# Why stretch heat transfers?



## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

I've never used a heat press but am thinking about purchasing one and I have read about people "stretching" their shirts after transfer. Why is that necessary? How is it done? Thanks.


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## ole Jobe (Jun 16, 2009)

Grasping the garment on either side of the transfer and pulling helps loosen the paper, making it easier to remove. God Bless.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

This is not something that we would recommend.


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## akar (Jul 1, 2011)

It's always interesting to get contradictory responses and I thank you both for them. I love all the different ways of doing things and tend to lean toward the most effective way, regardless of efficiency as my projects love a happy ending! I am wondering, however, why stretching is not recommended. This all makes me really want to work with a press and experience it all for myself. So much great info here...


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

I think that that you really need to try both methods. I have been in the transfer business for over 35 years and have never stretched the shirt after printing, yet Jobe feels that it is beneficial. I think it just proves that more than one way of doing things can be successful. I'll have to give Jobe's technique a try...maybe it's better than mine.


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## bullheadedmay (Jul 15, 2011)

proworlded said:


> This is not something that we would recommend.


Hello. I am new to t-shirt printing as well and I have tested on about 70 shirts...super waste but some were already not needed. I have found in the shirts that I plan to use for my business that super stretching the shirt with a hot peel is going to alleviate cracking. I have cracked most of my shirts where I stretched but NOT ENOUGH. Now the other day I tried the hot peel and I stretched the shirt A LOT immediately before the pre press and then I pre pressed it to hold the shirt stretched. What this does is that is expands the fabric so that the inK can reach it ALL when pressing. I think not stretching "blocks" those underlying fabrics, if you will, and then causes the shirt to look cracked when you stretch it, when in fact it is simply that the "inbetween" fabric has not been reached by the ink. Hope this helps and I hope I am right as I have not washed the shirt yet but now that I have printed it and when I try streching it, the text is not cracking. How confident in selling my product I will be if this is the correct method. But now that I have done it and seen it, it all makes sense. Stretch the fabric because you want the ink to reach the fabric in the area of which you are printing.  I would also LOVE TO KNOW how proworlded does shirts without stretching and they don't crack. Please advise as I am open to any and all suggestions!!


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

We print the transfers according to the instructions and do not get any complaints about cracking... and we are talking about several million transfers that we have sold in the 38 years that we have been in business. A transfer is a screen print that is applied by heat rather than direct screen printing. If you think about it, screen printers do not stretch the shirt prior to printing and the results are basically the same. Also, there are several companies that use large volumes of transfers to preprint shirts. Stretching could not be an option.


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## bullheadedmay (Jul 15, 2011)

proworlded said:


> We print the transfers according to the instructions and do not get any complaints about cracking... and we are talking about several million transfers that we have sold in the 38 years that we have been in business. A transfer is a screen print that is applied by heat rather than direct screen printing. If you think about it, screen printers do not stretch the shirt prior to printing and the results are basically the same. Also, there are several companies that use large volumes of transfers to preprint shirts. Stretching could not be an option.


Well thanks Proworlded. I hope to one day be that successful. Thus far however, all of my shirts are cracking while following the instructions. I only have one shirt that hasn't and again, that is the one that is most recent that I super duper stretched!!!  Hopefully eventually, I will learn how to print without having to do this.  Thanks again.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

tiffany: are you talking about inkjet transfers using a paper such as jpss or are you talking about custom transfers that you buy already printed (stock transfers) which proworlded is talking about?


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## LB (Jul 25, 2009)

miktoxic said:


> tiffany: are you talking about inkjet transfers using a paper such as jpss or are you talking about custom transfers that you buy already printed (stock transfers) which proworlded is talking about?


Somehow I was thinking it was for JPSS or inkjet transfers, not plastisol. Someone just getting into this is probably thinking of doing inkjet transfers. Just my 2 cents worth. If it is JPSS or similar, it is a recommended practice.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Tiffany, exactly what transfers are cracking? Are these from a major manufacturer? You are referring to plastisol designs?


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## heathcliffe (Oct 21, 2010)

i never stretch my shirt...but i do press it before i put the transfer on...i have never had cracking, if you let it cool off they last forever...


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## heathcliffe (Oct 21, 2010)

if it s a plastisol transfer it shouldn't crack...if its one you print and do they always crack...i tried those first and the quality is't there...i found they crack no matter what...so depends on what kind of tranfer, if you are printing them yourself they will always crack...no way around it...


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## bullheadedmay (Jul 15, 2011)

miktoxic said:


> tiffany: are you talking about inkjet transfers using a paper such as jpss or are you talking about custom transfers that you buy already printed (stock transfers) which proworlded is talking about?


Hi, yes I am in fact referring to JPSS.


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## heathcliffe (Oct 21, 2010)

then you will stop the cracking, when i started i used it for the first year and i could never get it to stop cracking...it does not hold up like plastisol transfers....switch you won't believe the difference...nite and day....you will never get the quality results you want unless you do.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Sorry, guys. I was referring to plastisol. Stretching is beneficial with JPSS but not with all inkjet papers.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

every printed shirt is going to crack and peel eventually......... especially plastisol. think about it. it's a thick ink which sits atop the fabric of the shirt. i've done plastisol transfers which crack after let's say 15 washes (without following explicit wash and dry instructions.....but who really does?). i've got concert shirts that are ten years old and they have cracked and peeled so much that you can barely make the design out. water based printing IMO has the least cracking but fades faster.

heathcliffe, i don't know where you're coming up with this info. sure an inkjet transfer doesn't have the same quality as a screen printed shirt or a plastisol transfer. but it sounds to me like you've never even tried the new papers like jpss. the quality IS there. and if you aren't doing mid-large size runs, it doesn't make sense to buy plastisol transfers or have them screen printed because the cost to profit margin will put you out of business. sure some people won't accept jobs without a minimum number of shirts, lets say 3 dozen, that's where you can make your money screen printing or buying plastisol transfers, but you'll also be turning a lot of customers away who want 5 shirts.

the manufacturer of jpss tell you to stretch the shirt after pressing.


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## heathcliffe (Oct 21, 2010)

they will tell you to stretch but i will crack quickly and it fades quickly i have tried all kinds of new products...printing doesn't stack up to plastisol or screening, but you are correct it is hard to do small run with plastisol...i order my designs in bulk and my printer gangs them so i get lots of designs and it is quite cost effective, but if you are only doing 5 of something it won't work.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

i like the jpss. the look and feel (along with the durability) can compare to some of the plastisol transfers i've bought. i think a lot depends on the printer settings you use when doing an inkjet transfer. too much ink is no good as well as not enough. peace.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Tim, I want send you some samples of our ClearSoft paper but you do not accept PM's. Please email us at service[USER=133086]@Pro[/USER]worldinc.com if you are interested.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

proworlded said:


> Tim, I want send you some samples of our ClearSoft paper but you do not accept PM's. Please email us at [email protected]Proworldinc.com if you are interested.



i emailed you. thanks ed!

(gotta figure out what's up with the PM thing)


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Thanks. Samples on the way on Monday.


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## biglsyny (Jun 2, 2014)

Do you do a stretch test after your transfer is on the shirt to make sure it is cured? Also , can you use stretch additive to just be more safe?


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