Using heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is a fantastic way of adding branding, lettering, numbering and imagery to sportswear, workwear, bags and other materials. But to get long-lasting results there are some definite do’s and don’ts. Here is our quick guide:

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Do's.

● Find out what the material you are applying to is made from.
Sounds obvious but you'd be surprised how many times this causes confusion. The reason this is super important is because an htv film designed to transfer on to cotton will have different properties than one that is designed to be applied to polyester fabric.

● Consider whether you need block out or not.
When transferring onto polyester fabric it is important that the htv has an added layer to offer dye-blocking capabilities. This will stop any dye migration from the garment showing through the vinyl

● Think about whether you need to reverse your design
This is crucial for success and is probably the most forgotton rule on the HTV world. Coloured HTV requires reverse cutting as you are going to wedd it then flip it over and press it on to he garment using the clear liner as it's own application tape. However, if you are digitally printing the design you treat this like a regular print and cut film, before using a special heat proof application tape such as Transprint to transfer it to the garment for pressing.

● Check the recommended time and temp settings for the HTV you are using.
Again, this is critical but sometimes easy to be complacent so make sure you double check the specific pressure and time advised for transferring on to the garments. We have everything available for you on our website so there should't be any confusion.

Don'ts.

● Don’t forget to consider the wash resistance needed.
Nobody wants to receive garments back from their clients with the lettering hanging off so it is important to know what the limitations are when it comes to laundering. We have everything you need to know so if you can't see it on the website please just give us a call and ask one of the team.

● Don’t forget to have a can of Flex Off ready for any mishaps.
Accidents can happen and customers can change their minds so it’s best to be prepared just in case.

● Don’t forget to contact us if you’re not sure which HTV to use and need some advice.
We’re always happy to help!

Our range of Poli-Tape HTV includes:

Poli-Flex Turbo Heat Transfer Vinyl
Part of the Turbo range, this best-in-class coloured HTV has a heat pressing time of as little as three seconds. A super soft, PU film, it’s suitable for a variety of textiles including cotton, polyester, blended fabrics and uncoated nylon. With increased levels of stretch, it’s ideal for leisure and activewear.

Blockout Heat Transfer Vinyl
Team sports garments are made of, or contain a high content of polyester, making the fabric sensitive to heat and prone to dye migration. For a successful print, an HTV with dye-blocking properties is essential. Poli-Flex Blockout has an additional flexible layer that prevents discolouration from dye migration. After application, the flex film is soft but durable enough to withstand sporting activities.

Image Flex Turbo Print
Image Flex 4036 Turbo Print from Poli-Tape is our best-selling printable HTV. A soft white PU film designed for cotton, polyester, blended fabrics and uncoated nylon. Suitable for solvent, eco-solvent and latex inks, the special primer topcoat offers unrivalled ink anchorage, high-resolution image printing and excellent washing resistance. It can be applied at press temperatures as low as 130oC making it a great all-rounder.

How can we help you?

If you have a project that you are working on and need a little help selecting the right materials, just contact us or drop us an email. We're always happy to help.

And before you go:

We hope that you found this blog relevant and informative and that you'd be interested in reading some of our other blogs