# Plastisol and Vinyl on the same shirt?



## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

I am brand new to the shirt game, specifically heat pressing transfers. I am doing about 100 shirts for a close friends sports team. The text makes up most of the design so I was just going to use vinyl, however they want a small 3 color logo of their mascot over the text. I don’t have those capabilities currently. Is it possible or reasonable to do all the text in vinyl and then also press a small plastisol transfer logo of the mascot over it on the same shirt? Any help and or ideas would be much appreciated!


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## ScreamingMimi (Oct 2, 2018)

That should not be a problem. I'm thinking that you would want to do the plastisol transfer first since that usually needs a higher temp, and firmer pressure.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

ScreamingMimi said:


> That should not be a problem. I'm thinking that you would want to do the plastisol transfer first since that usually needs a higher temp, and firmer pressure.


He can't do the screen printed transfer first as it's applied over the vinyl.

You're probably going to have issues applying plastisol transfers over vinyl, and not just because of the temp difference. 

You should consider designing the vinyl text with a cut out in the size and shape of the logo. Then you can apply the logo first, followed by carefully aligning the vinyl over the logo for your 2nd pressing. This assumes the vinyl has a lower temperature setting than the screen printed logo, which it should.


Alternatively, why not just make the whole design a screen printed transfer.-since you're going that route anyway? Makes your life a lot easier and the job finished a lot faster.


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## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

splathead said:


> He can't do the screen printed transfer first as it's applied over the vinyl.
> 
> You're probably going to have issues applying plastisol transfers over vinyl, and not just because of the temp difference.
> 
> ...


 Sorry I explained that poorly. The plastisol and the vinyl would not be layered. The logo would be above the text. So it does sound like I could apply the plastisol at a higher temp then add the vinyl below it at a lower temp.

Like I said I'm brand new so I'm open to suggestions but I was thinking that if I the text which is black and then add the 3 color logo above it would take up most of a sheet so I would be paying for 1 page 3 color. Where I could do the text on my own and get multiple sets per sheet of vinyl and then gang up multiple logos per plastisol sheet so I would have several per sheet at a 3 color price.


Is that crazy? Or should I just have the whole thing done in plastisol? I was thinking I would make less profit per item if I did it that way. Idk still getting advice and crunching numbers. Let me hear your thoughts


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## ScreamingMimi (Oct 2, 2018)

splathead said:


> He can't do the screen printed transfer first as it's applied over the vinyl.
> 
> You're probably going to have issues applying plastisol transfers over vinyl, and not just because of the temp difference.
> 
> ...


Apparently I misunderstood -- I thought he meant that the plastisol transfer would be placed above the vinyl text. In any case, another option would be to order the mascot in a cad cut rather than plastisol so that both presses have similar temps and dwell times...that way it could be done as if you were pressing 2 colors of vinyl.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Have you thought of having a custom transfer made for a single application? Lots of weeding with 100 shirts.


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## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

What is a cad cut?


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

It is another term for vinyl.


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## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

proworlded said:


> Have you thought of having a custom transfer made for a single application? Lots of weeding with 100 shirts.


Im not exactly sure what that means. This is a trial by fire sort of thing for me. I will post some pics of what im working with. The font is super simple so im not overly concerned about how long the weeding will take. Its single color font.

But the bear head logo over it is like 4 colors potentially. So my worry is that if I do the whole design together as a transfer I will only get 1 per sheet at a 4 color rate. But if I gang up the logos together I can get several per 4 color sheet and then I can either do the font as a cheap one color with maybe 2 per page or I can just use vinyl and do it myself. Not real sure


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

What is the size of the overall design?


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## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

Here are the designs I'm currently working with.


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## proworlded (Oct 3, 2006)

Do you have a target price for a custom transfer? Keep in mind that it will save you hours of weeding and a 2 step application (vinyl/transfer).


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## ScreamingMimi (Oct 2, 2018)

cjperry81 said:


> What is a cad cut?


I'm referring to a full color print on vinyl product. Most of the companies who do plastisol transfers also offer these. Most will send you samples so that you can test it out.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

cjperry81 said:


> Here are the designs I'm currently working with.


Which transfer company are you planning on using? The design on the t-shirt is still gang-able. But of course you would need more transfers done than if you just ganged the bear image. 

I guestimate that text on the shirt to be about 4 inches high. That's 33 linear feet of vinyl you'll need- costing $70?. As Ed said, weeding takes time. More time than you would even think it did. Probably 8 hours. Aligning and double pressing 100 shirts will add 2 to 3 extra hours than if you were doing just 1 pressing.

So the question is, does $70 plus 11 hours of labor cost less than the cost of doing everything with plastisol transfers?


You could also look at doing 2 separate orders of the plastisol transfers if the math comes out cheaper. A ganged 3 color bear and a separate ganged 1 color text transfer.


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## ScreamingMimi (Oct 2, 2018)

Splathead has suggested good options for you. If I were doing an order of this size I would go plastisol too. Have your transfer supplier give you pricing for both ways -- one transfer with the bear and the text; and two transfers, one with just the bear and one with just the text.


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## cjperry81 (Nov 16, 2018)

splathead said:


> cjperry81 said:
> 
> 
> > Here are the designs I'm currently working with.
> ...



Well this is the first time I’ve done this.......I looked at Ace Transfers a while ago but have seen mixed reviews on here since joining. Everything on here seems to say the Versa Trans is pretty good so I’ve been looking into them. 

I’m open to suggestions though. I just want something reliable with decent turn around time.


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## ScreamingMimi (Oct 2, 2018)

I generally use TransferExpress. I recently got some samples from PWCustom, and Howard. Those have fared well in my wash tests.

I believe all of these companies list prices on their website. The pricing can be a little challenging to understand sometimes, especially if you've never done this before. Don't hesitate to call them, I'm sure they will be willing to walk you through it.


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## TrueNorthGear (Sep 27, 2005)

Just curious, will they all say Track and Field, or will you be looking at a variety of sport names on the shirts like Basketball, Volleyball, etc.?

I'm looking at a similar situation as well. I have a 2-color school logo that will have a variable 1-color school sport placed below the logo, but not touching. We are taking orders right now so I am waiting on the quantity of each sport needed.

If the numbers are high enough, I was leaning towards having the logo screen printed on the shirts and adding the custom sport in vinyl after.


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## pervo (Oct 11, 2011)

You have probably done with this job already but i ll just answer in case someone else has the same question. I do this all the time and there is no problem. First you press the plastisol transfer and put it aside without removing the paper. After you re done with all the plastisol transfers then you press the vinyl and then you remove the vinyl and plastisol paper according to the instructions(hot or cold peel). If you want to do both prints with one press use 190 Celsius for 10 seconds but you have to use a thermometer for the vinyl so you won't peel it of too fast cause the print will come off. The timing can also be found with some testing if you don't have a thermometer. Needless to say you cant print on top of each other.


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## pervo (Oct 11, 2011)

I suppose you need numbers and names on the back this why you chose vinyl. If its the same for all the shirts go plastisol all the way.


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