Heat Transfer Vinyl or HTV is a vinyl used to decorate apparel, bags, and other soft goods. Unlike adhesive vinyl or sign vinyl, HTV is printed onto an item using heat and pressure. How you apply each heat transfer vinyl depends on the fabric and the application guidelines. Just as there are many different types of garments, there are different types of HTV to decorate them.

This post will teach you about various terms used for heat transfer vinyl; the different types of HTV; how to cut, weed, and apply HTV; and the different types of equipment you will use.

Common HTV Terms

Having a grasp of these common HTV terms will be helpful when referring to application guides, reading industry blogs, and even watching tutorials.

Carrier

The clear, shiny backing on the HTV. The carrier can be tacky or smooth, depending on the HTV type. Carriers can come in low, medium, and high-tack backings. High-tack carriers are the best choice for more intricate designs.

Cavities

Cavities are the center portions of the design where excess vinyl surrounds the design. The center of an “O” is an example of a cavity.

Peel

After heat application, you need to peel the carrier away from the vinyl. Depending on the HTV, the options are hot, warm, and cold peel.

• Hot Peel – Peel carrier right away while the design is still hot from the press. No waiting necessary!
• Warm Peel – Wait until the carrier cools down slightly and peel carrier away when it is warm to the touch.
• Cold Peel – Let the carrier cool down completely before peeling away the carrier.

Soft Hand

When HTV has a “soft hand”, it is both soft to the touch and lightweight. Materials with a soft hand feel like it is a part of the shirt.

Stretch & Rebound

Stretch and rebound have to do with the flexibility of the HTV. When materials stretch, they rebound back to their original shape once stretched. This factor is important when talking about activewear or jerseys that need to have HTV that move with the garment. Volleyball jerseys are a perfect example of ordering HTV that has

Vinyl Cutter

Vinyl cutters are the equipment choice for do-it-yourself production of heat transfers. Use them with heat transfer vinyl, screen printed transfers, or transfer paper to create one-of-a-kind designs for apparel or for personalized print-on-demand orders. The cutter cuts the design into the vinyl, allowing for weeding of the excess vinyl.

Weed

Weeding is the act of removing the excess vinyl from a cut design, leaving only the design on the carrier.

Heat Transfer Vinyl for Any Application

For every fabric and application, there is an appropriate heat transfer vinyl material. Here is what you should keep in mind when shopping for heat transfer vinyl:

Durability

For sports jerseys, durability and abrasion resistance are essential. Look for HTV capable of outlasting the life of the garment. Almost all these materials can heat apply to cotton, polyester, or cotton/poly blends. A few of our materials adhere to nylon mesh and challenging fabrics.

Flexibility & Weight

When choosing a heat transfer vinyl, keep in mind the stretch of the garment. If you’re decorating on performance wear, you need an HTV that won’t restrict or weigh down the garment. Know what the needs of the customer are and choose a heat transfer vinyl to match them.

Fabric Type

Certain types of fabric are easier to decorate than others. You’re not going to have an issue finding heat transfer vinyl for decorating cotton shirts, but what about a woven nylon tote bag? Synthetic and semi-synthetic materials ‒ like polyester, spandex, rayon, and nylon ‒ bring their own unique challenges.

For instance, if you’re decorating sublimated polyester, look for a heat transfer vinyl with dye blocking capabilities. Another attribute to look out for when decorating synthetics is application temperature. HTV that applies at lower temperatures is less likely to cause scorching problems on synthetics.

Cutting the Vinyl

Unless you plan on using only pre-cuts or custom-cut vinyl, you’re going to have to know how to cut the vinyl from a roll or sheet yourself. You will need a vinyl cutter to do this in an accurate and timely manner. Vinyl cutters range from hobby cutters, like the Silhouette and the Cricut, to heavy-duty machines from Roland DG and Graphtec. What you need in a cutter largely depends on the size of your business. Still, no matter which cutter you have, the basic process is largely the same:

1. Create or Buy a Cut File

In order to cut art, you will need a cut file. Your vinyl cutter will come with software that processes these files and sends them to the cutter. You can buy cut files of art, or create your own using Adobe or Corel programs. For more information on how to create your own cut files, Great Dane Graphics sells a book packed with step-by-step guides ‒ Artwork for Vinyl Cutting.

2. Scale & Mirror the Art

Prepare your art for application by using software to scale and mirror it before cutting. You want the art to be the right size for the garment ‒ neither too small nor too big. Mirror the image so that it cuts it backward. This way, when you place the design it will be oriented the right way on your garment.

3. Follow the Cutting Guidelines

Each HTV has a different set of guidelines to make sure you get an optimal cut. If your cutter has the options, make sure you have the right blade and correct settings of force, offset, and speed. Cutting guidelines for popular vinyl cutters are available on the STAHLS’ website.

4. Weed the Vinyl

Using a weeding tool, pull the bits of extra vinyl off the carrier. Peel carefully so you do not wreck the design. Make sure you get the pieces in the design’s cavities. The more intricate the design, the more time and care will be needed for weeding. Before pressing, make sure you have removed all excess vinyl.

Application Guidelines

There are three important variables when applying HTV with a heat press: pressure, temperature, and time. Being accurate on these three variables is essential to creating a good print. Disregarding the guidelines will result in anything from a design that doesn’t stick to a blemished, ruined garment. Worst of all is that you could be selling garments that don’t survive through the wash cycle.

If you have issues with the application guidelines, you may need to reconsider the heat transfer vinyl you are using. For instance, some HTV can take more than 15 seconds to apply. While this doesn’t sound long, if you’re doing a huge order, the time adds up. If you can find an equally suitable HTV with a shorter application time, you can save yourself time. Likewise, if your press has difficulty retaining heat, it may be worthwhile to find a heat transfer vinyl that applies at cooler temperatures. This way, you’re not waiting for the platen to reheat after every press.

How to Apply

Once you’ve chosen your HTV and cut/weeded it, it’s time to apply. If you’ve done the groundwork and know the vinyl will work well with your fabric, you’re more than halfway there. Follow these steps to decorate your item:

1. Turn on your heat press
2. Set the press to the correct temperature and pressure
3. Wait for your press to reach temperature
4. Center your item center on the press
5. Close the press on the item to pre-heat it and eliminate any wrinkles
6. Place your design on the item with the carrier facing up
7. Put a cover sheet over the item to protect it
8. Press for the correct amount of time
9. Open your press, remove the item, and peel off the carrier according to the HTV guidelines
10. Move on to the next item

Equipment to Make Printing HTV Easier

If you’re just starting to print heat transfer vinyl, there are several pieces of equipment that can make printing more efficient.

High Quality Heat Press

Most of your equipment budget for HTV should go to your heat press. A high quality press will retain heat, allow for even pressure, and have more longevity than its cheaper competition. If you are serious about heat printing, buy the best quality press you can afford. Read the How to Choose the Best Heat Press post to learn what to prioritize when buying a press.

Alignment Tools

There are a variety of tools you can use to make sure your get proper placement and alignment. Layout boards and heat-resistant tape can help you place your design and make sure A laser alignment system makes aligning a design on an item a breeze. All you must do is set it up for the first press, then follow the guide for the rest, saving you time. Read the 5 Tools to Get Alignment Right blog post to get more info on what tools can help guide your design.

Interchangeable Lower Platens

If you have a press where you can swap out platens, having different size lower platens will give you versatility for what and where you can print. The different sizes allow you to print on sleeves and pant legs, print left chest logos, and the bills of hats. Some interchangeable platens are heated so you can apply heat from both sides of the garment. This lets you turn down the upper platen and press synthetics without fear of scorching.

Heated Weeding Panel

Make weeding easier by warming it up with a heated panel or table. There are several different options when it comes to this equipment piece, start with the EZ Weeding^™ Table. All of them are handy to have to make your weeding sessions shorter and less frustrating.

Education at Your Fingertips

By understanding your materials, fabric, and equipment, you will set yourself up for success. STAHLS’ releases new materials and colors regularly to meet decorating challenges. Stay current with these new products to keep your business up-to-date with trends. If you’re interested in going further with HTV, stay tuned to the STAHLS’ blog and subscribe to the great content on the Stahls’ TV YouTube page. Below is a great video on how to get started with HTV.

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