# what do you call vinyl transfers to retail customers?



## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

If you're selling designs made with vinyl transfers via a retail website (like your original designs for sale to customers), what do you call the printing process?

I don't think I've ever read a website where they mention using vinyl for t-shirts.

Or even if you're selling vinyl to a customer who wants their design printed on shirts? Do you call it "vinyl" or "t-shirt vinyl". 

I honestly can't remember hearing the term vinyl used in conjunction with t-shirts. Would a customer know to ask for that? How do you explain it to them?


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## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

Rodney said:


> If you're selling designs made with vinyl transfers via a retail website (like your original designs for sale to customers), what do you call the printing process?
> 
> I don't think I've ever read a website where they mention using vinyl for t-shirts.
> 
> ...


Good Question, I just tell folks it is heat press vinyl, and when I do they always want to feel it so be ready! I don't expound on the discription unless they ask for further detail.


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## CoolTech (Feb 3, 2007)

I just sell it as a finished shirt. So far, no one has asked me how it is done. They just want it done


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

I just call it vinyl when I tell them, but then explain it to them and they are usually pretty receptive, especially when they hear the lower prices for short runs.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Rusty said:


> I just call it vinyl when I tell them, but then explain it to them


What type of explaining do you do that makes them feel better?


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## T-BOT (Jul 24, 2006)

selling vinyl transfers printed on shirts at retail level off a site, store front etc., we call them deco vinyl transfers. But yeah, does the client know what vinyl transfers are ? not often. So, this is where a nice description or samples to touch help.


Yes, I agree that a lot of sites do not mention vinyl to customers. Why not is beyond me. They are just as good quality as screen print. 

Very few Customers ask for vinyl transfers, but more and more do and i think it will grow in popularity.


How do you explain to them ?

The same way you explained what "Film" was/is. Actually, even only 2-3 years ago, the term vinyl was relating to a thicker vinyl material....where the term "film" was more like the vinyl we speak of here. So, How do you explain to them ?

we describe it as Slick Vinyl Transfers, they look and feel sort of like screen print with a slick look.

we call them Deco Vinyl Transfers because they come in decorative patterns too.  



wooops!!!!!! did not see your post above rodney.


sorry rusty, go ahead and answer rodney.   


:


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

I ordered mine from Forever Germany and they call them Forever FLEX (Heat Transfer Film for Plotters), http://www.forever-ots.com/download.php?PHPSESSID=e05295274c055a7604bceb63f17fed52&d[nr]=19. 

I plan on calling the product "FLEX TRANSFERS" or just "VINYL TRANSFERS". I'll be offering the product/service next month when my order arrives.

I agree with the others that a ready sample helps a lot (for brick & mortar stores).


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## rusty (Feb 9, 2007)

Rodney said:


> What type of explaining do you do that makes them feel better?


Actually I call them my line of "Super Awesome X-treme" shirts  .

But really, I just tell them it's a durable solid color heat applied material, and that it looks good, and they believe me . I think it helps that your customers trust you. But I do imagine people wouldn't feel as confident with it if I were selling it on a website and they didn't know me.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

I just call them apparel vinyl. It is similar to vinyl you see on signs but the formation is designed for cloth and it has the look of screen printing. Of course I always show samples of all the processes I use.


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## Robin (Aug 28, 2006)

I have been finding that when you tell folks its vinyl for t-shirts they almost back up from you. Unless you have something right infront of you to show them.

Many have assumed its just a hard plastic on their shirts. Education and samples are key.

I like the term "flex-transfers" !!


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> I have been finding that when you tell folks its vinyl for t-shirts they almost back up from you


That's the kind of thing I was thinking of. If I try to put myself in a position of somebody that knows nothing about it (which isn't too hard to do, because it wasn't that long ago that I was a newbie to the vinyl process), what would I think if someone said "t-shirt vinyl" or a "vinyl transfer".

The first thing I think of is like a hard vinyl like those old 70's fake leather furniture pieces. The name of it sounds very "hard" and rubbery...definitely not something you'd want to wear on your chest.



> Many have assumed its just a hard plastic on their shirts.


I think that's a natural assumption.

I noticed on Spreadshirt's website, they call it "Professional Plot Printing" available in "flex" or "flock". 

It seems like they've thought about the "naming" of the process as well when deciding what to market the process as. When I first bought a "flex" printed t-shirt from spreadshirt, I had no idea what it was called, but the quality was very good.

So far, "flex transfers" and "film" seem the most "friendly" terms I've seen.

If you're selling online to a customer via a website, you don't really have the chance to show them the "feel" of the shirt or an example before they pull out their card and buy your original design. Otherwise, I agree that showing samples is a good way to explain the process.

I kind of like the term "flex printing". It seems to express the softness and "flexibility" of the finished print. 

Any other terms people have used?


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## BRC (Mar 27, 2007)

I just call it "heat transfer vinyl" I usually have to explain that it's special vinyl and I can't use the 20 odd colors of sign vinyl i have. I only stock the standard colors in transfer vinyl for now.


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## KILLER (Dec 15, 2006)

hey guys, i call it screen blast .... because i blast away the cost of the screen lol..do not want to tell my customers its vinyl do to the fact they might look vinyl up on line .... i deal with hiphop kids they all want to make tees and get there on lines and stuff .. so info is a no no to my customers.... thks derek... ps . if u tell want u get sales. so keep it to our selves...... 007 derek .....


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## murani (Sep 13, 2006)

Well I term it in my capabilities brochure and job quotes "garment vinyl". I then go on to list in detail that it is comparable to screen print in look and feel. Also a big selling point for me is that I make sure to tell my customers it will most often outlast the garment itself so durability will not be an issue. Once you let them know at the end the quick turnaround on short runs compared to screen print they are sold.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I don't tell the customer any thing other than the truth. You can call it what you want, but the bottom line is "VINYL". I tell then that technolgy has made huge improvements on heat applied products compared to the early transfers. I have samples to show them, but most people want quality and if you supply that. They truly won't care how you do it. Good luck. ...JB


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## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

When I told my brother that we were starting a t-shirt business and told him that we were using vinyl, he said he didn't like it. I'm not sure what examples he's seen of heat-applied vinyl, whether it's more recent or older, but he definitely has a preconception in his head, and we want to overcome that.

That's where I'd like to be able to come up with a different name or description (or not say anything at all).

We've also got a small order already (we're buying our cutter today or Monday), and I don't want the people we're selling to (members of a different forum) to back out because of preconceptions.


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## theflowerboxx (Mar 26, 2007)

Chani tell them it's heat applied material then. Honestly I don't think Multicut or Thermoflex Plus feels anything like vinyl now Stahl's econocad feels and looks about like sign vinyl applied to a shirt, IMO.


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## Chani (Jun 18, 2007)

That's great to know! Thanks!

Yeah, our original choices were ThermoFlex or Stahls ThermoFilm, but I think we'll go with ThermoFlex or MultiCut from Joto.


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## murani (Sep 13, 2006)

I can't speak for anyone else but myself but when I describe my garment vinyl to customers and they see the material (especially the spectra cut megatallic from Imprintables) they fall over themselves choosing colors. I carry 12 regular colors and then 4 megatallic colors like silver, gold, megatallic pink, megatallic black.


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## knifemaker3 (Sep 8, 2006)

Honesty is always the best policy. Just tell them it's heat applied vinyl for the garment industry. Then explain like others have already said about the benefits. Show them a sample. Bottom line..............

DON'T LIE OR MISREPRESENT A PRODUCT TO GET A SALE!!!!!!

This will create a bad reputation for you and your company. If they don't like vinyl, give them another product or simply tell them you can't do them for them. They will respect you more if you tell them you can't do the order than if you tell them vinyl is anything else but vinyl just to get the sale.

HONESTY PLEASE!!!!!


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> DON'T LIE OR MISREPRESENT A PRODUCT TO GET A SALE!!!!!!


I don't think anybody here is suggesting that.


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## murani (Sep 13, 2006)

Not in the least. Nobody is lying or misrepresenting but cool names sell merchandise.

I just had a job where my screens were acting funny and time was running out to get an order done so I immediately switched over to my vinyl and did the entire job (24 shirts) in about 2 hours. It was a 2 color job with just Women of Culture on the back. When I delivered the shirts the lady was impressed and I told her it was actually my garment vinyl instead of screen print. She was really amazed at the quality and said she'd be placing another order with me next week for a slightly smaller amount. The best thing about vinyl is that you get precise cuts everytime and can free change colors if need be.


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## gothicaleigh (Jun 16, 2007)

I've always called it flexprint.


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## ChameleonPrints (Apr 7, 2007)

To be honest, very few customers even ask. I stopped using screen printing a few years back and use vinyl for spot colors and a T-jet for more complex designs. I can only recall 1 person even asking how I decorate the garment. I have never had any complaints about it, and I never felt the need to explain anything unless asked about it.


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## gothicaleigh (Jun 16, 2007)

Exactly. 
Honestly explain if they inquire about it (and be honest enough to correct them if they assume it's screenprint). I've had a few sceptics at first, but they convert quickly after seeing the results and seem to be even more impressed when returning after owning the garment a while (durability is definately one of vinyl's strong points).


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## swilbert (Aug 4, 2007)

We call our vinyl cad-cut and always explain the difference and advantages to our customers.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

ChameleonPrints said:


> To be honest, very few customers even ask. I stopped using screen printing a few years back and use vinyl for spot colors and a T-jet for more complex designs. I can only recall 1 person even asking how I decorate the garment. I have never had any complaints about it, and I never felt the need to explain anything unless asked about it.


How would you advertise your services though? Just as "custom t-shirt printing"?

Most screen printing shops advertise the fact that they are a screen printing shop or an embroidery shop.

For those of you that don't mention it to the customer unless they ask, how are you marketing your overall services?


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## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

knifemaker3 said:


> DON'T LIE OR MISREPRESENT A PRODUCT TO GET A SALE!!!!!!


It doesn't seem like lying or misrepresentation to me. Is it a lie or misrepresentation to refer to various pig organs ground up with spices and stuffed in pig intestine as "sausage"?


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## ChameleonPrints (Apr 7, 2007)

I just refer to it as Customized Shirts... I don't like to be referred to as a "screen printer" or an "embroiderer", what I offer is a customized product and I use many techniques to get the job done so I prefer not to be limited by just one technique. I found in the past when I did refer to myself as a "Screen Printer" that my customers would take their Team name jobs and embroidered hat jobs somewhere else because they thought I just did one thing.


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