# Are plastisol transfers easy compared to other transfers?



## MIROSLAVOVA (Sep 1, 2021)

What are the difficult things when working with plastisol transfers and are they easier compared to the other transfer methods? 
I am planning to buy my own heat press and order some plastisol transfers, so I can stop being depended on my slow local screen printing workshop. 
Doing my research, everywhere was written that you need high quality press and even a swing one, so you can ensure equal heating everywhere. Later however, couple of people told me that they do plastisol transfers with no problems on cheap chinese clam presses, as plastisols are the easy ones. 
Do you agree with this? 
*I still won't buy a cheap one (however it will be a clam type)..  So I am just generally curious


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

MIROSLAVOVA said:


> Everywhere was written that you need high quality press and even a swing one, so you can ensure equal heating everywhere.


Nonsense...
The ink and adhesives used in plastisol transfers are very forgiving.
The problem is that transfers are not the same or as durable as screen-printing.


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## MIROSLAVOVA (Sep 1, 2021)

TABOB said:


> Nonsense...
> The ink and adhesives used in plastisol transfers are very forgiving.
> The problem is that transfers are not the same or as durable as screen-printing.


Oh no, really?! Why so many people say it's the same  :X What's the difference for you? Let's say how many washes before you see cracking?


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

I'm a bit confused here. You can feel the ink when you screen print a t shirt. Doesn't that mean that it will wash off rather quickly? But you cannot feel plastisol transfers. Wouldn't those last longer? Since plastisol transfers seem imbedded into the fabric?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

GimmeeTees said:


> I'm a bit confused here. You can feel the ink when you screen print a t shirt. Doesn't that mean that it will wash off rather quickly? But you cannot feel plastisol transfers. Wouldn't those last longer? Since plastisol transfers seem imbedded into the fabric?


You can feel both direct screen printing and plastisol transfers. Normally, direct screen print would embed more into the fabric because it is in a liquid state when applied. Transfers are in a solid state so sits on top of the garment.

Applied and cured correctly, direct screen print will outlast the garment. It does not wash out.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> I'm a bit confused here. You can feel the ink when you screen print a t shirt. Doesn't that mean that it will wash off rather quickly? But you cannot feel plastisol transfers. Wouldn't those last longer? Since plastisol transfers seem imbedded into the fabric?


Plastisol transfers _are_ screen printed, just not directly onto the shirt. Same ink. The difference is that the transfers are print onto a piece of paper and sprinkled with adhesive before being cured, then eventually pressed onto a garment. A direct Plastisol screen print is bonded to the garment by the ink itself, not a layer of adhesive. Which feels thicker on the shirt has more to do with choices made during printing than whether it is direct screen printing or a transfer.

And if it is water based ink, direct screen printing can have no handfeel at all. Whether Plastisol or water based, direct screen printing can be more durable because the ink is directly bonded into the fabric, not held on with glue. That said, Plastisol transfers are more durable than some other types of transfers.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

I always thought that if you can hardly FEEL the layout on the tee, the more it's embedded onto the fabric of the tee. And the more you can feel the layout when you touch the tee, the less it's embedded into the fabric.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

GimmeeTees said:


> I always thought that if you can hardly FEEL the layout on the tee, the more it's embedded onto the fabric of the tee. And the more you can feel the layout when you touch the tee, the less it's embedded into the fabric.


Then you have a lot of misconceptions about plastisol ink. Straight out the can, plastisol is not a 'hardly feel' print method.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

splathead said:


> Then you have a lot of misconceptions about plastisol ink. Straight out the can, plastisol is not a 'hardly feel' print method.


So which method creates the most durable custom tees?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> So which method creates the most durable custom tees?


Sublimation. Can easily reproduce full-color art and print said art with a relatively cheap desktop inkjet printer. The ink turns to a gas and literally gets trapped inside of the garment fibers, locking permanently in place once cooled (assuming no one ever again heats it that hot). But there is a catch, and it is a big one for most uses. Sublimation as I just described it only works on 100% white polyester. You can print on cotton/poly blends, but all of the ink will washout of the cotton fibers during the first wash. You can print on colored garments, but sublimation ink is not opaque, so the garment color will affect color reproduction, and printing on black garments and such just won't work at all--would be exactly the same as running black paper through a printer or copier.

Plastisol transfers would probably be next (skipping over direct screen printing and DTG as you are interested in transfers).

Jet-Pro Soft Stretch (JPSS) is an inkjet paper for white/light cotton or cotton/poly garments. As with sublimation, all of the white/light is provided by the garment itself. Feels a bit stiff to start with, but has a pretty decent handfeel after a couple of washes. 

Beyond this point there are more tradeoffs in terms of handfeel and durability and limitations of what can be reproduced. 

Before DTG became a thing, Plastisol transfers were how many/most of the online novelty shirt places made their products. Some are probably still operating that way, at least for designs that sell more (screen printing gets less expensive per unit the more of a design you print at a time, DTG does not).


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

Isn't there a DTG machine for dark cotton garments?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

GimmeeTees said:


> Isn't there a DTG machine for dark cotton garments?


There's a ton of DTG machines for dark cotton garments. 99% of them in fact. The vast majority of tees printed on a DTG are dark.

DTG is not sublimation. Is that what you're getting confused about?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> Isn't there a DTG machine for dark cotton garments?


*EDIT:* I forgot that you are not the thread starter. My answers have been based on their original interest in obtaining transfers that they can press themselves. I'm not sure your interest is the same, so ... 

The most durable printing methods without considering whether they are transfers or not, and assuming everything is done correctly, are: Sublimation, Screen Printing, DTG, Plastisol Transfers, JPSS, everything else.

For dark garments, Screen Printing, DTG, Plastisol Transfers, everything else.

I would not sell things printed via "everything else" to general consumers, as it might not meet their expectations for durability and comfort. But these methods might be fine for specific uses, such as special events, or items that will seldom be worn.


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## MIROSLAVOVA (Sep 1, 2021)

NoXid said:


> *EDIT:* I forgot that you are not the thread starter. My answers have been based on their original interest in obtaining transfers that they can press themselves. I'm not sure your interest is the same, so ...
> 
> The most durable printing methods without considering whether they are transfers or not, and assuming everything is done correctly, are: Sublimation, Screen Printing, DTG, Plastisol Transfers, JPSS, everything else.
> 
> ...


I work only with white/1-color on black (cotton/poly-cotton). So far I have only screen printed my designs, but some clients don't like the glossiness /shimmer of it and I don't like I can't order small quantities. DTG can't be heat transfered right? Correct me if I am wrong but I thought you need an expensive DTG printer for that. 
Therefore I am planning to use plastisol transfers from now on = no shimmer + keeping less quantity in stock (win-win). 
In the forums, people usually say that if you use good quality plastisol transfers and good quality heat press then he quality of the print will last as much as the fabric. And I hope this is true, as I really don't want to sell bad quality t-shirts. :X 
Anyways the topic which I started was more about if plastisol transfers are easy to manage compared to other transfers. Is it easier to transfer a plastisol transfer and have a high quality print instead of sublimation lets say.


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## DrivingZiggy (Apr 24, 2017)

MIROSLAVOVA said:


> I work only with white/1-color on black (cotton/poly-cotton).
> 
> :X





NoXid said:


> Sublimation. Can easily reproduce full-color art and print said art with a relatively cheap desktop inkjet printer. The ink turns to a gas and literally gets trapped inside of the garment fibers, locking permanently in place once cooled (assuming no one ever again heats it that hot). *But there is a catch, and it is a big one for most uses. Sublimation as I just described it only works on 100% white polyester. You can print on cotton/poly blends, but all of the ink will washout of the cotton fibers during the first wash. You can print on colored garments, but sublimation ink is not opaque, so the garment color will affect color reproduction, and printing on black garments and such just won't work at all--would be exactly the same as running black paper through a printer or copier.*


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

MIROSLAVOVA said:


> really?! Why so many people say it's the same


I guess they are either selling transfers, or just want to believe it.



MIROSLAVOVA said:


> Let's say how many washes before you see cracking?


Depends on the type and color of the ink. White and opaque inks crack faster. 



MIROSLAVOVA said:


> but some clients don't like the glossiness /shimmer of it and I don't like I can't order small quantities.


Plastisol can be glossy or matte 



MIROSLAVOVA said:


> In the forums, people usually say that if you use good quality plastisol transfers and good quality heat press then he quality of the print will last as much as the fabric. And I hope this is true


Transfer quality is important, but transfers don't last as much as direct plastisol.
Give it a try and see for yourself. 

By the way, screen-printing is not limited to plastisol.
Waterbased and discharge inks are very popular.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> I'm a bit confused here. You can feel the ink when you screen print a t shirt. Doesn't that mean that it will wash off rather quickly? But you cannot feel plastisol transfers. Wouldn't those last longer? Since plastisol transfers seem imbedded into the fabric?


That's not how it works.
The ink can be super thick and durable at the same time.
Not all inks are the same by the way.


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## lgiglio1 (Sep 29, 2006)

NoXid said:


> Plastisol transfers _are_ screen printed, just not directly onto the shirt. Same ink. The difference is that the transfers are print onto a piece of paper and sprinkled with adhesive before being cured, then eventually pressed onto a garment. A direct Plastisol screen print is bonded to the garment by the ink itself, not a layer of adhesive. Which feels thicker on the shirt has more to do with choices made during printing than whether it is direct screen printing or a transfer.
> 
> And if it is water based ink, direct screen printing can have no handfeel at all. Whether Plastisol or water based, direct screen printing can be more durable because the ink is directly bonded into the fabric, not held on with glue. That said, Plastisol transfers are more durable than some other types of transfers.


Great explanation. I have used plastisol transfers for 12 years and I still have my first hoodie I made. They have lasted very well for me. Once in a while, I will get one that wears or peels, but overall great. Most people would't know the difference between a screen printed heat pressed plastisol transfer I believe.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

lgiglio1 said:


> I have used plastisol transfers for 12 years and I still have my first hoodie I made.


Transfers on hoodies can be made to last... but T-shirts are a different story.



lgiglio1 said:


> Most people would't know the difference between a screen printed heat pressed plastisol transfer I believe.


If this was true, nobody would be screen-printing.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

So printing out a design on my epson 15000 is called sublimation, correct? Is that more durable than DTG?


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> So printing out a design on my epson 15000 is called sublimation, correct?


Only if you are using sublimation inks.



GimmeeTees said:


> Is that more durable than DTG?


Yes, but
a) only works on polyester fabrics, and 
b) there is no white ink.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

TABOB said:


> Only if you are using sublimation inks.
> 
> 
> Yes, but
> ...


The epson 15000 uses epson 312 ink. That would not be water based, correct?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> The epson 15000 uses epson 312 ink. That would not be water based, correct?


All the regular consumer-level inkjets that people buy use water based ink. There are special purpose commercial inkjets made for use with solvent inks; these are used in the sign industry, and the like.

You can put sublimation ink in that Epson. Just be sure to buy ink from a known supplier who has an icc profile for that ink/printer combination or who makes an ink that works directly without one: Cobra, Cosmos, InkOwl, etc. That assuming you want to do sublimation.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> The epson 15000 uses epson 312 ink. That would not be water based, correct?


It is water-base ink, but not sublimation ink.
You can however refill the printer with sublimation ink.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

TABOB said:


> It is water-base ink, but not sublimation ink.
> You can however refill the printer with sublimation ink.


How would a sublimation ink (usually bottle like) fit into the epson cartridge holder?


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> How would a sublimation ink (usually bottle like) fit into the epson cartridge holder?


That is an EcoTank printer, it has no cartridges. The Epson ink itself comes in bottles for the ET printers. To use third-party ink you either fit a little tube on the 3rd-party ink bottle, or pour the ink into the Epson bottles and use those to put the ink into the printer. Either way works.


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## TeedUp (Apr 22, 2020)

Just to clarify, there is an XP 15000 and an ET 15000. Different printers.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

NoXid said:


> That is an EcoTank printer, it has no cartridges. The Epson ink itself comes in bottles for the ET printers. To use third-party ink you either fit a little tube on the 3rd-party ink bottle, or pour the ink into the Epson bottles and use those to put the ink into the printer. Either way works.


Mine is XP 15000.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

GimmeeTees said:


> Mine is XP 15000.


You would need to find a provider of not only refillable cartridges for that printer (or a continuous ink system CIS), but also someone who can provide all 6 ink colors.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

splathead said:


> You would need to find a provider of not only refillable cartridges for that printer (or a continuous ink system CIS), but also someone who can provide all 6 ink colors.


Well yes, I have that. Quill is the seller. So the bottom line is that the epson 15000 xp is NOT sublimation nor can it be changed into sublimation. Correct?


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> So the bottom line is that the epson 15000 xp is NOT sublimation nor can it be changed into sublimation. Correct?


The 15000 XP is NOT a sublimation printer, BUT it can be converted.
You can buy 6 color sublimation ink.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

how do i convert this into sublimation ink???


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

We already told you how once. Go here Easy-to-refill Cartridge Pack for EPSON XP-15000 (312, 312XL, 314XL) *NORTH AMERICA* - InkOwl or any other place that sells refillable cartridges for your printer, buy the cartridges, buy your ink, and fill up the cartridges, stick it in your machine.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

splathead said:


> We already told you how once. Go here Easy-to-refill Cartridge Pack for EPSON XP-15000 (312, 312XL, 314XL) _NORTH AMERICA_ - InkOwl or any other place that sells refillable cartridges for your printer, buy the cartridges, buy your ink, and fill up the cartridges, stick it in your machine.


Ok thanks. Sorry if I annoyed you all. I do appreciate all the help here. Much obliged.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

FYI: According to INK OWL anyone who owns am XP epson 15000 can in fact purchase empty cartridges along with ink bottles and the chip that has to be replaced every time you refill the cartridge. However, that does NOT change the Epson 15000 XP into a sublimation printer. In fact, quality wise, according to INK OWL, remains the same as with buying regular epson 312 or epson 314 inks.


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## NoXid (Apr 4, 2011)

GimmeeTees said:


> FYI: According to INK OWL anyone who owns am XP epson 15000 can in fact purchase empty cartridges along with ink bottles and the chip that has to be replaced every time you refill the cartridge. However, that does NOT change the Epson 15000 XP into a sublimation printer. In fact, quality wise, according to INK OWL, remains the same as with buying regular epson 312 or epson 314 inks.


Printing sublimation ink is what a sublimation printer does. What else are you expecting out of this "transformation"? Color balance comes down to how well the ink maker matches the ink to the printer (and how well you tweak that, if needed). Beyond that, what quality effects are you expecting? Sublimation ink is not a hot-rod performance modification, like putting a turbo charger on a car. It is simply a type of ink that is used for a specific process, sublimation. It won't make a printer print better or worse, but just for a different end purpose.

Perhaps you should elaborate on what exactly you are trying to figure out or accomplish?


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## DonR (May 6, 2011)

NoXid said:


> *EDIT:* I forgot that you are not the thread starter. My answers have been based on their original interest in obtaining transfers that they can press themselves. I'm not sure your interest is the same, so ...
> 
> The most durable printing methods without considering whether they are transfers or not, and assuming everything is done correctly, are: Sublimation, Screen Printing, DTG, Plastisol Transfers, JPSS, everything else.
> 
> ...


You have left out DTF transfers. DTF transfers is the newest method of making transfers and they are as durable as a direct screen print on both light and dark garments. DTF transfers can be applied to almost any fabric including cotton, poly, blends, nylon, and even leather. They give you bright full color photographic results.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

NoXid said:


> Printing sublimation ink is what a sublimation printer does. What else are you expecting out of this "transformation"? Color balance comes down to how well the ink maker matches the ink to the printer (and how well you tweak that, if needed). Beyond that, what quality effects are you expecting? Sublimation ink is not a hot-rod performance modification, like putting a turbo charger on a car. It is simply a type of ink that is used for a specific process, sublimation. It won't make a printer print better or worse, but just for a different end purpose.
> 
> Perhaps you should elaborate on what exactly you are trying to figure out or accomplish?


I was essentially trying to find out if there was a way to could utilize the epson 15000 xp to make prints for dark garments (sublimation prints). I guess that's out of the question. I was confused by someone's comment that stated that the epson 15000 xp COULD be turned into a sublimation printer. Which is not true.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> I was confused by someone's comment that stated that the epson 15000 xp COULD be turned into a sublimation printer. Which is not true.


It is true... because you can.



GimmeeTees said:


> However, that does NOT change the Epson 15000 XP into a sublimation printer.


You've made this up obviously...



GimmeeTees said:


> quality wise, according to INK OWL, remains the same as with buying regular epson 312 or epson 314 inks.


That's referring to refilling with regular ink for printing photos and documents. People refill to save money.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)




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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

According to OWL INK the above statement is false. Owl Ink told me that the epson 15000 xp CANNOT be converted into a sublimation printer.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

GimmeeTees said:


> Owl Ink told me that the epson 15000 xp CANNOT be converted into a sublimation printer.


Maybe you talked to a newbie who stared working there today.
I'm telling you... this printer can print sublimation ink.


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## GimmeeTees (Mar 24, 2010)

Well either you or the alleged "newbie" is right. Not sure how this can be settled. 

Maybe there might be others that have actually gone through the process of converting their eps 15000 xp into a sub printer???? They could confirm how it turned out.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

OK, look, now that we have managed to hijack a PLASTISOL TRANSFER thread with sublimation, any other comments or questions not related to plastisol transfers should be put in a new post in the sublimation section.

Posting anything else will get deleted.


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