What Is Heat Transfer Printing?

Heat transfer printing is a popular technical used to apply designs or images onto different materials, like T-shirts, mugs, or bags. It uses heat and pressure to transfer a printed image from special paper or film onto the item.
 
Knowing about the heat transfer process:
First, a design is printed onto transfer paper or film using special ink. Then, the printed paper is placed on the item you want to decorate. With a heat press machine heat and pressure are applied. The heat causes the ink to transfer from the paper onto the item, leaving the design on it.
 
Heat Transfer Printing Media Types:
vinyl heat transfer
screen printed heat transfer
sublimation
Direct-To-Film Heat Transfer.
Please refer to the below table to know about the difference of four types:

Item	Vinyl Heat Transfer	Screen-Printed Heat Transfer	Sublimation Heat Transfer	Direct-to-Film (DTF) Heat Transfer
Print process	Cutting and pressing vinyl	Screen printing on transfer paper and heat pressing	Printing onto sublimation paper and heat pressing	Printing directly onto film and heat pressing
Transfer paper/film type	Vinyl sheets	Transfer paper	Sublimation paper	PET film
Printer compatibility	Vinyl cutter	Screen printer	Sublimation printer	DTF printer / Inkjet Printer
Ink type	NA	Plastisol ink	Dye-sublimation ink	Pigment ink
Suitable material	T-shirts, bags, caps	T-shirts, bags,  textiles	Mugs, shirts, phone cases	T-shirts, bags, caps, wood, metal
Fabric type	Most fabrics	All fabrics	Polyester or polyester-coated items	All fabrics