# Plastisol transfers on BLACK shirt with white art...?



## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

After reading and lurking a bit on the forum...

We're going to have some custom plastisol transfers made.

Our design has a lot of white in it and will be on a BLACK shirt.


So I have some questions for any of you nice enough to share some wisdom....


1. I know the companies out there, but where would YOU get these transfers made?

2. Will this method have a "hand" or feel that is pretty close to screen printing?

3. Will this method have a washability / durability that is as good as screen printing?

4. Should I be getting cold peel or hot peel custom transfers for this job?

5. As far as using a heat press goes... this is the best and most ideal method for printing with white art onto a black garment, right?


Thanks in advance for your answers 



The design isn't that big & we can actually have it ganged to probably 3 or 4 designs per sheet. If the plastisol transfers look, feel, & hold up nice... this will be PERFECT for us. I love the idea of getting deeply discounted transfers by buying a ton of them, but not having to stock all the shirts


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## jdr8271 (Jun 16, 2005)

I would get the made by first-edition.com

plasticol transfers look like screen printing. THey feel kind of rubbery.

The washability..they will last longer than the shirt, if applied proberly.

I use cold peel with adhesive crysals from first-edition, becuase they are easier to use, and the ink transfers more completely.

Plasticol is thebest quality that you can get out of your heat press. Nothing else is as good.


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## TeeShirtSamurai (Feb 8, 2006)

I use plastisol transfers with my shirts and I'm doing exactly what you describe (white ink on black tee).

I use Dowling Graphics (dowlinggraphics.com) for my transfers. You can BARELY feel the transfer on the shirt -- amazing quality.


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## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

TeeShirtSamurai said:


> I use Dowling Graphics (dowlinggraphics.com) for my transfers. You can BARELY feel the transfer on the shirt -- amazing quality.



"up to 28x36 with up to 8 cuts at no charge"


We have some samples coming from first-editition and plan to do the minimum sample order for our project to test... but I think we'll definitely give Dowling Graphics a hard look as well.


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## chris24net (Apr 28, 2006)

Atari said:


> "up to 28x36 with up to 8 cuts at no charge"


And I can't remember who said it in a post, probably T-Shirt Samarai, but they also allow you to gang different images. BTW the sheet size is 25x38 with a 23.5x36 printable area. At least according to the info Gwen at Dowling sent me.


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## TeeShirtSamurai (Feb 8, 2006)

chris24net said:


> And I can't remember who said it in a post, probably T-Shirt Samarai, but they also allow you to gang different images. BTW the sheet size is 25x38 with a 23.5x36 printable area. At least according to the info Gwen at Dowling sent me.


Yeh, when I sent my order in I had one sheet with 3 designs and another sheet with 11 designs ganged.


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## StitchShoppe (Jun 1, 2006)

I've used duracut TM to do sample white-ink on black shirts. My customers never new the difference when I changed to plastisol transfers for the actual production run.


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## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

jdr8271 said:


> I use cold peel with adhesive crysals from first-edition, becuase they are easier to use, and the ink transfers more completely.


What's with these adhesive crystals I keep hearing about?

If it is such a good thing, why is it that only one company is doing it?

Or are other companies adding these crystals by default without charging extra?


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## Scrap-Boy (Apr 25, 2006)

... adhesive is common, i think.
be sure that a special thick screen is used with the White and that the plastisol transfer can be used/apply with Heat Press or Home Iron, you may decide you want to sell the iron-on's alone directly to DIY consumers also  ...$$$$.

I know of a place that is great but they are booked until the middle of aug/06 . 

Try Wildside or Airwaves (old roach co.), they are great too.


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## suzieh (Feb 8, 2006)

Dowling Graphics lets you gang DIFFERENT images. I'm a happy customer 
I have some images that are about 1/8th a part and DID NOT HAVE THEM CUT so I could squeeze in lots of stuff . 

They were the only company to let me do DIFFERENT images and offer
oversized sheets...so I really had no choice. BUT am really glad we gave
Dowling a try. They are very kind to newbies 

You might want to read up on custom/plastisol at unionink.com (click on articles). For black and white "color" the ink is typically Opaque for a dark shirt so the shirt color does not show (i.e. black is black versus grayish).

The hand on my Dowling Graphics "white" plastisol is not rubbery. If you press longer than 25 seconds or do a double pressing...you'll get a more faded white but is will be softer.

Plastisol transfers are screenprinted but ink is not cured completely. That happens when you heatpress your shirt. Quality is outstanding and durable.

Note...I am not a screenprinter nor have I been doing this for years.

Susan


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## jdr8271 (Jun 16, 2005)

alot of companies use adhesive crystals. Some dont say it though. You should ask. Some companies have different options for ink as well.

With the adhesive crystals, there is no fussing, no bad peels, etc. It peels easy and transfers fully every time.


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## suzieh (Feb 8, 2006)

That's the jumbo size. If you go with the one smaller (15 x 25 sheet/13 x 23 image area), the film/screen charges are less plus they have specials (just ask). Ask Diane at Dowling to email you their price list. I already brought to Dowling's attention that can't read their price list at website. 
Susan



chris24net said:


> And I can't remember who said it in a post, probably T-Shirt Samarai, but they also allow you to gang different images. BTW the sheet size is 25x38 with a 23.5x36 printable area. At least according to the info Gwen at Dowling sent me.


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## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

chris24net said:


> And I can't remember who said it in a post, probably T-Shirt Samarai, but they also allow you to gang different images. BTW the sheet size is 25x38 with a 23.5x36 printable area. At least according to the info Gwen at Dowling sent me.


Yeah that would definitely be cool if you had a bunch of 1 or 2 color designs.


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## identityburn (Feb 24, 2006)

I'm not familiar with plastisol transfers and multi colored printing. Is it easy to have a multiple color design with them?


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## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

suzieh said:


> Dowling Graphics lets you gang DIFFERENT images. I'm a happy customer
> I have some images that are about 1/8th a part and DID NOT HAVE THEM CUT so I could squeeze in lots of stuff .


Do you have a price sheet or price matrix from them? They don't have their prices online.


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## Scrap-Boy (Apr 25, 2006)

identityburnI'm not familiar with plastisol transfers and multi colored printing. Is it easy to have a multiple color design with them? 
hey id-burn, yes but the more colors the more expensive it gets.
Litho-transfers are cost effective if you run 500 sheets 25x38.

For smaller runs if your multi-color is something like the attached image file, than it is possible.

You can also do 1 color photo types.

Atari, " Yeah that would definitely be cool if you had a bunch of 1 or 2 color designs. "

Most transfer manufacturers (not re-sellers) allow you to gang up as many images as you want on the transfer sheet, since they charge you by the sheet and not by the image count.

The problem with going all out and stuffing sheets with images is that the possibility of a major distributor re-selling your transfer designs are NILL.

Look, 100 - 11x12.5 sheets 1 color costs about $ 1 CND. This means you can gang (example) 4 designs nicely .... about 5x6 size. $ .25 cents Canadian Dollars per design is a standard manufacturer price. Add $ 20 for screen and film out put.

So, for about $ .25 per design, why go crazy and stuff the sheet ? 

To get it done with premimum inks.... manufacturers add 40% to the price, i recommend the premium.


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## Atari (Jun 28, 2006)

Scrap-Boy said:


> i
> Atari, " Yeah that would definitely be cool if you had a bunch of 1 or 2 color designs. "
> 
> The problem with going all out and stuffing sheets with images is that the possibility of a major distributor re-selling your transfer designs are NILL.



Why is that? If Dowling (or whoever else) is cutting them down to individual transfers for you, what difference does it make to a distributor if they were originally ganged or not? A distributer would pay you per-transfer image right? 

I think on the sheet runs dowling will do up to 8 (straight?) cuts free.


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## Scrap-Boy (Apr 25, 2006)

HEY aTARI, straight cuts you can DIY with a half decent cutter. I was talking about stuffing the transfer sheet.... where straight cuts are not possible.

But again, as i mentioned in my last post example, for $ 25 cents CND per design, Why stuff the sheet ?

If anything, do a regular litho-print on the back of the transfer with application instructions, distributors love that. 

here are some photo samples of a 4 color glitter/blend transfer design done for Barbie. Have a look, it has the image and how to apply stuff on the back side. 
These we made for magazine/book inserts, so the peeps at the mag-binding etc... they cut the transfer.


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## Don (Jan 29, 2006)

Plastisol transfers in either cold peel or hot split will work. The hot split will have a softer hand. I would order a sample of each and see which one you like the best.
God Bless You
Don


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