Yes, you can but in some cases it’s faster to use TheMagicTouch T.Pad or a rougher surface you will get a better result with TheMagicTouch Application Sponge.

• TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2 Micro Box €16,95
• TheMagicTouch T.Pad €47,90
• TheMagicTouch Application Sponge €1,59

TheMagicTouch T.Seal pushes the transfer film deeper into the fabric that is something Release paper cannot do. Because the transfer is deeper in the fabric you will get better washing result using the TheMagicTouch T.Seal. But with some toner types you cannot use T.Seal because of the pigments in the toner, then use TheMagicTouch Release Paper.

Yes, with the correct software and cutting plotter you can first print your CL Media then Cut the CL Media. You need to print the registration marks with your design and you cutting plotter must be able to read them. If you have a fine detail design, you can use Application Tape to move your design onto the product.

This can easily be done with heat resistant tape. This special tape does not melt when being pressed at high temperatures and does not leave any smudges of the tape’s adhesive when removed.

That is a good question. We have a compatibility guide where you can (hopefully) see whether your printer is compatible.

Do you already have a heat press and you want to know if your heat press is compatible with our products? Fill in the support form and you will receive a compatibility report from us as soon as possible.

The imaging belt is important in a printer for two major functions: It transports the paper through the printer like a conveyor, but also charges the paper in such a way that the toner image from the imaging drums is being transferred onto the paper. The Imaging belt pushes the paper finally through the fuser unit.

TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2 can be used to make beautiful signs by transferring prints onto Perspex or magnetic rubber and the like. UV resistance of the toner image is not that bad when compared to standard inkjet ink that can fade in weeks. Toner takes a lot longer before the effect of UV will be visible. Still months instead of weeks can still be too short for outdoor use, so TheMagicTouch has a great solution to enhance the durability even further up to several years depending on the amount of direct sunlight:

This is TheMagicTouch Coverseal. This special film can be used to laminate the sign with just the heat press. There is no additional laminator equipment required! TheMagicTouch CoverSeal will enhance the UV resistance and scratch resistance as well.

If the transfer is sealed properly than the general washing instructions of most printed garments is also applicable here: Maximum of 40°C on gentle cycle, do not tumble dry, do not bleach.

If these instructions are followed the customer will be able to enjoy the printed garment for a long time. It is especially important to provide the end user with clear instructions on the washing. This prevents mishaps and disappointment with the customer as they know how to handle the garment when washing it.

That really depends on the surface, or the product and the transfer chosen. With applications with TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2 transfer paper, were only the toner image is transferred onto the product (no transfer layer, free form) it is very dependent on the surface of the product. You can say that a satin finished surface provides an even better scratch resistance than hard and exceptionally smooth surfaces. In many cases the scratch resistance can be improved even more by adding a special coating with TheMagicTouch Coverseal which also enhances the UV resistance.

There are few substrates that cannot be transferred on with TheMagicTouch transfers. You can say the product has to be flat, smooth and be agettingble to withstand the temperature and pressure of the pressing process. Thanks to some very clever solutions from TheMagicTouch, in the form of special Application tools, you can print on many products where you might think they cannot be put under a heat press like Perspex, glass anddct magnetic foil to name but a few. And on top of that we have a range of decal transfers (TheMagicTouch DCT transfer papers) that enable printing on candles, glass, models and more.

What remains are products that are too flexible, not flat enough or have a very course and raw surface like untreated wood or PVC plastics. Because of the high standing fibers Fleece is one of the very few fabrics that is difficult to print with transfer paper.

For these transfer papers it is important that they are always fed in the direction of the arrows. Not doing so will increase the risk of a paper jam in the printer. The reason why some TheMagicTouch transfer papers have the arrows and some not, has to do with the grain direction of the paper. For the transfer papers that do have these arrows, we have two kinds of A4 available. So which one do you need?
If you have an A4 printer choose the A4R version. If you have an A3 printer and you want to use A4 paper, order A4. (Without the R) This way you’ll receive the version with the arrows in the correct direction for your printer.

What are the benefits of using TheMagicTouch transfer paper for decorating products?

There are many pros, therefore TheMagicTouch transfer paper technology is so popular. We name a few benefits:

The investment is low.
You have a complete white toner transfer printing systems capable of printing on all color garments and much more for a fraction of the costs of alternative printing systems like DTG that are not as versatile.

TheMagicTouch transfer paper is the most versatile
With one printing system (Printer and heat press) you can print on many substrates and products. No other printing system offers this kind of versatility.

You print kind one of a kind
personalized products, the margins on these products are extremely interesting. This insures a very high return on investment.

Ease of use is another benefit.
It is very easy to learn if you use the right equipment and there is no need for special pre-cautions like air filtration or liquid proof flooring.

When compared to sublimation, there are more different types of TheMagicTouch transfer papers. Why is that?

Because it is much more versatile! With sublimation you can basically print on one substrate: Polyester. That’s why you can always use the same sublimation paper. With toner transfer paper you can print on many other substrates and products that don’t require to have a special polyester layer. Thanks to the different kinds of TheMagicTouch transfer paper there are many applications, products and substrates that can be personalized.

Absolutely. We have two very useful special media that can be used to enhance a printed product. First there is Gloss Finish which, as the name implies, gives a gloss finish to a toner image printed on a product. It is mostly used for prints transferred on cardboard or mugs with TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2. Furthermore, there is TheMagicTouch Coverseal. This is a very useful lamination foil that can be applied with your heat press. So you can enhance your printed product like signage or stickers with a lamination that will protect the toner image from UV and scratches. Excellent for outdoor use.

Transfer paper is paper that transfers your design onto a product. When you combine these two words, you get transfer paper. Transfer paper consists of paper with a special coating that holds the toner and allows you to print single color designs and full color designs on the transfer paper. Transfer paper is a specially coated paper and is available in several steps, types, sizes and variations.

Steps
There are two ways to remove a transfer and we divide these into 2 steps.

Single step

The single step is removed for one movement and intended for all TheMagicTouch transfers (expect TheMagicTouch WoW 7.8) and are compatible with CMYK printers.

Two step

The two step needs to be transferred on another transfer sheet is only intended for our textile transfer TheMagicTouch WoW 7.8 and compatible with CMYW printers.

Types
We divide transfer paper into five diverse types of transfers, and they must be print with a laser or led printer.

Toner transfers
Textile transfers
Decal transfers
Tattoo transfers
Stickers
Sizes
A4
A4-R
A4-XL
A3
Variations
TheMagicTouch TTC 3.1 for white textile for using with a CMYK printer
TheMagicTouch OBM 5.4 for dark textile for using with a CMYK printer
TheMagicTouch CPM 6.2 for hard surfaces for using with a CMYK and CMYW printer
TheMagicTouch WoW 7.8 for dark textile using a CMYW printer
TheMagicTouch T.One for white textile using a CMYK/CMYW printer
TheMagicTouch DCT 4.5 for decal for using with a CMYK and CMYW printer
TheMagicTouch RST 9.1 for hard surfaces like wood and cork
TheMagicTouch ORD 8.1 for Acrylic and Crystal

Every day, every month, and every year there are coming new printers and there are also printer which will not be used anymore. You probably guessed that we can’t test all these printers but we love to search if your printer is compatible with our transfer meda.

What do you need TheMagicTouch transfer paper

For TheMagicTouch transferpaper you always need a

Color laser printer.
LED printer.
The printers that TheMagicTouch currently is selling is the Ricoh Laser printer and the OKI led printers that have been tested on various criteria.

The criteria of the printers we sell

The paper path of the transfer paper
The scratch resistance of the toner
The washing result and the warranty on the printer
These printers are all equipped with our own exclusive TheMagicTouch Software, where all settings for each type of transfer paper are set and you don’t have to think about anything anymore.

If you already have a color printer with a printer or copier, just go to the article: Is my printer compatible for transferpaper?

There are currently 31 different types of transfer papers, and each transfer paper has its own processing.

Single step transfer papers can be pressed

For T-shirts in less than 10 seconds.
For Blank products between 2-60 seconds.
Two step transfer papers are only used for textile and are ready in 2 minutes.

If you have a color laser printer or LED printer with a manual feed, that is always the best way to start printing. If you do not have a manual feed, use the cassette, and print the transfer paper per sheet from this tray. If you want to use several sheets at the same time, shake the transfer paper well to reduce the risk of it sticking together.

The manual feed is being used for:

blabla
The cassette is being used for:

blabla

Yes, you can store transfer paper, also printed. We advise to store the transfer paper in a sealed bag which you can close. On average, in normal conditions, you can store transfer paper, sealed, for more than a year.

Some necessary conditions to make the longest lifespan out of a (printed) transfer

The transfers need to be in a closed package, in a sealed bag.
Dry room with normal humidity
We can’t give you any guaranty on this but we can say if we use this criteria you can save it for a good amount of time.

No, it not, if you compare this with other printing techniques. Transfer paper is still a printing technique with one of the highest margins!

Let’s compare the cheapest transfer with the most expensive one we offer.

The single step transfer TheMagicTouch TTC 3.1 is available from €0.49 per transfer excl. VAT.
This transfer is printed with a CMYK printer and is suitable for white textiles.

The two step transfer TheMagicTouch WoW 7.8 is available from €1,57 per transfer excl. VAT.
This transfer is printed with a CMYW printer and is suitable for dark textiles.

The remaining transfer papers vary between these prices.

No definitely not. Every transfer press is different, in terms of structure and especially in terms of pressure distribution. You can read the most important aspects to pay attention to on the ultimate guide to transfer presses.

There is not a satisfaction answer to this question because it really depends on how, with what and how long the ‘washing’ took.

Transfer paper is printed with the dry toner of a laser printer or LED printer, and it is necessary that the transfer paper is pressed onto the fabric with very high pressure to transfer all the dry toner and release it from the paper.

So pressure and after-press is a key factor :

If you use too little pressure, the transfer paper will be less resistant to washing.
If you use too high pressure, the transfer paper will ‘burn’ and damage the toner.
Keep in mind that you have a 5% loss after the first wash, which applies to most printing methods.

TheMagicTouch transferpapers are not compatible for inkjet printers. The coating on our transferpapers is just not suitable for ink and only fits dry toner.

Toner based has more advantages:

Higher washability
More versatile
Not depending on any conditions

Flock foil consists of a felt-like structure and feels thicker than Heat Transfer Vinyl.

The process

Colored polyester clothing is produced with a sublimation process. This means that the color pigments become gaseous when heated and penetrate deep into the fibers of the polyester. As a result, polyester also has a beautiful color and usually retains its color better than, for example, cotton. When printing, however, this way of coloring has one major drawback.

Bleeding

By reheating the polyester fabric with a transfer press, the pigments become active again during heating with a transfer press. We don’t want that, you don’t want that and especially the end user doesn’t want that. The active pigments can soak into the flex foil or transfer paper and eventually appear on the surface of the print, resulting in discoloration. We want to prevent this, right? The common thing about this discoloration is that it is almost never visible immediately after printing, but only becomes visible after some time. This varies from a few days to even a few weeks.

How do you prevent bleeding

Washing the textile has no influence on this! It doesn’t stop it, but it doesn’t promote it either. The result can then be a print that looks blotchy. Sometimes it is also described as a “fungus effect”. Of course this has nothing to do with mold, but it sometimes looks like penetrating damp or plastic that is “weathered in”. It goes without saying that the problem of bleed-through only occurs if you press a light print onto a dark colored textile piece, for example a white text on a dark blue polyester shirt. A dark print on a light shirt, for example a black print on a light blue shirt, is no problem. The problem can also occur with mixed forms of polyester with cotton. Roughly speaking, you can say that the lower the percentage of polyester, the smaller the chance that the phenomenon will occur. Although we also know examples of fabrics with 5% polyester that still bleed through.

Solution

The solutions are simple. Use a Flex that can be processed at a low temperature and then you have already ruled out the most risk of bleeding. This is possible with the 123Flex, the 123Premium Flex and the Poli-Flex Turbo. For extra protection you can choose the 123Premium BlockOut Flex, or the Poli-Flex BlockOut Soft. This is wise with thicker polyester fabrics such as Softshell.

In principle, you do not have to cut flex or flock foil with a cutting mat. A cutting mat is in most cases used for Print & Cut or to cut small(er) pieces of foil to prevent the flex foil from being skewed.

The flex foil has two sides:

The shiny side is the carrier, also called backing, and we don’t recommend cutting into this side!
The matte side is the side you need to cut and should be placed up in the cutter.

Yes, we recommend a transfer press for printing with flex films. With an iron or iron you are less able to give the pressure that is needed for a good end result.

Better not. In some cases you might be able to transfer onto a garment, but there is no guarantee for washability whatsoever. So we really don’t recommend it for these reasons:

Pressure – With an iron you can never achieve the same pressure over the entire surface.

Temperature – With an iron it is difficult to apply the same temperature over the entire surface.

Time – You will have to keep an eye on this yourself and that is tougher than you think if the transfer is bigger than the surface of the iron.

So to summarize: Due to more technical reasons we do not recommend using an iron if you want anything close to washability let alone general quality.

The use of an iron is difficult to control, especially with multiple jobs. To ensure that you achieve a consistent result and guarantee quality, we recommend always printing textiles with a transfer press.

With multi color we mean flex foil colors that you can press over each other. With multi color you use multiple colors in the design. Check with the type of flex foil whether it is suitable for pressing over each other.

We do not recommend using an iron.

A few reasons why you won’t want to use an iron:

The pressure is not equal
The surface is not equal on temperature
The pressure is not good enough
TheMagicTouch transfer papers are not suitable for transferring with an iron or iron. For transfer paper you need pressure, temperature, and the right time. These cannot be checked or adjusted with an iron or iron.

When an OKI or Ricoh printer is acquired from TheMagicTouch with TheMagicTouch Software you automatically get the license required to use the Software.

If you want to obtain the software separately because you already own a compatible printer, you can order the software separately. In that case to create a license for your printer, we need to have the serial number of your printer. For the software to work it is important the serial number is exactly correct. The easiest way to to get the serial number is to print an configuration page.

TheMagicTouch T.Seal pushes the transfer film deeper into the fabric that is something Release paper cannot do. Because the transfer is deeper in the fabric you will get better washing result using the TheMagicTouch T.Seal. But with some toner types you cannot use T.Seal because of the pigments in the toner, then use TheMagicTouch Release Paper.

That is a good question. We have a compatibility guide where you can (hopefully) see whether your printer is compatible.

These are abbreviations which stand for Long Edge Feeding and Short Edge Feeding. This is to indicate how a sheet of paper is being fed into the printer. If the paper, for instance an A4 in a A3 printer, is being fed with the short side entering the printer first, this is referred to as SEF (Short Edge First) The printing direction can be very important with some Transfer papers, always indicated by arrows on the back-print of the transfer.

The toner cartridge contains the actual colored toner, the drum unit, also sometimes referred to as Imaging Drum, uses the toner from the toner cartridge to create the image with electro-static charges.

The toner cartridge contains the actual colored toner, the drum unit, also sometimes referred to as Imaging Drum, uses the toner from the toner cartridge to create the image with electro-static charges.

We would very strongly advise against that.

“Off course you do advise against it, you sell originals!” you might say, but we have the facts and experience to back this up. Let us explain:

One way to produce toner cheaper is to process less anti-cacking material in the toner. This saves costs for the manufacturer, but it makes the toner also a lot more prone to clog together. Sooner or later this will cause serious imaging problems like bad striping. To solve this problem you then have to replace not just the toner but also the drum unit.

This obviously costs a lot more than the original saving. On top of that, we often find that third-party brands of toner are giving problems with the transfer of the image. So even if you are happy with the image quality, you might run into troubles trying to transfer the toner image onto a product.

To recover your printer from using aftermarket third-party toners, you not only have to replace the toners itself, but also the drum units. This makes using cheaper third-party toners a typical example of “penny wise, pound foolish”.

Sure, this is no problem. TheMagicTouch Software comes with all the plain paper settings you also find in the normal printer driver which you can also still use if required.

One of the greats thing about toner of LED printers together with TheMagicTouch Software is that you can still use them for regular print jobs on plain paper with all the benefits a color laser of LED printer gives you, like low cost per print, fast printing times and razor sharp images and text.

A configuration page, also sometimes referred to as a Menu Map, can be printed from a color laser or color LED printer. It provides you with all the information about the printer you might need. Levels of all consumables (e.g. how much toner is left) but also on all the settings.

It will show you the serial number you will need for the TheMagicTouch Software. You will find the serial number with OKI on the top part in the first line, or with Ricoh it’s called Machine ID in the second line on the first page.

On most printers you can print the configuration page as follows:

Press MENU
Select PRINT INFORMATION
Press ENTER
Select CONFIGURATION
Press ENTER
Select EXECUTE
Press ENTER
The Configuration page consists of one up to three pages depending on the type of printer.

No, there is no Mac OS version of the TheMagicTouch Software. However, all the designing can still be done on a mac as long as the image in the end is printed from a Windows PC and TheMagicTouch Software. So, most Mac users have a dedicated small pc just for TheMagicTouch Software and do all the designing on their trusted Mac’s.

Unfortunately, no. It is not that simple. Apart from needing white toner, your OKI printer also has to know where to print white. Theoretically, if you could place a white toner instead of the black toner, the printer will just print white where it used to print black and that is not what you want. In reality the printer will recognize the white toner as a “wrong” cartridge and it will generate an error preventing you to make the mistake of placing a white toner in a CMYK OKI printer.

When it comes to printing, there are two types of black: Composite black and solid black. The CMYW printer can’t print solid Black anymore (just black toner) but it can still print composite black which is black created by adding cyan, magenta and yellow together in the same amount. Strictly this should be less black as solid black but in a full color image this is hardly or not at all visible. In a pure black image you might see the image is a bit brownish on a CMYW printer when compared to a CMYK printer.

TheMagicTouch Software is a Raster Image Processor software, often referred to as a RIP. This means the software creates a print file from the loaded image that has been optimized for the specific printer and print-job.

TheMagicTouch Software ensures the file has all the correct color profiles and printer settings for TheMagicTouch transfer papers. This makes the life of the end user a lot easier. You only must load your image, choose the transfer paper you want to print on, and click “Print”. TheMagicTouch Software takes care of the rest:

Color profiles
Correct printer setting for right amount of fusing
Mirrored printing if required
So, the printers on TheMagicTouch website are offered with TheMagicTouch Software because it makes transfer printing a lot easier and fail safe.

The white toner requires special modifications to the electronics and software that are costly to do. However, because it gives you far more possibilities, especially when it comes to transferring the image onto products with TheMagicTouch transfer paper, there are far more ways to make an exceptionally good return of investment on this type of printer.

An image made with any CMYK printer, is transparent. Normally that’s not a problem because most prints are made on white plain paper. So, the whiteness of the paper ensures we see the colors of the print including the white areas in the design where we actually just see the white of the paper.

Now, if we want to transfer that image onto a surface that is not white, for instance a black mug, there would be no more white behind the image and it is hardly visible when transferred.

This is where the white toner comes in. With white toner added to the mix we can ensure there is enough white on the right spots to see all the colors and the white areas of the design, regardless off the color of the surface of the product. This enables unique applications that making a return of the investment fast and easy.

Every day, every month, and every year there are coming new printers and there are also printer which will not be used anymore. You probably guessed that we can’t test all these printers but we love to search if your printer is compatible with our transfer meda.

What do you need TheMagicTouch transfer paper

For TheMagicTouch transferpaper you always need a

Color laser printer.
LED printer.
The printers that TheMagicTouch currently is selling is the Ricoh Laser printer and the OKI led printers that have been tested on various criteria.

The criteria of the printers we sell

The paper path of the transfer paper
The scratch resistance of the toner
The washing result and the warranty on the printer
These printers are all equipped with our own exclusive TheMagicTouch Software, where all settings for each type of transfer paper are set and you don’t have to think about anything anymore.

If you already have a color printer with a printer or copier, just go to the article: Is my printer compatible for transferpaper?

Inkjet printer
An inkjet printer produces prints by ejecting tiny droplets of ink onto a page in a specific pattern. This ink comes from plastic capsules called cartridges. These cartridges are sold with various colors of ink. Many printers only have the basic colors black, cyan, magenta and yellow, but there are also inkjet printers with space for up to 9 different cartridges. This enables an inkjet printer to produce prints with a wider color range especially noticeable with printing photographs.

However, it is not suitable for transfer paper because the price per print is too high, and the ink is water soluble which is really bad for transferring onto garment and the ink cannot attach to other surfaces like toner can with the right transfer paper.

A laser printer does not use ink, but toner to make a print. Toner is a powder that is melted onto a page at a high temperature. This is sold in large toner cartridges, so you can print for a longer time without having to replace it. Toner is less expensive than ink, but it is not as good at printing photo images but produces sharper text and logos. Laser printers are often fast and efficient. Excellent for the office. Do you print a lot at home because you are self-employed or a teacher? A laser printer also comes in handy here because of the low price per print.

A laser or LED printer
A laser or LED printer does not use ink, but toner to make a print. Toner is a powder that is melted onto the paper at a high temperature. This is sold in large toner cartridges, so you can print for a longer time without having to replace it. Toner is less expensive than ink, and although it is not as good at printing photo images, it produces sharper text and logos. Laser printers are often fast and efficient. Excellent for the office. And toner gives far more possibilities to transfer the printed image onto a product with TheMagicTouch transfer papers when compared to ink.

Difference between a LED printer and a laserprinter
Both Laser and LED use toner and an electro-static process to print on the media. In both printers an image-drum is charged and attracts the toner, creating the image. On a laser printer the exact charge is determined by a laser that exposes the image drum to its light exactly where the toner must create the image. On a LED printer this job is done by an array of tiny LED lights. The benefit of the LED is that this system has a very straight paper path and is easier to maintain making it even more suitable for printing TheMagicTouch transfer paper.

This will depend on the type of heat press and the construction of the heat press.

But we consider 6 bar / 80 to 100 psi as high pressure. If you don’t have clear instruction from the manufacture, please conduct some tests before you start your production. Specially in washing high pressure is most important there.

A lot of transfer applications are smaller sized. Like logo’s on breast pocket’s, sleeves, children garments or bags. With a smaller platen you can isolate the printing area and not the whole garment has to be placed between the press. This is especially helpful if there are also items on the garment that you do not want to have between the heat press like buttons or zippers. A smaller platen allows you to transfer the design, without having to worry about the buttons next to it.

No you don’t. In fact, with many applications they work counter productive instead of adding value.

What do we mean by that? Teflon is very useful when you use sublimation. It protects the rubber mat of the lower platen and the heat platen from pigment contamination. Teflon also acts as a heat deflector, which for sublimation, is not a problem. For applications with a shorter pressing time it can frustrate the transfer process and you are far better of to use a piece of release paper.

So to summarize: Only use Teflon for sublimation, not for other transfer applications.

Do you already have a heat press and you want to know if your heat press is compatible with our products? Fill in the support form and you will receive a compatibility report from us as soon as possible.

Although all heat presses work off a normal main 230/110 volt socket, there are some things to pay attention to.

1. Because of the relatively high-power intake it is a good idea to reserve a circuit for your heat press(es) to make sure the circuit brakers switch off the current because of excessive loads.

2. Make sure to always use a socket with earthing. This ensures more safety in case of an unwanted short cut in the heat press.

3. Do preferably not use an extension cable. Extension cables or their connectors may not be suited to the high currents of a heat press and may overheat. If you really need to extend the power source to be able to reach your heat press make sure you use a cable and sockets that are certified for currents with higher Watts. A good extension cord should state the maximum load in watts, and also on the heat press the maximum Watts should be stated. Make sure the maximum load in Watts of the extension cord is always lower than the combined load in Watts of the equipment you plug into it.

To view the biggest differences, we would like to refer you to the transfer presses category.

A heat press does not require a lot of maintenance. Having said that, the little that is required is important to keep things running smoothly. Basically it comes down to keeping it clean and greasing the moving parts from time to time. A temperature check or calibration can be a good idea too.

Yes, we recommend a transfer press for printing with flex films. With an iron or iron you are less able to give the pressure that is needed for a good end result.

Better not. In some cases you might be able to transfer onto a garment, but there is no guarantee for washability whatsoever. So we really don’t recommend it for these reasons:

Pressure – With an iron you can never achieve the same pressure over the entire surface.

Temperature – With an iron it is difficult to apply the same temperature over the entire surface.

Time – You will have to keep an eye on this yourself and that is tougher than you think if the transfer is bigger than the surface of the iron.

So to summarize: Due to more technical reasons we do not recommend using an iron if you want anything close to washability let alone general quality.

The use of an iron is difficult to control, especially with multiple jobs. To ensure that you achieve a consistent result and guarantee quality, we recommend always printing textiles with a transfer press.

No definitely not. Every transfer press is different, in terms of structure and especially in terms of pressure distribution. You can read the most important aspects to pay attention to on the ultimate guide to transfer presses.

Yes, if you want to keep your Heat press clean and to prevent any ghosting of your image into the next product. One on top and one underneath your blank product just like a sandwich. The Teflon Sheets will block the pigments to move around where they not supposed to go.

Not directly. The sublimation process only works on a white surface, and it needs to be polyester. This can be a polyester coating. However you can sublimate on a polyester intermediate carrier like subli-flex or subli flock. After printing these intermediate carriers can be cut by hand or a Print & Cut system and then be transferred onto most types of colored garments like cotton, mixes, and many others.

This is normal. The sublimation pigments only work once they have been heated. Before that, they are a lot paler than after the heat press transfer. So as soon as the print is sublimated onto the product with the heat press, the through colors are visible on the product.

Not directly. The pigments used in sublimation always need a white background to show the optimal colors on the product. There are however many products that come with a white area or separate metal or heat resistant plastic sheet in white with a polyester coating that can be used to transfer the design on. After transferring the design onto that sheet this can be applied to the product by double sided tape or the like.

Yes. Because of the fact that Sublimation ink is rather different in composition than normal inkjet ink, it requires a print head that can handle this and works without heat to prevent clogging. Also, special color management is needed to get the correct colors on the product as the print on paper is not the end result and changes significantly during the heat pressing process. Your best choice of printer is one that combines these things the best: Print head, ink and color management need to be perfectly balanced to get the best results.

The inks are specially made to be part of a balanced system. On top of the CMYK colors, white must be printed while the inks are still wet without mixing or smearing. Furthermore, they must react well to the adhesive powder that must adhere to the ink immediately after printing.

This of course depends on several factors such as the chosen printer, the roll width and the file. An indication is an example of an A3 with 20 chest logos about € 1.40. One logo then costs approx. € 0.07. That is cheaper than with any other transfer system for these print runs.

Excellent! Various washing tests with common settings (40°C, no dryer, no fabric softener) show more than 50 washes without fading or breaking. The print feels soft, is very stretchy and can be compared to digital screen-printing transfers.