From t-shirts and football shirts, to bags and umbrellas, custom-made heat transfers can be applied to almost any type of fabric. There are a wide variety of finishes available, including block-colour, plastisol-based transfers, and multi-colour, photo-quality, DST heat transfers.
What Are Custom Heat Transfers?
Custom heat transfers are printed designs for applying to substrates, primarily garments such as t-shirts, hoodies and polo shirts using a heat press machine to bond the custom heat transfer to the fabric.
Custom-made, heat fusion transfers can be applied to almost any type of fabric and we offer a wide variety of finishes, including digital, ink-based and photo-quality DST heat seal transfers.
- Screen-Printed (Plastisol-Based Inks): A plastisol ink, screen printed transfer is a block-colour image which is silk-screen printed onto a release paper and then heat applied to the garment fabric.
- DST Transfers (Water-Based Inks): Full-colour, photo-quality and multi-colour designs in low and high volumes are usually created as DST transfers. Much more economical than plastisol-based transfers with multiple colours. UltraColour DST transfers can be applied to more difficult substrates, such as performance polyester, if a Subli-Blocking version is used.
Most transfers produced today are made from materials which will normally outlast the life of the garment that it is applied to, providing it has been applied correctly and washed in accordance with the instructions provided.
Why Use Custom Transfers?
Custom heat transfers are a popular alternative to silk-screen printing as it’s a much more cost-effective method of printing in low quantities and also gives the ability to print on demand as our custom transfers are manufactured so they are ready to be heat pressed straight onto the garment fabric.
The specific process which best suits your needs depends on the design that you want to reproduce, the fabric that it is to be applied to and the quantity that you require. Different custom transfer processes will apply to different materials and certain processes are more suitable for certain finishes. We have products which will allow you to apply to all garment types, including nylon and spandex.
Not Sure Which Is The Right Custom Heat Transfer For You?
Due to the high number of enquiries we get from individuals trying to find the most heat transfer process to meet their needs, we've created a comprehensive, Custom Transfers UK Guide on how to choose the right heat transfer which will hopefully help you to determine the best process to fit your requirements.
For more advice on how to correctly apply heat transfers, view our heat transfer press application tips.
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