[Bambini]

Is it better to take your custom design t-shirt decal (label) and put it on heat transfer paper yourself, or send it to a company who'll make the decals for you (then you'd press them onto the shirts yourself). I'm just getting started and would appreciate any company names you've worked with that are reliable. Thanks.

 

[Rodney]

Is it better to take your custom design t-shirt decal (label) and put it on heat transfer paper yourself, or send it to a company who'll make the decals for you (then you'd press them onto the shirts yourself). I'm just getting started and would appreciate any company names you've worked with that are reliable. Thanks.

If you have the equipment, why would you have someone else do it?

If you don't have the equipment, then it works fine either way. You can either invest in the equipment and time in doing it yourself or just outsource when you need work done.

I don't think either way is "best". They each fit different needs and different business models.

I'm just getting started and would appreciate any company names you've worked with that are reliable.

There's a list of companies that can do it here:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t4095.html

I'm not exactly sure what *exact* service you're asking for (you're saying decals, but then talking about heat transfers, which are 2 different things), but the link above should give a good list of companies that can do custom transfer work for you.

It sounds like just a mixup of terminology. What you are calling "decals" or "labels" are probably just custom "heat transfers" or "plastisol transfers".

 

[COEDS]

I would cut my own designs out of heat press vinyl for proofs or samples or quantities less than 24. I f the number of the same design is more than 24 , I would order them from www.acetransco.com . I have been doing business with ACE for more than 2 years and have had exceptional service and communication from them. .... JB

 

[Bambini]

Thanks DJ. I just checked out Ace's website. Being a rookie, it's not easy getting started and trying to read through posts to get the terminology right. Based on what you said, can I use Photosmart and then transfer the image onto heat press vinyl (is this the same as heat transfer paper?) for the samples; then take the samples - and a heat press machine to press them onto the shirt? What I'd like is to have 6 heat transfer labels/images that people can choose and that I then press onto the t-shirt they (also) choose.

 

[Bambini]

Thanks Rodney. You're right about the mixup in terminology. I'm looking to work with t-shirts, only. Can you get back to me on the difference between heat transfer and plastisol transfer. Is there one?

 

[COEDS]

Plastisol transfers are screen printed transfer that are applied to a shirt by using a heat press. The heat transfer paper is printed in a ink jet printer and then applied the same way as the plastisol. the big difference is durability. The plastisol are much more durable over time. ..... JB