[ruch1v]

i always thought that heavy hands felt better quality, but from everything iv read in this forum, no one likes heavy hands, why is that?

thanks

 

[ambitious]

I have customers that love the heavy hand feel on the shirts, but it's all on the customer.

 

[ruch1v]

i mean more to do with sellers themselves, most people on this forum will be like 'this paper isnt good as it has a heavy hand' etc

thanks

 

[gerry]

peeps know now difference in my market.
I think softhand may be more for fashion

 

[deChez]

I think it's really a matter of personal preference. For me, and most of my customers, I think a soft hand looks better, and that the stiffer the hand looks more "home made".

 

[CVL Ink]

I think its another example of the fashion industry's conspiracy to set trends that are cheaper and easier to produce. Less hand, less ink, less cost. Isn't it peculiar that the most popular styles that you see in stores these days are all super thin distressed one color prints in random locations. . . The kind of stuff a kid can print on a dirt floor in China without a dryer. I hope that symmetry and durability become cool again soon

 

[ruch1v]

is 1 more prone to cracks than another?

 

[CVL Ink]

a really thick print will be harder to get completely cured, and undercuring is what causes cracking. Thin soft hand prints won't crack but will fade faster with washing and often don't form an ink film - light (or, say the color of an undershirt) can pass through the print and degrade color vibrancy, especially if the fabric is stretched tightly around a body.

 

[ruch1v]

info from www.transferbusiness.com

"Soft Hand" vs. "Hard Hand"
In the trade, "hand" refers to how a transfer feels, before washing and after. A soft hand can certainly be felt but is not objectionable. A hard hand, as the name implies, is very stiff and can be objectionable.
Our heat transfer paper has a relatively soft hand, after transferring and is even softer after the first washing. However, you will always be able to feel it. There is no escaping that fact.
Be wary of advertising that claims to have "practically no hand" or "a hand so soft you can barely feel it" or some other nonsense. While you certainly don't want a cardboard feel, there has to be enough film to make the image stick on the garment. Also, because there is not much film, colors can be quite dull.
More importantly, you don't want a lot of expensive re-do's because the transfer won't hold up in the wash.

 

[Robin]

its not just about how a transfer feels.....its how the decoration feels. I have a brother printer, and there is very little to no hand to the graphic.

your question wasnt the difference in soft to hard feel, but why some like it and some dont.

It all has to do with your demographics. I have some customers that want that thick heavy hand to their graphics. The bigger I can make them the better they like them.

Then another group comes in and they love that they cant feel the graphic, and wont have a heavy plastic feel against their backs making them sweat.

Some like it some dont.....and everyone has different reasons for it.

 

[wormil]

Back in the eighties when I first started screenprinting it seemed that thicker was always better, people equated it to quality. But heavy prints are uncomfortable to wear and a large print can feel like you're wearing a raincoat (almost) on a hot day. I don't think most people keep their tees forever and ever like they used to, it was popular to wear them until they wore thin and they were even more fashionable. Now they make them thin, distress them and print with a soft hand so you sort of skip to the end. I wear my tees for about 12 months then give them Goodwill and go new ones.

 

[tshirt0mania]

I hope that symmetry and durability become cool again soon

I'm with you on that one

 

[wormil]

Symmetry is overrated.

 

[ruch1v]

does it irritate people though when they're wearing it?

 

[prometheus]

Most of the soft hand goes with the fashion industry it seems. I know when it comes to my kids clothes, that stuff is on there like stucco. One thing that may guide it right now, is that there are all over prints as well as large prints on huge shirts, if you did that with a heavy ink, then that would be wearing a rain coat.

 

[ruch1v]

Most of the soft hand goes with the fashion industry it seems. I know when it comes to my kids clothes, that stuff is on there like stucco. One thing that may guide it right now, is that there are all over prints as well as large prints on huge shirts, if you did that with a heavy ink, then that would be wearing a rain coat.

i always thought that heavy hands seems less prone to cracking?


thanks