Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
Hey Everyone,
We came across this forum while doing research on getting started in the t-shirt game. Looks like the perfect resource with lots of knowledgeable people. We've already got lots of useful information from reading all your posts.
Our concept is to get involved with highly-designed, small and limited-run, high-quality shirts. We've come up with a few conclusions and would like to see if you guys think we're on the right track...
1. It seems like given the costs, equipment, and production methods involved that heat transfers would be the way to start out to establish ourselves, possibly growing into screen printing in the future.
2. We're looking at getting a good quality printer, the best transfer paper, and a high quality heat press. (Seems as though you guys often recommend the Phoenix Phire press which looks real good).
The remaining concern is the relative quality results we would get pursuing this course. Will this equipment yield the kind of quality we're aiming for?
Are there drawbacks?
We are familiar with the results that screen printing can deliver but are not very familiar with heat transfer results. We were wondering if anyone out there would be willing to send us a sample of a high quality heat transfer job using the above methods so that we could see in person the kind of results we might expect with the equipment we are looking at. We'll send you back the sample(s) right away. We're not expecting any free gifts or anything.
Any help you could offer would be appreciated. And, thanks for the excellent forum you guys have built. We plan on being here and involved.
My suggestion would be to go to a trade show and meet face-to-face with the distributors and ask for a sample. Most of them will give you a sample from the show. I know some people that will even bring their own shirts so that they distributor has no good reason not to print a sample and press it for you.
Otherwise, you can call the distributors and ask if they can send you some samples already pressed. However, you will probably have to pay for shipping. If you can find someone that owns a heat press by you, you can ask for the paper and do the pressing yourself. Otherwise, you can always go visit a distributor and get some training. Some exhibitors even participate in doing traveling education events.
You mentioned high quality shirts, and although they have improved, heat press transfers aren't considered real high on the totem pole, generally, it's the lowest. If you are open to possible alternate suggestions, a consideration could be having your designs made into plastisol transfers. They are more cost effective than screenprinting, with the same quality results. As far as selling heat press transfers, there are folks here who really wouldn't consider selling them retail. I sell them but my market is kids and dolls. Kids outgrow their clothes, so longevity isn't an issue for me. Minimizes my concerns with fading issues of heat press transfers.
If you are shooting for quality on a budget, maybe you should think about having custom plastisol transfers made or opening a store with a fulfillment company such as cafepress or spreadshirt - because you are looking to do small runs.
I'll add one more thing about the press. I've read on here a few times a press is a press is a press. Outside of the bells and whistles, if you buy a quality brand name press in the right size for your needs, theres not a real need to sink the better part of your funds into this machine, again, unless you need the bells and whistles.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck and success.
Jeff, if you want to see what it will look like, some of these papers can also be pressed with a home iron. My Ironall can. Just order up a sample from one of the preferred vendors here, you can probably get a discount. Order a sample of Ironall, apply it at home with your iron. (Use a preshrunk cotton shirt).
What you see when you are done is very comparable to what the Jetprosofstretch will look like. They both start out with good color retention, are stretchy with a light hand, but the JPSS will hold it's color better, but to just see what they look like, you can do that very easy.
Hi jeff I sell all my shirts and they are good quality if you use good transfer paper I have sold over 400 shirts now and have no complants from any one when I sell them I give 1 year Guarantee for fading I have shirts that been tested and I have washed over 25 times this is what it looks like now I have done Bamboo shirts and they look as good as the day I print them cotton has lot of fibers that come out and makes it look like it is fading Bamboo dont so if Transfer paper was lowest on the pole then why do I sele and others here sell them to
Oh, Mr. David, don't get me wrong, I also sell heat press transfer, JPSS is my love as well, and I also have had no complaints, only requests for more, but, this fella said high quality, highly designed, small and limited run shirts. I do say, it brings to mind the level of Johnny Cupcakes shirts that they are shooting to market, and that would call for a better quality than heat press transfers. I believe the general feeling on this forum is screen printing is higher quality and heat press tranfer is lower quality. But I personally sell heat press transfer work, but would not put my shirts in the category this fella said he is shooting for. If I was shooting for that level of market, I would do plastisol or fulfillment center store, based on what I've learned right here in this forum. I will tell you, I think I hold heat press transfers in higher regard than most here, and I think there is a big market for them as they are easier to price economical and what you can print is such a wide range. I happen to love my shirts, but I am aware of the bias against heat press transfers and felt I should relay this to the OP as it was part of the post. No worries, heat press transfers are cool with me, or I wouldn't do them, but taking an opinion poll, the results wouldn't favor it as the higher quality way to produce an image on a shirt. No harm intended.
No, opinions of heat transfers are really low in general, including with the general public.
After testing JPSS, I'm starting to change my mind, but you're still limited to white shirts if you want any white in your design. Sort of like having a DTG printer that won't print white.
I've never seen a DTG-printed shirt up close, but I would bet that the new JPSS, along with professional heat-press inks would come really close to that quality when you trim your transfers.
I'm still waiting for one test before I make my final (personal) ruling, but I'm pretty pleased.
And things can only get better.
But you still need to overcome others' opinions of heat transfers. Some people won't know the difference, but many many others will have Avery Iron-On Transfers that you buy at OfficeMax in mind, and yet more will wonder why they need to pay your prices when they could do it themselves with that same Avery paper and their home iron.
Again, things can only get better, and I've heard that there are even better things on the way that will change some people's minds even more.
Hi Kelly I am not mad I just think if he could feel and see for him self then if he dont like it he is out no money if he likes it then he can go from there I have shirts that where plastisol screen print that have cracked and did not like the hand but water base screen print is on top there is no cracking and hand is nice I did same water base screen print and they where nice but dont have room for screen printing that is why I do transfer
Chani I am getting some new paper for darks that some one on the forum was talking about they say it was very soft and did not fade but I will have to test before I can sell them
I've heard things, too. I'm still leaning toward DTG for darks only because there are certain things that just cannot be done with opaque transfers and have them look right.
Hi Kelly I am not mad I just think if he could feel and see for him self then if he dont like it he is out no money if he likes it then he can go from there I have shirts that where plastisol screen print that have cracked and did not like the hand but water base screen print is on top there is no cracking and hand is nice I did same water base screen print and they where nice but dont have room for screen printing that is why I do transfer
Okay, good, I'm glad your not mad, and I did offer up advice for OrangeJeff how to be able to make samples and see for himself before you had posted, so we're good on that, too.
Ya know, I have shirts from going to the Jersey shore and they are cracked and peeling. I pulled one part of the W of my husbands shirt the other day and asked "How is that quality?". He said, but everyone expects this to happen after a while, and I said, but it shouldn't. Anyway, I do love this JPSS and any fears I had about fading went out the door when this came in. I am 'thnumbs up' on JPSS and the versatility and ease of making shirts with it ~ yeah JPSS ~ but Chani point is spot on on all points. Hopefully this will improve with in time.
~Chani, that's like dangling a steak in front of a hungry dog, do you know something?~
Getting Started/Making Choices 
