# Inkjet Transfers: the Big Picture



## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Hi all - I'm completely new here... and completely new to the business. Though I've been cultivating t-shirt graphics for the last few years in preparation for this.

At any rate, now that I'm actually trying to start up and have decided (at least initially) to press my own transfers (I already have a few presses and a vinyl cutter - so it makes sense) - I am having a heck of a time sorting out which process to use! I am only really interested in dark fabric work.

So - it seems that with the dark materials - there are still a few ways to go;

1. direct print on surface of white backing (non-reversed) then press.
2. two step method: reversed print on clear material - bonded to white thermowelded backing (encapsulated image) which is pressed to shirt first.

From the various vendors I have culled this info... but I'm really not sure which way to go -or which materials work best. Can anyone give me a little guidance on this? I've read numerous threads here - but can't really get the big picture. I can't seem to find a good FAQ that reall deals with the issues either.

Thanks much,
Jonathan


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Hi Jonathan, welcome to the T-Shirt Forums!



> So - it seems that with the dark materials - there are still a few ways to go;


The main way to go for heat pressed shirts on dark garments is plastisol transfers, which are basically screen printed designs on heat transfer paper.

The thing to keep in mind about plastisol transfers is that you can't print them yourself on your home printer, they are done by a professional screen printer that knows how to print onto transfer paper. You send them your artwork, they send you back sheets of transfer paper with your design screen printed on them. You then take that printed paper and use your heat press to adhere the design to the t-shirt.

If your designs are one to two colors, you can also use vinyl transfers cut with a cutter to create t-shirts.



> Can anyone give me a little guidance on this?


Let us know if there's still something that's unclear to you about the process


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Thanks for the response. But inkjet is my only option. I am not entertaining the possibility of silkscreen just yet. If I did - I would have it done directly on the shirts.

Besides... if you're screen printing the transfers - there wouldn't be any reason to print ON plastisol, since you could just use plastisol-bearing inks including WHITE - directly on clear transfer stock. n'est-ce pas?


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> Thanks for the response. But inkjet is my only option.


For an inkjet transfer on a dark garment, then yes, your only option would be an opaque transfer paper.

You can see a video of how this is done here:
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/showthread.php?t=6351


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Yes - Hi again Rodney - thanks for your response again. I quite understand it would be an OPAQUE transfer... there's no other way to do it AFAIK... what I was ASKING was about types of one-step and two-step transfers - and - am I understanding the basic process correctly - AND - what types of papers are recommending for each of these...? Or if I should even CONSIDER one or both processes...

thanks.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> what I was ASKING was about types of one-step and two-step transfers - and - am I understanding the basic process correctly - AND - what types of papers are recommending for each of these...?


Thanks for clarifying the question  I admit I was a bit confused by what your bottom line question was, so I was hoping to cover all the bases.

Hopefully, another member with experience with the different opaque transfers will be able to help more.

One paper I've read about here is the blue grid opaque paper from coastalbusiness.com. I'm not sure if it's a one step or two step paper though.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

NeoGraphic said:


> Besides... if you're screen printing the transfers - there wouldn't be any reason to print ON plastisol, since you could just use plastisol-bearing inks including WHITE - directly on clear transfer stock. n'est-ce pas?


You don't print *on* plastisol, you print *with* plastisol (or in this case the transfer printer who is printing them for you prints with plastisol).

It's just another option is all, since most people think opaque transfers look like crap.



NeoGraphic said:


> I am not entertaining the possibility of silkscreen just yet. If I did - I would have it done directly on the shirts.


While as a screenprinter I obviously advocate screenprinting shirts, and I do think holding inventory is a grossly overstated problem, I still think plastisol transfers do have some advantages over printing directly to shirts.

They may not be the option you want for your business, but it's not a good idea to dismiss them out of hand so easily.


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Screenprinting and screenprinted transfers ARE easy to dismiss if your budget is somewhere around $50. I think this is the biggest reason most people are hesitant to. It's definitely the direction I WANT to grow in (screenprinting I mean)... but it's just not practical at the moment. I have TWENTY designs I need to start with. The minimum number of shirts that I can do in a run from a dollar efficiency standpoint is 500 based on my quotes. So - that's 500x20=$10 000 !! You gotta be kidding me.

Eventually. I hope. But not yet. I (luckily) have all the equipment I need to do things THIS way... and in my experience - I just need to settle on a dependable process and find an aesthetic that works with that process. But I'm still trying to find the process.


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

NeoGraphic said:


> Screenprinting and screenprinted transfers ARE easy to dismiss if your budget is somewhere around $50. I think this is the biggest reason most people are hesitant to. It's definitely the direction I WANT to grow in (screenprinting I mean)... but it's just not practical at the moment. I have TWENTY designs I need to start with.


I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. You only have a budget of $50? I'd worry about even being able to print 1 or 2 designs, much less 20.. regardless of the method you plan on using.


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Well - let's say you've got the shirts already. I've got the presses, etc... I can do a fair number of shirts if I shell out $50 for transfer material. Probably at LEAST 50 shirts, right??

Does that make sense?


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

You don't need five hundred of a design to make it cost effective, unless you're trying to sell to an *extremely* large retailer who is screwing you on price.

$50 would go further with opaque transfer paper than with plastisol transfers, but on the other hand you might sell the higher quality product much quicker and be able to turn around and re-invest in more stock quicker.

Plastisol transfers are useless for one-offs, which is the main reason not to use them. If you're dreaming of 500 prints of 20 different designs on dark fabric, all the more reason to use them (obviously starting with what your budget will allow). 

Why do you "*need*" to start with 20 designs?

You can always start with selling a small print run of one design at a market or fair, and moving up from there. Or asking friends to loan you some money. Or getting a small business loan. Or selling on eBay. Or loading up a credit card.

I still think you're being too hasty in cutting off your options.


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

NeoGraphic said:


> Well - let's say you've got the shirts already. I've got the presses, etc... I can do a fair number of shirts if I shell out $50 for transfer material. Probably at LEAST 50 shirts, right??
> 
> Does that make sense?


Nope .. still not making sense.

I haven't used opaque transfers before, but I don't think you will be able to get them for less than a dollar a piece. Plus there's the cost of shipping them to think about. For $50 I'd keep it at 40 sheets or less to be practical.

For 40 sheets, you won't be able to do 20 designs, unless you are planning to print 1 design for every 2 shirts.

Honestly, it is not like we are in the plastisol transfer fan club or anything. We are just going on our own experiences and also the recommendations of other forum members. If I recall correctly, there have been quite a few people who were unhappy with opaque inkjet transfers. More people seem to be happy with plastisol transfers or vinyl. If you don't have the resources to test all the available methods yourself, it might be best to do a little more research before you become so commited to one kind of transfer.

Keep in mind that we are not trying to rain on your parade.  Just trying to help you make the most of your money.


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Jasonda said:


> Keep in mind that we are not trying to rain on your parade.  Just trying to help you make the most of your money.



Thanks for the advice. I understand completely. Perhaps - if I can read between the lines - that inkjet is really only 'okay' when it comes to printing on 'white' materials.. with the clear substrate...?

The REASON I have been thinking about this is as an alternative to cafepress - which seems stupid to use when they want $15-17 per shirt. I figured - if they are doing it one at a time - then they are DEFINITELY doing inkjet work and using transfers... so I figured.. okay - well, even if it's crappy quality... it's a place to start - and I can find a way to make it look decent... so why the heck not...? IF they can do it - why can't I??

as for the whole $50 issue you mention- it's in the ballpark. For $50 I don't even think I could get ONE silkscreen shirt. I would have 20 designs AVAILABLE - it doesn't mean I PRINT 20. That's the beauty of this system! My point was SIMPLY THAT with S/S I would need to order all of them if I wanted to stock and sell all. With inkjet I don't have to do ANY. Not until I have an order. Right?


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

NeoGraphic said:


> Hi all - I'm completely new here... and completely new to the business. Though I've been cultivating t-shirt graphics for the last few years in preparation for this.
> 
> At any rate, now that I'm actually trying to start up and have decided (at least initially) to press my own transfers (I already have a few presses and a vinyl cutter - so it makes sense) - I am having a heck of a time sorting out which process to use! I am only really interested in dark fabric work.
> 
> ...


I prefer the one step paper. This way you get a thin film as your backing agent, and only have to invest in one sheet of transfer paper. With a two step opaque, you have to buy the transfer paper for light colors as well to transfer over to your dark paper/material. The two step process is actually a white polyester material applied to your dark garment than the paper for light colors applied to that material. It leaves quite a feel on the shirt and sometimes requires the use of a magic marker to hide the white edges, even after trimming. In my opinion, it is not a professional look for the average customer. 

Please note, that either paper will require trimming with scissors or an optic eye cutter to eliminate the white border. Some have used a basic backround in the form of a shape (oval, star etc.) to make trimming with scissors easier.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

NeoGraphic said:


> Perhaps - if I can read between the lines - that inkjet is really only 'okay' when it comes to printing on 'white' materials.. with the clear substrate...?


That seems to be the most common view. Obviously some people have no problem with opaque transfers either, and some don't like any transfers... but that's probably as close to a consensus as you'll get.



NeoGraphic said:


> The REASON I have been thinking about this is as an alternative to cafepress


Makes sense.



NeoGraphic said:


> I figured - if they are doing it one at a time - then they are DEFINITELY doing inkjet work and using transfers...


They used to be, but they are now using DTG (Direct To Garment) printers as well as the transfers. The printing on darks is done with the DTG printer (I think the merchant can choose which to use for lights).



NeoGraphic said:


> IF they can do it - why can't I??


I don't think they did manage to do it in that way. To the best of my knowledge CP haven't ever used opaque transfers (unless they tried them long ago, or unless I'm simply wrong ). In my opinion, that is telling (it's not like their customers weren't screaming for printing on darker fabric colours).

I don't recall exactly what their investment cost was to be able to print on dark fabrics, but I believe they bought multiple printers that each cost something like $200,000? (you can do it for less, but they didn't have to)



NeoGraphic said:


> For $50 I don't even think I could get ONE silkscreen shirt. I would have 20 designs AVAILABLE - it doesn't mean I PRINT 20.


You might be able to find someone to do a one-off for $50. Maybe.  Well beside the point I realise.

As an example, I believe $50 would get you 30 1 colour plastisol transfers from First Edition (of however many designs you could squeeze onto the paper - maybe one, maybe three). It's definitely not the same kind of situation, since like you said you won't get these advantages:



NeoGraphic said:


> with S/S I would need to order all of them if I wanted to stock and sell all. With inkjet I don't have to do ANY. Not until I have an order. Right?


Like Jasonda said, it's not that we're part of the plastisol fanclub so much as that some of us don't regard opaque transfers as a viable option, so it's a matter of making the most of the budget available. To me the most would be either waiting until you had more money to invest, sticking with light coloured garments, sticking with a print on demand fullfillment service like cp/spreadshirt/etc. ... or plastisol transfers.

Options like vinyl may be a good option for future expansion, but obviously wouldn't currently be on the table.


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## JoshEllsworth (Dec 14, 2005)

I think its also important to keep in mind that the opaque transfer paper with an inkjet printer can deliver the results needed for photo quality, true one-offs. There are different qualities of paper on the market that will produce large variances in results - opacity, durability. At the end of the day plastisol transfers are a better result, but from a budgetary stand point for true one-off decoration or photo quality designs, opaque transfer paper is a good option for those on a budget. But keep in mind there are large differences between the quality of different opaque papers.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

Solmu said:


> As an example, I believe $50 would get you 30 1 colour plastisol transfers from First Edition (of however many designs you could squeeze onto the paper - maybe one, maybe three). It's definitely not the same kind of situation, since like you said you won't get these advantages:


I have been waiting to pipe in here. 
1. Opaque transfers.. (Blue Grid) only for dark shirts. require printing back ground color and triming. Not good for commercial sales.About $1.00 sheet
2. Hot peel paper.. only for white or light shirts. I use Iron all transfer paper.. love it . Soft feel and it stretches. About 80 cents a sheet.
3. transjet II Hot peel for whites and light. harder hand does not stretch. Ok as back up and best of the hot peels after iron all which is my first choice.
4. Plastisol transfers .First Edition. Starts at 15 at $2.09 ($31.35 plus shipping).(One Color) however they are 12 x 12 sheets which if your design is 10 x 3.5 you can gang 3 on a sheets so that is about 70 cents each. You would have 45 transfers. If you had all the same color for each design then you could have 3 of your designs on one sheet for 3 diferent tees. Lou


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> he REASON I have been thinking about this is as an alternative to cafepress - which seems stupid to use when they want $15-17 per shirt. I figured - if they are doing it one at a time - then they are DEFINITELY doing inkjet work and using transfers... so I figured.. okay - well, even if it's crappy quality... it's a place to start - and I can find a way to make it look decent... so why the heck not...? IF they can do it - why can't I??


CafePress is actually not using inkjet transfers for their dark garments. They are using one of the top of the line (thousands of dollars) direct to garment printers by Kornit. This prints directly from a machine right onto the t-shirt.

Lou gave a pretty darn good breakdown of your potential costs in his post above that should help. He's tried it all (opaque transfers, plastisol transfers, etc):



badalou said:


> I have been waiting to pipe in here.
> 1. Opaque transfers.. (Blue Grid) only for dark shirts. require printing back ground color and triming. Not good for commercial sales.About $1.00 sheet
> 2. Hot peel paper.. only for white or light shirts. I use Iron all transfer paper.. love it . Soft feel and it stretches. About 80 cents a sheet.
> 3. transjet II Hot peel for whites and light. harder hand does not stretch. Ok as back up and best of the hot peels after iron all which is my first choice.
> 4. Plastisol transfers .First Edition. Starts at 15 at $2.09 ($31.35 plus shipping).(One Color) however they are 12 x 12 sheets which if your design is 10 x 3.5 you can gang 3 on a sheets so that is about 70 cents each. You would have 45 transfers. If you had all the same color for each design then you could have 3 of your designs on one sheet for 3 diferent tees. Lou


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

Jasonda, Solmu, and Lou covered most of my the points I would've brought up already, but one question remains -- why is vinyl being mostly ignored at this point? He already has a (few?) vinyl cutter(s), so the only cost would be the t-shirt vinyl.

Now, this will depend on the designs you're doing of course. But, if you have fairly simple one or two color designs (or text), vinyl may be the answer you're looking for. It will let you do single prints as the orders come in like you want just as easily as you could with an opaque transfer without the lower quality final product.


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Twinge said:


> why is vinyl being mostly ignored at this point?


Speaking for myself, probably because I missed that like a stupidhead 

(I even suggested vinyl wouldn't currently be an option due to budget, d'oh)


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

Twinge said:


> why is vinyl being mostly ignored at this point?


I don't know why we didn't really explore the possibility of vinyl. It seemed like the poster didn't have too much of an interest in it. I did mention it once:



Jasonda said:


> If I recall correctly, there have been quite a few people who were unhappy with opaque inkjet transfers. More people seem to be happy with plastisol transfers or vinyl.


Since he had vinyl cutters, I assumed he was already familiar with vinyl and since he didn't ask about it, I assumed he had already decided that it wasn't an option.

Probably too much assuming on my part..


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

Thank you very much for the responses. This round has been WAY more helpful. Especially Lou - that's the kinda info I'm looking for. Granted - there is absolutely no replacement for first-hand experience. BUT - MY EXPERIENCE has been it totally pays to research stuff on the 'net first. Generally, if for no other reason, to avoid the really bad stuff! I do have A vinyl cutter (actually -it's on it's way) - but no real experience with one (though I DO know plotters inside out (could practically service one blindfolded) - from my understanding they're really just pen plotters with knives instead of pens. 

But I figured between that and the two drymount presses I have (one is 32x42 or so!!), I ASSUMED I'd be able to put something together that would get me off to the races. I was trying to be clever and come up with designs that would be optimal for the technologies I had access to.

Hey - the plastisol transfers are CHEAP! I'm surprised! So - these just press on directly? Then you cover them with a protector sheet?

J


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## NeoGraphic (Nov 16, 2006)

JoshEllsworth said:


> But keep in mind there are large differences between the quality of different opaque papers.


GREAT TO KNOW! Can you make a recommendation?? Imprintables' paper no doubt?? (joking) But seriously - I tried going on to your website to see what you had to offer - but wasn't able to. It was down, seemingly...! I just tried imprintables.com... were you having problems? Or did I just have my head up my *ss??


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

NeoGraphic said:


> I do have A vinyl cutter (actually -it's on it's way) - but no real experience with one (though I DO know plotters inside out (could practically service one blindfolded) - from my understanding they're really just pen plotters with knives instead of pens.
> 
> But I figured between that and the two drymount presses I have (one is 32x42 or so!!), I ASSUMED I'd be able to put something together that would get me off to the races. I was trying to be clever and come up with designs that would be optimal for the technologies I had access to.


If you want to take advantage of the equipment you already have, you really should check out vinyl for your transfers, especially if you want to do them "on demand" as they are ordered.

Keep in mind that this is best for simple designs and less than 3 colors.


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