# Does 100% polyester wicking fabric shrink?



## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

I am trying to press 2-color cad cut vinyl onto a 100% polyester, moisture wicking shirt. It is a baseball team name basically a dark color with a white outline. I pressed the white onto the shirt and when I went to press the dark color over it it seamed that my dark color vinyl was to large.

How can I avoid this problem?

Thanks in advance for any help! I have 27 shirts to print front and back and I am concerned that I may have big trouble.


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

Did you cut these ? or where they pre-cut? Since, this shirt maybe ruined have you tried the other way around maybe the outline will cover the edging..or take both of them and see if they do indeed line up.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Yes, polyester will shrink under heat. Which vinyl brand are you using? They should have come with special instructions to apply 2 color. We use Siser, and the first layer we only press for 1 or 2 seconds. The final layer gets the full press time.


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## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

Yes I am cutting the vinyl on my vinyl cutter. Both colors looked great when layer before heat pressing. I am using Multi-cut Ultra from Jotto paper. The instructions say to apply the first layer as if it was a single layer, then apply the second layer and the press for an additional 5 sec with a silicon sheet.

Should I press the blank shirt before pressing any vinyl? Will the shirt shrink more with each press?


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## FatKat Printz (Dec 26, 2008)

take a pic so we can see how much it shrunk


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## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

The first shirt did not shrink that much. I was able to strech the shirt and hold it in place to get the second color to match up. The logo is two words and I did have to cut the words apart to get them both to lign up. So in the end the first shirt turned out ok with a little extra work.

I decided to post up the question before attempting any additional shirts.


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Typically, a polyester shirt will shrink less than a cotton shirt. Polyester fibers are tightly woven compared to cotton fibers that are more open. (This is why the dtg inks naturally absorb to cotton garments, but not polyester garments as good). So the polyester fibers are less likely to close in as the cotton fibers. This is why some garment manufacturers will pre-wash a 100% cotton shirt and label it pre-shrunk so you know it will fit approximately the same as it did before you wash it.

I think no matter what shirt you use, you have to allow for some room to overlap the two colors if you want them to touch each other. I am not familiar with your vinyl (because most of the vendors private label it now), but I have seen some vinyl shrink as well. Most cutting software programs have an offset function that allows you to move your cut lines out some to create the overlap. See if this resolves your problem.

Best wishes,

Mark


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## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

Is pr-pressing the shirt like pre-washing a cotton shirt? Or will the poly shirt shrink more and more each time heat is applied?


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

I think you should pre-press all the shirts to get the moisture out, but you still need to create an overlap.

Mark


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

I find the ball uniforms and ezup canopy material shrink like crazy when you heat them. If you pre press them you will have some room to work. Also, use thermoflex over easyweed. It shrinks less. 

For multi color designs press each color only 5 seconds or so to minimize the shrink effect. Plan you shrinkage with proper overlap in the design colors. 

For uniforns we experience a .25 inch shrinkage.


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## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks to all for the help and feedback!

I ended up running the shirts through my screen printing dryer before heat pressing the vinyl. That pretty much took care of the problem.

I would have never thought a 100% polyester shirt would shrink.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Nick Rocco said:


> I would have never thought a 100% polyester shirt would shrink.


Yeah, it's weird. Only under direct heat, not when washing/drying.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

our worst one was a ball jersey. it shrunk over an inch and with a 3 color logo it was a mess.


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## Mabuzi (Jul 3, 2007)

Thank-you for the info I will pass it on to our production crew. 
We have found that the vinyl shrinks, no matter what material, and so we cut the second colour slightly larger. 
You are pre-pressing all your shirts!?


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## Nick Rocco (Sep 18, 2009)

I ran the shirts through my conveyor dryer to pre-shrink the shirts. It solved my problem.


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## gtgraphicsRyan (Jun 17, 2015)

absolutely does. Any synthetic fabric will.


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