# Desperate need of help with pressing plastisol transfers on 50/50 hoodies



## llb01 (Jan 6, 2011)

I am in desperate need of some advice, I'm having major problems with pressing gold plastisol transfers on 50/50 Gildan Royal blue hoodies. I am using Transfer Express goof proof formula transfers and having bleed through.

I have tried everything I can think of...I use a hotronix auto clam with a teflon pillow. I tried the instructions that came with the transfers and pressed at 360 degrees at 7 pressure for 3 seconds, and peeled hot, but am getting bleed through of the blue sweatshirt. (I preheated my bottom platen first, and did a pre-press as well). I increased the time to 4 seconds and no better. I've decreased my pressure to 6 and increased it to 8 still not better. I decreased the temp to 340 and increased my time to 10 seconds and peeled warm at 6, 7, and 8 pressure and still awful. I am at my wits end and don't know what to do. I have had to re-order more shirts because every time I think I've got it right on a sample, I'll press a good shirt and it looks like crap again.

I have a huge order to get out and don't know what to do.
Any advice and recommendations are welcome.
Thanks!
Amy


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## dazzabling (Sep 21, 2011)

Amy-

Is the transfer a 1 color simple design? can you post a quick pic of your problem?


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I have heard that colored polyester bleeds through. From what I understand it even bleeds through vinyl transfers. You might want to put a white undercoat under that, but then TE would have to make a new batch of transfers. Or buy 100% cotton hoodies.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

we press on navy xfers all the time, hoodies and t's with ace trans co transfers with no problem and recently with heat transfer warehouse on blacks with no problems. 

i would say pressure is a problem or the product was not made for darks. 

post a pic so we can help.


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## llb01 (Jan 6, 2011)

binki said:


> we press on navy xfers all the time, hoodies and t's with ace trans co transfers with no problem and recently with heat transfer warehouse on blacks with no problems.
> 
> i would say pressure is a problem or the product was not made for darks.
> 
> post a pic so we can help.


Here's a pic...thanks again!


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## llb01 (Jan 6, 2011)

I also wanted to add that I am new to all of this, but I just got the pillow because of the hoodies, and I noticed that my pressure will fluctuate when using it, I'm thinking it's because it is compressing under the pressure (if that makes sense) so as it gets compressed the pressure sometimes will fluctuate a degree back and forth while pressing. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Are you "dressing" your press or putting the hoodies on it flat (double layered on the bottom platen)? Separate the layers and try to dress the press if you can. I use mousepads under my hoodies to even the material out where they will be overlapping seams. Use a lot of pressure too.


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## dazzabling (Sep 21, 2011)

llb01 said:


> Here's a pic...thanks again!


Do you have a cutter? 

If you do try using regular Thermoflex Plus 

We have had success on 50/50, 100% polyester wicking shirts, 100% cotton and even thin felt ..

The pictures aren't the best but you can see how well the white and pink stands out. 

1) 100% moisture wicking shirt
2) 100% cotton Tultex shirt
3) 50/50% cotton shirt


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

llb01 said:


> Here's a pic...thanks again!


Based on the left pic, I would roll with that. If you have concerns then send the pic to TE and see what they say or show one to the customer but I've never done any better on royal blue sweats, it always bleeds a bit.


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## Dad (Nov 18, 2006)

I press 50/50's at 390 degrees for 7-8 seconds with firm pressure and peel slowly as soon as I raise my platen. Works very well for me. I just printed 60 hoodies this way and customer almost hugged me...

PS: does all the ink stay on your shirt. Check your transfer to make sure it isn't lifting some of the ink off. Just a crazy thought I had!!


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## llb01 (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your advice and help!
I managed through most of them today (just waiting on the blanks I had to re-order) and I really do think it's the Gildan 50/50 brand. Someone had requested a toddler size and I had to buy that one in a Hanes, and it pressed beautifully...it was 50/50 as well, but turned out so much better than the Gildan, and it was actually a deeper blue, too....go figure.

Thanks again!
Amy


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## llb01 (Jan 6, 2011)

Dad said:


> I press 50/50's at 390 degrees for 7-8 seconds with firm pressure and peel slowly as soon as I raise my platen. Works very well for me. I just printed 60 hoodies this way and customer almost hugged me...
> 
> PS: does all the ink stay on your shirt. Check your transfer to make sure it isn't lifting some of the ink off. Just a crazy thought I had!!


oh, yes it did, there was no ink left behind, just seemed to "absorb" into the shirt too much.


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## Badgers (Oct 22, 2008)

Hi Amy,

We've printed 1,000s of Gildan hoodies here in the UK using Plastisol and CAD-Cut vinyls, and have found the same problem.

Having got to the root of the problem, it turns out that the inks used in the Gildan 50/50 shirts are activated by the heat press (or screen print) process, which leads to them migrating from the garment to the vinyl or plastisol design. The Plastisol/CAD-Cut designs are fine, but porous enough to allow the inks to seep into them.

It seems to be a recurring theme from Polyester-based garments, as the sublimation-type inks don't like heat near them at all!!

We've tended to try to apply any designs at as low a temperature as possible (ask your manufacturer) and to choose garments with a lower amount of polyester where possible....


Alan


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Hanes make a nice product but unfortunately they don't fit me, it's a shame because they make nice products. I ordered Gildan for the first time in a year or so and they were worse than I remember but they are available in the widest range of colors.


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## Badgers (Oct 22, 2008)

Given the choice, I would go for Fruit of The Loom every time, as the styles, sizes and feel of the garments are better, although the range of colours offered by Gildan beat it almost every time.

However, due to the prices increases we had earlier on this year in the UK, the FOTL garments are far more expensive than the Gildan, so we have to buy Gildan to remain competitive on hoodies...!!


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

My FOTL shirts tend to pill badly, otherwise I like them. The only wholesaler in my town is a FOTL distributor but their selection sucks. Honestly I'm liking Jerzees more and more, no pilling problems and they fit me nicely but not a wide range of colors. I've always been an Anvil fan but Sanmar doesn't carry them. My go-to is usually Hanes or Port, they are pretty much the same and my customers love them it just irks me when I can't make an extra for myself (neck is too tight and the shirt bunches under my chin). Service industries really love the Beefy-T though I much prefer Alstyle.


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## Sport T (Nov 10, 2010)

How many shirts are you printing? Can you change to cotton shirts?


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