# When marketing, how do you describe heat applied vinyl



## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

Well the Cutter3000 package from Imprintables to was to good to pass up and once I learn what I am doing will be also offering this service to customers.

What I am wondering is how do I best word it in any marketing? People in general all know an understand if you say, "one color printed T-shirt" but this really isn't printing, or it is? I don't want to say decorated, because that sounds more like rhinestones, glitter etc. I don't think the average person would even know what heat applied graphics even was or that it looked just like screen printing and would not respond?

How does everyone else do it, if you were to word it in say a flyer for example? Should it just also be described as printed? Is it printing with vinyl instead of ink? Is that accurate or would people be upset if they discovered it wasn't ink? Do you even have to embellish if not asked?


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

I just remembered that I asked that question myself a few years back. 

Here's the thread with some good answers: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/vinyl-cutters-plotters-transfers/t17356.html


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

Rodney said:


> I just remembered that I asked that question myself a few years back.
> 
> Here's the thread with some good answers: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/vinyl-cutters-plotters-transfers/t17356.html


Well there is some great info for how to explain it to people, but how do you word it in an ad, or flyer? I work from home and do not have people come into a shop to inquire. How do people word it when promoting it? 

I really don't think people would understand a flyer that said "heat applied vinyl shirts". But I don't want to misrepresent what it is either.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Louie2010 said:


> Well there is some great info for how to explain it to people, but how do you word it in an ad, or flyer? I work from home and do not have people come into a shop to inquire. How do people word it when promoting it?
> 
> I really don't think people would understand a flyer that said "heat applied vinyl shirts". But I don't want to misrepresent what it is either.


The same answers in that thread could be used for a flyer 

Some people said they advertise their offering as "custom t-shirts". Many customers don't care how it's made, they just want the custom t-shirt.

Since you have the cutter, you could also advertise that you offer vinyl decals (like seen on the back of cars). Seems like many people know what those are.

Some people call it "t-shirt film" or "heat applied film" or just "t-shirt vinyl".

I don't think people advertise the specific method of apparel decoration they use in the flyer or ad unless it's a more commonly known method that people understand (like embroidery or screen printing). 

Even with screen printing though, I've seen ads that just say "custom t-shirts" (because some customers don't know what screen printing is...but they do know they need "custom t-shirts")


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks, I guess I was over thinking it. I just don't want to misrepresent anything to anyone.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

I make up cool sounding names like big companies do...
"Made with our exclusive DuraBond Flexi Print Process to ensure a long lasting durable shirt with a softer hand feel (than sandpaper)" <--leave that last part out

They nod knowingly and say "Oh Cool! That's good!"


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## Factory 74 (Oct 11, 2008)

jiarby said:


> "Made with our exclusive DuraBond Flexi Print Process to ensure a long lasting durable shirt with a softer hand feel"



lol....excellent!


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

jiarby said:


> I make up cool sounding names like big companies do...
> "Made with our exclusive DuraBond Flexi Print Process to ensure a long lasting durable shirt with a softer hand feel (than sandpaper)" <--leave that last part out
> 
> They nod knowingly and say "Oh Cool! That's good!"


LOL, yeah and it is "carfully individually hand applied-no two are exactly the same"! 

Mass produced-Bad
Hand applied DuraBond Flexi Print- good


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

inspired by face lotion that my wife wants...
"Micro sculpting serum with plumping hydration & B3 Complex Nano Peptides"

Say it like Scooby Doo... "Huh?"

Regular face lotion like your grandma used to use $2.95 (20 fl oz)
Micro Sculpting Bullsh1t: $50 (for 1/15th the amount too!) 50ml (1.7 fl oz)

It is good for when they are price shopping competitors... tell them to ask for it by name and do not get fooled by inferior iron-on stickers like the other guys use.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Apparel film was suggested by one of my suppliers. You could go with heat applied apparel film.


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## twisteddesignz (Jan 4, 2011)

Around where I live I just call it Custom Shirt Making or T-Shirt Customizing. I have a couple extras going for me though. They way I can explain Shirt Vinyl to people is I tell them that when they watch the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Penguins that their names plates on their shirts are made with the vinyl I sell. Stahls/Hotronix Is more then just a press maker, they make and Install the name plates to their shirts, and Imprintables Warehouse is Stahls sister company. The suppler of the vinyl to me and these teams. And the bounes is that they are right in our back yard (almost... Its about a 35 mile drive for me to get to both places).

Now I know a few people might want to say that Stahls dont make the shirts for the teams. Your are right. They dont make the shirts, They supply the name plates and a few patches that are on their shirts. I know this for a 100% fact. My ex works for Stahls/Hotronix in Masontown Pa. Where she works on these projects. So you might want to look into your local sports teams, and even school teams and find out thier suppliers of these products so you could use it as a possible selling point to.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We have the same image on a black shirt with white ink and one with white vinyl. It sells itself.


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice. I guess why I am concerned is that my main effort when promoting to a customer is embroidered polo's. I was hoping to be specific enough when wording T-shirts that people didn't assume it was for embroidered T-shirts for that price. I was worried that if it was to vague someone could assume that.


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## scuba_steve2699 (Nov 15, 2006)

Quality commercial grade urethane transfers is how I describe them sometimes. Keeps them from thinking of the old Dukes of Hazzard t-shirts!


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

Sorry Steve but the word urethane is a turn off in my mind and probably in the mind of most of my customers. Apparel film or embellishment film works better than urethane. Vinyl brings siding to mind.


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

I love this post...its a tough when, as an industry we called it heat press vinyl. This is really way off. Vinyl implies that it is a PVC based product, poly vinyl chloride. "Vinyls" of old contained PVC's and "cheap" transfer film is often manufactured still with PVC. This PVC based product is not CPSIA certified, which means its not safe for decorating kids apparel according to new legislation. 

The majority of main stream brands of film are actually polyurethane based and therefore usually meet government requirements for having a minimal amount or no lead and phthalates - called CPSIA certified. As an industry, we should really come up with a better term to even use amongst ourselves, such as heat applied film or heat transfer film. I think using the word vinyl is an immediate turn off for a consumer because it takes them back to thick vinyl numbers which were the norm when this stuff was invented.

Anways, that's my rant I always advise to label it as personalization...and now the category of heat printing seems appropriate since there are so many technologies to decorate a shirt with a heat press.


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

I am brand new to this so take it for what it is worth, but I agree if suppliers called it "heat printing" it would benefit the industry.


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## twisteddesignz (Jan 4, 2011)

Couple of issues I see in just calling it "Heat Printing". That would woking in a couple of cases. If you are doing inkjet, direct to garment, sublimation, silk screen, or eco-solvent to vinyl printing it would be heat printing. But in the cases of Pre made transfers, or cad cut vinyls there isnt any printing being done. Heat applied vinyl is just that. It cut on a cut/ plotter, and not printed with any kind of a ink. I do about 80% of the above. (not DTG yet, or silk screening) I do agree in calling it what it really is. Most of the time everyone just calls it "Cad Cut" I still call it vinyl, but I know that its not the same old PVC type. In my earlier post I talk about how I market it. I think we need to come up with a better name to call it that is catchy and will stick to it to better the selling points of this great material. Since I found out about Heat Applied Vinyl back in Aug 10. I have been using it a short time, but it has opened a door to doing custom shirts without the mess or time of screen printing. Its a great product for doing small runs, and fast turn around times of small amounts. 

But I guess untill we can all agree upon a good name for this stuff I will just call it "Cad Cut" or "Shirt Vinyl" even though it isnt a vinyl at all.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Louie2010 said:


> Thanks for all the advice. I guess why I am concerned is that my main effort when promoting to a customer is embroidered polo's. I was hoping to be specific enough when wording T-shirts that people didn't assume it was for embroidered T-shirts for that price. I was worried that if it was to vague someone could assume that.


I don't think people will assume you're doing embroidery unless you specifically say you're doing embroidery. Embroidery is a pretty unique process that people often look for by name.


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

twisteddesignz said:


> Couple of issues I see in just calling it "Heat Printing". That would woking in a couple of cases. If you are doing inkjet, direct to garment, sublimation, silk screen, or eco-solvent to vinyl printing it would be heat printing. But in the cases of Pre made transfers, or cad cut vinyls there isnt any printing being done. Heat applied vinyl is just that. It cut on a cut/ plotter, and not printed with any kind of a ink. I do about 80% of the above. (not DTG yet, or silk screening) I do agree in calling it what it really is. Most of the time everyone just calls it "Cad Cut" I still call it vinyl, but I know that its not the same old PVC type. In my earlier post I talk about how I market it. I think we need to come up with a better name to call it that is catchy and will stick to it to better the selling points of this great material. Since I found out about Heat Applied Vinyl back in Aug 10. I have been using it a short time, but it has opened a door to doing custom shirts without the mess or time of screen printing. Its a great product for doing small runs, and fast turn around times of small amounts.
> 
> But I guess untill we can all agree upon a good name for this stuff I will just call it "Cad Cut" or "Shirt Vinyl" even though it isnt a vinyl at all.


I guess its semantics...the intent was that the heat press does the printing of the shirt regardless of the transfer technology used. Don't know...I guess its not a fit all in any scenario.


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## Louie2010 (Feb 26, 2010)

*Merriam-Webster*

*Definition of PRINT*

1
_a_ *:* a mark made by pressure *:* impression _b_ *:* something impressed with a print or formed in a mold 



I think _heat printing_ could apply, or at least _Printed with heat applied film_.


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## twisteddesignz (Jan 4, 2011)

The terms really fall upon alot of word play. Im guessing its all in how you spin it. 

To Print would be to apply a ink or other colored pigments to an object.

To Imprint is to make a mark or impression by appling a force of some type.

So they can both be right cause heat applied graphics are first printed, then applied by some heat and force to become imprinted. So I saying its just on how you want to spin it I quess.


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## HTW (Aug 25, 2010)

Great topic, 

This industry has taken on many customers that have already been involved in the sign industry for many years so the term vinyl may be confusing but it does make sense to them. The mental picture of vinyl is that it is on a roll and is cut out by a plotter. 

So really what I am getting at is that 'heat applied vinyl' or 'heat transfer vinyl' will probably be used forever as the general term for all your basic material that everyone will understand.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Premium Digital Precision Cad-Cut Image gets a higher price.


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

I like that the best of all Binki. Think I will use that if you do not mind.


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