# Heat transfer Ink bleeding



## printpuller (Jan 25, 2008)

I'm using Jetprostretch transfer paper with Trans-magic inks on cotton shirts. I'm noticing that the inks want to bleed into the fabric from around the image. Any suggestions to help eliminate this? I'm taking the shirts through a full wash cycle and putting them directly into the dryer, so they're not sitting wet. Is it possible the front loading water saving washers aren't washing the residual ink out enough? 
Please advise.


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

printpuller said:


> I'm using Jetprostretch transfer paper with Trans-magic inks on cotton shirts. I'm noticing that the inks want to bleed into the fabric from around the image. Any suggestions to help eliminate this? I'm taking the shirts through a full wash cycle and putting them directly into the dryer, so they're not sitting wet. Is it possible the front loading water saving washers aren't washing the residual ink out enough?
> Please advise.


It could be that the inks are dye and not pigment. Also it could be they are not made for heat transfer.

I use Inkjetcarts.us and Cobra Inks. Both vendors sell pigment inks specifically for heat transfer. The inks don't bleed even the shirt sets in the washer for a while before throwing it in the dryer.

Go back to you vendor and tell them that you are having bleeding issues.


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## orderart (Aug 2, 2013)

After you have pressed the transfer, peel it off. Then stretch it as it cools. Once cool, repress at 180 degrees for 5 or 6 seconds. This should cure it and stop bleeding.

Lnfortun is is right though too, the quality of the ink is important. What printer and ink are you using?


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## printpuller (Jan 25, 2008)

Epson c88+ with Transmagic inks from Aplha Supply


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## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Those inks are supposedly designed for heat transfer.

Here's where a picture of your problem would be super helpful, but lacking that, the first things I'd look at is:

1. Wait 10-30 minutes between printing and pressing. 
2. Pre-press your shirts to drive out moisture
3. Keep your JPSS in a sealed zip lock bag to keep them dry.
4. Wait 24 hours between pressing and the first wash.
5. Try small prints varying the ink laydown. You do this by changing the paper type and quality settings on the printer. You have to feed the JPSS in multiple times, or else cut it up first, and print on the smaller sheets. Keep track of which is which. See if using less ink helps any, while not affecting image quality. Generally, Plain Paper and High or Very High (or their equivalents for your C88) are good settings to start. There should be little or no "residual ink" to wash out.

The above assume what you're seeing is bleeding inks. But without a picture, it's hard to know if that's really the problem, or it's something else.


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