The Transfer Print Column
Printing premium jackets with your heat press
Molly Harmon, senior marketing executive at Stahls’ UK, talks through the step-by-step process of how to perfect the art of printing on premium jackets using a heat press.
D
ecorating premium jackets is one of the most exciting and lucrative opportunities for garment decorators. The most accessible method of decorating for premium jackets is with a heat press. With the right equipment and technique, you can achieve professional results quickly and efficiently without error.
At Stahls’ we always encourage our partners to follow the ARCH method to eliminate the dreaded scorch mark on any fabric.
The ARCH method
By using the ARCH method, you can work your way through a step-by-step process for eliminating scorch marks on those jackets. The ARCH method stands for: • Accurate pressure. • Reduced temperature transfers. • Cover sheet. • Heated lower platens.
Let’s take a look at what each step entails: 1) Accurate pressure
It’s a common misconception, that more pressure equals a better application. All you are doing is breaking the fibres of the fabric and making it harder for the transfers to adhere.
Heat transfers are nearly always fused at medium pressure. So, check the digital readout on your heat press and make sure it is reading between 4 to 6 on a clam press, or 40 to 60 psi on an air-powered machine.
By fusing at the correct pressure, most decorators will find that at step one, the problem is fixed. But if this didn’t fix the problem, move on to step two.
2) Reduced temperature transfers
If you’re working with a heat-sensitive garment, then reducing your fusing temperature is critical.
The reason for many scorch marks, is the fabric reacting to heat at a certain temperature. Each fabric type will react at a different temperature. For the more sensitive garments this can be between 130°C to 160°C.
Thats why the next step is to try a heat transfer that can be fused below this point. The most common transfer option here is a water-based transfer, which is typically fused at 120°C. See how you get on fusing at this lower temperature. But if there is still a slight mark, move to step three.
3) Cover sheets
A cover sheet is a barrier between the garment and the heat transfer. They come in different thicknesses and can affect your fuse in different ways. By adding a cover sheet to your process, it stops the hot platen from touching your garment directly.
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In this step, you can try different cover sheet types to see how they improve the way the fabric reacts under heat. The first type is to try is a standard transfer release paper. This is a thinner cover sheet, made from heat proof paper. Then if this does not quite work, you can then start to try thicker cover sheets like a grip flex or teflon based cover sheet.
A grip flex can form a protective layer, but you will need to experiment with increasing the heat or the press. This is because the teflon will retain some of the heat, and it may lose 5°C to 15°C by the time it reaches the transfer.
As the grip flex is much thicker than normal release paper, you will need to check your press is still on medium pressure.
4) Heated lower platens
If the previous three steps do not work then move on to this. Lower heated platens can be a game changer when working with heat sensitive fabrics. Traditional heat presses apply heat from the top platen, but by heating from underneath you can reduce the temperature. This means that the top platen can be set to 110°C, because there is now heat from below set at 120°C (or higher). Depending on the fabric type, it is still worth trying both cover sheet options here to find the best result.
Post-press care
After pressing, it’s recommended to wait at least 24 hours before washing the garment to ensure that the transfer fully sets. When decorating onto premium products such as jackets, you want to be using a decoration that will look and feel premium as well as last the lifetime of the jacket.
Conclusion
By using the ARCH method, you can confidently say yes to decorating those premium jackets and adding another revenue stream into your business.
Follow these steps and tips to ensure your jacket designs come out perfect every time.
October 2024 | 47 |
Follow these steps and tips to ensure your jacket designs come out perfect every time
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