# How would you do 60 football jerseys?



## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

I just got an order for 60 football jersey's. I was planning on using my plotter to cut the numbers and team name ( large front and back numbers, team name, and shoulder numbers).

I have also just looked at buying some numbers from transfer express.

Please let me know if you would screen print, purchase the numbers, or cut your own (I can do any of the three). Thanks Troy


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## Ib4E (Aug 21, 2008)

Hi,
I'd cut the player names inhouse on a vinyl cutter. They'll be prespaced and You'll save a lot of money vs having them cut by an outside company. I'd order die-cut numbers though. There are kits available through most companies.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

I feel like I will make more if I screen print the numbers, because I already have the ink. Do you think that is to big of a pain?


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## Ib4E (Aug 21, 2008)

Depending on where you get your numbers, you should be able to get the 8" die cut numbers, and the arm numbers for around $100 total, for single color.
Since you are already heat pressing, it would be fairly easy. Burning the screens and then running the shirts thru a dryer, ect is an extra step.
IMO


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

Do you have a number printing set up already for screen printing? If not and you plan on burning screens for each number then use Transfers Express, it's so easy just press it peel it and your done. With some of the vinyl you need to use a cover sheet and re press, so that is an extra press for each location, doubling your time.
But if you have the set up for screening the numbers then do it, you know the ink is way cheaper then the pre cut vinyl.
I have a vinyl cutter, I have an account with Transfers Express and I have a full screen printing set up. If I got this order today I would go with Transfers Express simply due to the fact that I don't have a good number printing system yet.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks for the info, I dont have a number system. I was just concerned with the Transfer cracking since I have never used their number product. I did not want to chance it without talking to someone, because I dont want to have to redo a $2k job. Thanks


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

thutch15 said:


> Thanks for the info, I dont have a number system. I was just concerned with the Transfer cracking since I have never used their number product. I did not want to chance it without talking to someone, because I dont want to have to redo a $2k job. Thanks


I have used them many times with very good results. Just be sure to do some test presses, the pressure setting is key. the only time I have had trouble is with white numbers on very dark garments, you may have issues with coverage if your not careful with seems and pressure.
but yes I find them to be very fast and efficient.
I actually have a number system that came with my press when I bought it used. I have not had time to experiment with it. People want things so fast that I just do what I feel comfortable with.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

The numbers are Plastisol Transfers, correct? Not vinyl. My job is a purple number/name, so I should have a little better coverage. I have experienced that same problem with white vinyl on dark colors if the press is to high. Thanks again for all of the help.


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## Matto (Sep 28, 2007)

I would use the transfers and vinyl on everything. To do the numbers by screen printing is a pain in the @ss. Save yourself some time and frustration.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

Matto said:


> I would use the transfers and vinyl on everything. To do the numbers by screen printing is a pain in the @ss. Save yourself some time and frustration.


What do you mean by "transfers AND vinyl"...would you use both on this job or just one or the other?


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## Matto (Sep 28, 2007)

If there was is a team logo involved I would do it by plastisol transfers. For the names and numbers I would dig out the plotter and cut them all out of heat transfer vinyl and run them through the heat press.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

Oh great...I have already bought the numbers from Transfer Express. Why do you say vinyl over transfer?


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

the spectra eco film i use is virtually indestructable. for something like names and numbers that are one color and you already have the cutter, why go thru someone else? you don't need to repress and use a cover sheet, i don't get that. the only way i'd use plastisol transfers is if there was a multi-color logo as stated above. but vinyl will outlast other processes especially on football jerseys where they're gonna get smashed all season.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

That is what I was thinking to begin with, but I figured it was going to be $6 per jersey for vinyl and $3.60 for printed numbers...let alone the HOURS I will save. Now you have me worried.


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## vipgraphx (Apr 2, 2008)

Personally I have use the plastisol transfers from transfer express and willl not ever use them again on jersey material. SHirts they work great and cost is cheap but on jerseys they do not stick as well. I had a very bad expeirence with them and customer was very dissapointed. Certain parts of the transfers did not stick as well became almost transparent. When doint jerseys I will only use vinyl as I can put my stamp of approval behind it. I just did some baseball promesh button jerseys and used video flex from coastal business supplies for logo on fron and numbers on back. Its thicker than eco film has more of a rubber feel and sticks grrreeaaatttt!.. 

My advice go vinyl all the way even if you have to charge more. Just tell the customer you are using a beter product and will look more proffesional in the end and you have more of a font selection...

Good luck!


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

Don't worry, the transfers are great, less expensive and less time consuming. If you do the math on the rolled material it is very expensive per number.
If you have a good heat press and know how to set the pressure properly you will have no problems.
And, I'm sorry to disagree but eco-film would not be my first choice for a jersey, definitely use the spectra cut or video flex.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

auggieboy said:


> Don't worry, the transfers are great, less expensive and less time consuming. If you do the math on the rolled material it is very expensive per number.
> If you have a good heat press and know how to set the pressure properly you will have no problems.
> And, I'm sorry to disagree but eco-film would not be my first choice for a jersey, definitely use the spectra cut or video flex.


so what you're saying is that vinyl would be your FIRST choice if it came to durabilty and quality on a jersey. make up your mind. sometimes making an extra buck is not the best business practice.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

I have a Hotronix 20 x 16 press. 

Also, I am not try to make an "extra buck" but have spent a lot already on Transfer Express numbers.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

thutch, that wasn't meant for you.


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## vipgraphx (Apr 2, 2008)

auggieboy said:


> Don't worry, the transfers are great, less expensive and less time consuming. If you do the math on the rolled material it is very expensive per number.
> If you have a good heat press and know how to set the pressure properly you will have no problems.
> And, I'm sorry to disagree but eco-film would not be my first choice for a jersey, definitely use the spectra cut or video flex.


Eco film works great on smooth textured soccer uniforms but since he stated football uniforms I reccomended video flex. 

I do have a great heatpress with auto digital presssure display so I know my settings were perfect. It's a hotronix 16x16.

To me it's not about making big money on jobs but delivery thebest most prffesional product I can.

I just had pooor expierence with platisol transfers on Jersey and why I will not risk ruining a customers merchandise or I will have to replace them. Some jersey cost some big bucks.....


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

Well I am worried and I am not going to risk it on a $2K job. I am just going to go ahead and use thermoflex sport...already have about 6 yards of it and I am just going to have to buy another 27 yds. Thanks again for all of the input.


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## vipgraphx (Apr 2, 2008)

thutch15 said:


> Well I am worried and I am not going to risk it on a $2K job. I am just going to go ahead and use thermoflex sport...already have about 6 yards of it and I am just going to have to buy another 27 yds. Thanks again for all of the input.


I think thats the best attitude to have. Customers First. I think in the end when you hand over that job to the customer they will be very happy..

Nothing agianst transfer express but sometimes you get what you pay for. I know I had issues with the pre printed numbers on %poly jerseys, I have not tried the die cut numbers and will test if first before I start a job.

I had used the pre printed numbers for a few jobs and was so pleased with them I was like wow these suckers work but when they hit this textured jersey the just picked up alot of the texture in the print and for some reason all the ones kept lifting.. Don't know if it was a bad batch of prints but when you are doing a 2k job an all of a sudden you run into problems its not like you can remove the print and reprint and at that point you really dont want to continue to move forward with those prints incase it hapens again and then you have to decide to either use a different method of printing or what...thats what happend to me...yeah was not fun infact very fustrating. In the 6 years I have been in business never had a customer complaint until that job...

So I said when it comes to jerseys I will use only vinyl and if the customer wants something differnt they need to find another printer because I can not put my stamp of guarantee behind the job...


I wish you the best of luck!!!!


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

miktoxic said:


> so what you're saying is that vinyl would be your FIRST choice if it came to durabilty and quality on a jersey. make up your mind. sometimes making an extra buck is not the best business practice.


I'm sorry I think you mis-understood, eco-film is a type of vinyl not a plastisol transfer, of the vinyls I would prefer spectra cut or video flex for numbers.
As I stated before I would choose plastisol transfers for quality AND price.


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

vipgraphx said:


> Eco film works great on smooth textured soccer uniforms but since he stated football uniforms I reccomended video flex.
> 
> I do have a great heatpress with auto digital presssure display so I know my settings were perfect. It's a hotronix 16x16.
> 
> ...


Troy,
Whatever works for you is great. Please be sure to test print. If the mesh has medium or large holes you may have issues with the vinyl pressing through the holes. I had some very expensive hockey jerseys that I had some issues with.
If you already ordered the numbers from Transfers Express then just save them for any future orders (they are pretty much idiot proof for using on cotton or 50/50)
Sometimes the plastisol transfers are tricky on poly so it's understandable you don't want to experiment on such a large job.


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## vipgraphx (Apr 2, 2008)

I wanted to post this picture so you could see what the transfer express numbers looked like on a textured 100% poly jersey.

When I pulled of the paper the number lifted and stuck to the paper in the upper right and left areas of the 5. I had to cut a piece off another number and place it over those areas so it would not look so bad. Notice that the number is picking up color from the back. These jerseys were $60 jersey's. My customer was very upset and the lesson learned is allways purchase extra jersey and do test prints before you press..

Sorry thing is that it was like almost every 3rd print had probelms. Some more transparent, some lifted some had very ruff edges...IT was like a guessing game and every time that press came down It was like being in las vegas ( a gamble) Luckily I had some eco film that was the exact same color and reprinted the numbers and made them about an 1/8" bigger so they would cover the numbers. I did this at my expense and the customer was satisfied that I did what I could do to resolve this issue. I also told them that I would print their alternate jerseys for the same price per number as the cost of the pre printed number but would use vinyl this time the first time. I had to eat some money but at VIP GraphX I stand behind my slogan of My Customers are ' VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE" Customer service is top priority.

This is why when I read this post I was like NOOOOOO go vinyl all the way pertect yourself..

Dont know man could have been a bad batch of numbers, I never contacted transfer express about this so cant really knock them for this. I know I had presure, heat right on point. After I had the issue I did print some of the remainding numbers on some other shirts for a customer but they were T-shirts with absolutly no problem...So I know it was not the batch of prints....

Either way let us know how it goes...


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## auggieboy (Mar 22, 2008)

vipgraphx said:


> I wanted to post this picture so you could see what the transfer express numbers looked like on a textured 100% poly jersey.
> 
> When I pulled of the paper the number lifted and stuck to the paper in the upper right and left areas of the 5. I had to cut a piece off another number and place it over those areas so it would not look so bad. Notice that the number is picking up color from the back. These jerseys were $60 jersey's. My customer was very upset and the lesson learned is allways purchase extra jersey and do test prints before you press..
> 
> ...


Rich,
Where you using some kind of pad to offset the seams of the two gold inserts visible in the picture of the jersey?
Panel seams will alter the overall pressure of the heat press, applying higher amounts of pressure on the seams and less pressure on the flat panel of the jersey.
There is no doubt that plastisol transfers are tricky. You must compensate for characteristics of the garments that can alter the pressure such as buttons zippers or seams.
Vinyl is much more forgiving. When I started out I used vinyl exclusively, which lulled me into a false sense of security. When I started to use plastisol my sloppy technique cost me many a jersey and t-shirt.

Please realize I am not at all trying to suggest that you have a sloppy technique, just trying to give advice for others based on my experience.

I wish the OP success, I think he will not have any problems using vinyl.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

If you wait the recommended 5 seconds before peeling, you'll get better results with the TE numbers. Hot peeling results in part of the ink being lifted with the transfer paper. Warm peeling produced much better and consistent results.


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## vipgraphx (Apr 2, 2008)

auggieboy said:


> Rich,
> Where you using some kind of pad to offset the seams of the two gold inserts visible in the picture of the jersey?
> Panel seams will alter the overall pressure of the heat press, applying higher amounts of pressure on the seams and less pressure on the flat panel of the jersey.
> There is no doubt that plastisol transfers are tricky. You must compensate for characteristics of the garments that can alter the pressure such as buttons zippers or seams.
> ...


I used a pad but it was a large pad so the front embroidery would not press through as well as the neck line.

My pressure were all adjusted to the specs from transfer express instructions. 

I have used the plastisol transfers many time before but on shirts without no problem at all. It was untill I tried printing those soccer jersey's that I ran into a problem. 

Do not think there was anything I did wrong I did waite the 5 seconds or more before pulling off the paper. 

I will try stahls diecut numbers as I have read many good things about them in that they are basically pre cut numbers using therma film.


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## brentonchad (Aug 24, 2007)

My experience with the transfer express numbers is that if you can get the pressure set and you do a "warm peel" by waiting five seconds you can do jerseys successful. THis only applies if you are not doing this on mesh - I had a HORRIBLE time getting the mesh jerseys to come out right with either the holes showing or not showing - it was usually a mix. But the pressure is key - if the pressure isn't even then the number will show it. 

Vinyl is the safest bet though - it comes off if u screw up and the coverage is awesome. However it is more costly than the transfer express numbers and you still can have issues with polyester bleeding through on light colors. In that case you have to use a sub block vinyl first and then apply a second coat on top - doubling your cost.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Chad I had the same experience with the mesh holes. Sometimes they pulled out, sometimes they stayed in. Warm peeling helped but didn't solve the problem.


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

I went with the vinyl...turned out great. I did do a lot of test and like most have said the transfers turned out GREAT on tees, but on mesh it cracked easy because of the holes. Thanks again for all the input.


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