A small selection of random t-shirt terminology questions... yes!
Go to Page...
Discuss the various aspects of heat press technology. Transfer paper, inks, plastisol transfers, vinyl cutters, printers, commercial usage, durability, suppliers, etc.
A small selection of random t-shirt terminology questions... yes!
A small selection of random t-shirt terminology questions... yes!
Thanks in advance! I'm getting a bit stuck on some various terminology -- as you'll see.
1. Cold peel v. hot peel. I realize that hot peel transfers about 4x faster than cold peel, and that you peel one when hot, and one after it has cooled. Any differences otherwise (ie: colors than can be printed on, approximate cost, longivity, color reproduction, etc.)?
2. Adhesive glue / crystals. Necessary or hype?
3. What is a hot split, likewise what is a cold split?
4. Hot split and double hot split... what's the difference?
5. When sending in the vector images (to say First-Edition for example), do you send them flipped? Or do they take care of that for you?
6. Spot colors, is this another terms for pantone colors?
7. Finally, what is an opaque transfer? When would these be required?
No, they will flip it at Frist-Edition. Not sure about other companies but just ask them before you send the artwork.
Yes.
It's what you use to print on dark color fabrics.
Good luck!
Opaque is what you use to print on dark color fabrics. Is this a specific kind of hot peel or hot split? Does a non-opaque transfer differ from an opaque transfer? Thanks!
Is this a specific kind of hot peel or hot split? Does a non-opaque transfer differ from an opaque transfer? Thanks!
I think it depends on what brand of opaque paper you use. I use one that is cold-peel and one that is hot-peel. I have no idea what hot-split is but I think that has to do with plastisol and not transfer paper. (Correct me if I'm wrong, you guys).
There are two types of transfer paper - one is made for white and really light fabrics and the other (opaque) is for dark fabrics. The difference is the one for white/light fabrics is transparent thus the fabric shows through the transfer. The opaque paper is white so the fabric color does not show through, but you must trim around the design carefully and completely - otherwise you'll have white around the edges.
There is also a difference in the way you apply the transfers. For the transfer for white/light shirts you flip the image and press it design side down. For the opaque transfer you do not flip it and press it design side up.
Interesting. I'll have to look closer at how First-Edition and Dowling Graphics charge for the opaque or non-opaque.
Does anyone happen to have pictures of both for a side-by-side comparison? I can grasp the concept, but it's much easier to visualize.
What if you had a design that needs to go on a dark shirt, but also has "gaps or holes" in the design, that would technically have fabric showing through? Would these just be white then? It seems like a non-opaque transfer would always be superior, IF it could work on darker colored shirts as well.
Sorry if I confused you, but when I talk about the transfers for light and dark fabrics, I mean the ones you print from your inkjet or laser printer.
I think you are talking about plastisol transfers if you're going to have Dowling or First-Edition make them for you. If that's the case, plastisols are screen-printed onto a carrier sheet so you don't have to worry about a background or trimming them out.
Oh fantastic. Does the opaque or non-opaque part still apply then? If it's a standard carrier sheet, I would assume it wouldn't matter [the color of the potential fabrics].
Right ... non-opaque or opaque has no relevance with plastisol. Just keep in mind that if you're planning on using a light-colored plastisol you probably wouldn't want to apply it to a light-colored shirt because it wouldn't show up. The same applies for a dark-colored plastisol on a dark-colored shirt - unless that's the look you're going for.
I guess I'll chuck in some answers to the questions I know too, and we'll build you up an answer
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
1. Cold peel v. hot peel. I realize that hot peel transfers about 4x faster than cold peel, and that you peel one when hot, and one after it has cooled. Any differences otherwise (ie: colors than can be printed on, approximate cost, longivity, color reproduction, etc.)?
Lucy started a thread to answer that question, and it's yet to come up with a definitive answer.
For some companies there is a difference - if you go to that company, you will need to order cold peel to transfer to dark fabric. But other companies can do hot peel on darks.
It seems most likely that on a market level as a whole there is no difference other than time, but on an individual company level there could be a difference.
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
2. Adhesive glue / crystals. Necessary or hype?
People who use them swear by them. Probably not hype.
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
6. Spot colors, is this another terms for pantone colors?
No, but sort of. Pantone colours are a defined colour set (by Pantone) that are industry standard, so that Pantone Colour 305c will always be the same. Spot colours refers to the way the colours are setup in printing: if you have red in your design you print red, if you have pink you print pink, etc. as opposed to process printing where you print CMYK. If your design is made up of Pantone colours, it will be printed in spot colour rather than process colour.
So the practical effect is that they will often amount to the same thing, but they actually have nothing to do with each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
7. Finally, what is an opaque transfer? When would these be required?
Ideally never, hence the use of plastisol transfers.
Neither, I'd say. They aren't necessary - several people do fine without them - but they do come pretty highly recommended from those that have tried them. I believe they are only available on cold peel, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
3. What is a hot split, likewise what is a cold split?
I think hot splits generally refer to a specific type of hot peel transfer - where the ink is 'split', some of it transfers, some of it stays on the carrier paper. I don't know if this has any advantage over hot peel transfers that do transfer all the ink, or really where the difference lies; it probably has to do with the different inks different companies use.
I don't think there is a cold split? Never heard of it before, anyway, and it wouldn't make much sense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by error426
4. Hot split and double hot split... what's the difference?
Never heard of this before either - where did you see it referenced?
Hi Twinge. I made a mistake referencing a so-called "cold split". But a double hot split was referenced in the First-Edition binder I recently received. Janet, the nice lady who helped me, sent many example transfers, but I did not see any written content on what the differences / pros and cons are between single and double print hot splits.
A double hot split was referenced in the First-Edition binder I recently received. Janet, the nice lady who helped me, sent many example transfers, but I did not see any written content on what the differences / pros and cons are between single and double print hot splits.
Interesting. Let us know if you figure that one out =)
This is a discussion about A small selection of random t-shirt terminology questions... yes! that was posted in the Heat Press and Heat Transfers section of the forums.
A small selection of random t-shirt terminology questions... yes! 
