# Heat pressed vinyl peeling off after a cool wash....



## Neilc (Jul 26, 2009)

Over the last few months I've had 2 shirts returned because the vinyl has peeled off after a cool wash (or so the customer reports).

Is this something we're doing wrong? Faulty adhesive on the vinyl?

Thanks!


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Give us details. Which brand? Are you pressing per specs? What type of garment, cotton tees?


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

splathead said:


> Give us details. Which brand? Are you pressing per specs? What type of garment, cotton tees?


More details would be great; we have had it happen before because he pressure wasn't high enough on the press and particular materials we have had issues with....


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## Neilc (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi both,

Thanks for the replies. Yes, details would help, huh!?



We use Gildan 2000 shirts, 100 percent cotton, and pre-heat them for 10-15 seconds at about 170 degrees (c) to evaporate any moisture. We then use vinyl (I forget the brand - will check tomorrow) which we press for 25 seconds at 170 degrees (the suggested time and temp).

As for pressure, we don't have a guage but I'd say it was relatively high. It requires a fair amount of pressure to lock it down. But that's not exactly a scientific measurement, of course.


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

I am curious about your material that you use, I have never pressed anything below about 300.... There is Solar Print from imprintables but thats around 210 degrees...


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## Neilc (Jul 26, 2009)

Ahhh, I'm in the UK, so talking in centigrade, not fahrenheit. It works out at about 340 fahrenheit.


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## logon511girl (Jan 23, 2010)

Neilc said:


> Ahhh, I'm in the UK, so talking in centigrade, not fahrenheit. It works out at about 340 fahrenheit.


 That makes more sense!


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## joeshaul (Mar 1, 2008)

Temp seems a bit high in comparison to the eco-film/easyweed material I usually press with, which is usually right around 305 fahrenheit (~152c). Time is also a little bit longer than normal, with 15 seconds being my normal pressing temp. 

Might want to double check those settings with the manufacturer, but also might want to research the manufacturer as well. Vinyl has gotten a lot better through the years, but there's still some crap vinyl out there. Some vinyls, no matter if you pressed it perfectly enough to turn a lump of coal into a diamond, the vinyl would still be crap.

My first vinyl I used was very rigid when pressed and failed usually before the first dozen washes, luckily I only did inhouse testing before I decided to scrap it. It swayed me away from vinyl for about a year until I found these forums and researched the good ones to use.


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## Neilc (Jul 26, 2009)

joeshaul said:


> Temp seems a bit high in comparison to the eco-film/easyweed material I usually press with, which is usually right around 305 fahrenheit (~152c). Time is also a little bit longer than normal, with 15 seconds being my normal pressing temp.
> 
> Might want to double check those settings with the manufacturer, but also might want to research the manufacturer as well. Vinyl has gotten a lot better through the years, but there's still some crap vinyl out there. Some vinyls, no matter if you pressed it perfectly enough to turn a lump of coal into a diamond, the vinyl would still be crap.
> 
> My first vinyl I used was very rigid when pressed and failed usually before the first dozen washes, luckily I only did inhouse testing before I decided to scrap it. It swayed me away from vinyl for about a year until I found these forums and researched the good ones to use.


We use something called Premium CADcut from our suppliers Target Transfers. Unfortunately their site is down at the moment, so I can't tell you whether it's their own or they simply supply it on behalf of a manufacturer.

I'm not implicating them or the product in this, necessarily. More than happy to accept it may be user-error! But as far as I'm aware we're printing to specification....


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