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 |
