So, no inkjet transfers do not last as long as sublimation transfers. There are some sublimation prep sheets for cotton out there that some people have tried. Most of the feedback I have heard is they work OK, but have a hand. Also, you are using the more expensive sublimation inks to get a similar result as you would with the cheaper transfer inks. Thus the reason why I have not tried it. Either try to get the customer to switch to a Vapor Apparel Shirt (which I typically don't tell them that it is 100% polyester unless they ask), use an inkjet transfer or look at doing a plastisol transfer (if possible depending on design and quantities).
Dye Sub Heat Transfer 
