# Hot Pressing onto Performance Fabrics



## Anomoley (Dec 15, 2013)

Did a quick search and was unable to find any questions similar to mine, so I thought I'd start a new thread: 

A good part of my business comes from performers -- dancers, cheerleaders, ice skaters -- who like to have their uniforms full of bling (in the form of hot fix rhinestones). 

I wouldn't normally have an issue hot fixing stones onto their uniforms individually, with a hot fix tool. Now that my business is growing and I'm switching to hot pressing from hand stoning, I'm running into problems where the fabrics are damaged by the heat. 

These outfits are made of 4-way stretch holograms, shiny lycra, velvets, etc. that sometimes prove to be heat sensitive (the texture and look of some of these materials changes under heat). Can any of you think of some way I can protect the fabrics while adhering the stones onto them using my hot press?

I'm trying to figure out whether there's some hope for this process becoming streamlined through the use of a hot press, or if now is the time I should just give up and continue to hot fix using my heat setting "pen," with individual rhinestones (takes days upon days to complete a single outfit this way ).

Any thoughts would be great and very much appreciated. Thanks so much for reading!


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## kingwoo (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello. As to the problem you are facing when adhering the stones to the fabrics which are very much heat sensitive, I think maybe two pieces of cloth could easily help you. Cover the transfer pattern with one piece of cloth after you put it on the certain spot of the performance fabrics. Then use another piece of cloth to cover the hot press on the side which touch the fabric. I think the two pieces of cloth could help to diminish the damage to fabrics. The pieces of cloth function as protective film that could avoid the direct contact between the fabrics and the heat, but will not insulate the heat against the stones.


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## Leg cramps (Feb 9, 2009)

Sometimes the old hand held applicator is the only way to avoiding damage to a delicate garment .What is your heat press temperature time and pressure ?One or all of these may need adjusting. I do a lot of cheerleading apparel. They are very tricky but can be done.yes a heat press will help you apply rhinestone/glitter transfers onto materials faster.
when using a heat press placing a Teflon sheet over apparel helps protect fabric. Sometimes heat changes the color of garments, the only real solution to this to my knowledge is to press the whole garment to the new color. This happens even with the basic gildan t-shirts in certain colors. you will also need to purchase everything to start making your own transfers because when you have your test piece you will need to really customize and layout your designs onto it. also sometimes you will need to stretch the material out so the stones can be placed. I usually will cut out a foam template to place inside to accomplish this. there are Teflon pillows also that I use.
IMO it is a pain in the butt. I try to stay away from all of it. Stick to selling warm up jackets, sports bras, booty shorts, yoga pants, tank tops, tee shirts, sweatshirts, headbands, ect.... You will still be in the cheerleading bling business and no stress over delicates.


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## Sassysport (Aug 28, 2013)

Most of the shiny lycra spandex blends (mystique) have a glossy top coating that will burn off regardless of the temp/time used. As said, you either press the entire piece of fabric so it all looks the same or hope nobody notices because sometimes depending on the color combo its not that noticeable. The bigger cheer apparel companies like Varsity and GK try to avoid that fabric for their rhinestone heavy surfaces and encourage the more matte finish lycra blends to be used for the base fabric and then accent with the mystique. If you google uniform pics, you will see a lot of black and white covered in bling and then the mystique colors used as accent with either hand set stones or no stones.

I make cheer uniforms and my studio also orders some of our teams uniforms from Varsity and I can tell where they used a heat press or hand set stones. On the uniforms I make, I use twill under my rhinestone logo design that is embroidered on the uniform after the stones are pressed onto the twill so I do not have to put the entire uniform under the press. Varsity also used this technique. The rest of our accent stones on sleeves, skirts etc are all hand applied either heat wand or E6000 glue. For cheer bows, we just heat press the entire piece of fabric so when that glossy coat burns off, its on the entire piece, no big deal especially when several colors are combined in one design. If you were to put that fabric next to an untouched piece, you would see its not as shiny but the color holds up.

A lot of dance/cheer fabrics unfortunately cannot take the heat in general which is why the high prices can be commanded for the construction when it comes to bling. I have experimented with lower temps, longer dwell times and the stones never stick well enough. HTH


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## Foxysr (Apr 19, 2010)

I have done lots of local schools jerseys and cheer uniforms. I hand set with glue and they come out amazing! I have in the past heat presses nailheads with both a teflon sheet and a dishtowel with success as well. You just have to play with what works for your machine.


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## jacmurphy (Nov 4, 2009)

I use heatpress on lycra leotardswithout too many problems . The onlyu problems i have had is when the hot fix tape is too sticky. I have also applied heat transfers successfully. I also use a teflon sheet covering whole plate


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