Sunday, October 28, 2018

Facts About Thermal Transfer Ribbon

By Dorothy Barnes


Heat transfer vinyl is a special vinyl used on particular types of fabric and materials by businesses and people to develop promotional designs and products. It is often abbreviated as HTV. The supply of this material is done in form of rolls or sheets. Sheet forms are placed on adhesive backings so that they can be cut into all forms and shape wanted by a person. Here are the various brands of thermal transfer ribbon.

After cutting the desired shape or form, the sheet is weeded before being placed on a substrate for heat application. The sheet is created in single colors. However, there are many different special options. Flocked, patterned, glitter, 3D puff, glow-in-the-dark, and holographic are among the options that are available. With these many options, purchasers are able to choose a product that meets their tastes, needs, and preferences.

Companies that make HTV are very many, and they run very large operations. Also, some companies have branded versions of their own HTV. The brand that is selected is to be determined by a few factors such as personal preferences and method of heat transfer. Since HTV is applied on a wide range of materials, the brand should also be selected based on the substrate material.

There exist different versions of vinyl for every brand present on the market. The various versions of ribbons are suitable for use with different fabrics and substrates.. Doing a compatibility test on different substrates is vital before one chooses to use a particular brand. In case a certain product is determined to be suitable for a particular substrate, a person can then move on to use it.

HTV is suitable for use on a wide range of products. These products include tote bags, jerseys, headbands, koozies, and shirts, and hats. One must ensure that the material they use can take the heat and pressure that is usually applied to transfer the vinyl onto the substrate. Manufacturers are usually specific in their products and will always list the types of materials that are suitable for the various HTVs they produce.

Among the materials that can be used with this procedure are polyester blends, cotton, canvas, and polyester. There are also some HTVs that one can use on nylon and leather. Plastics and paper are not able to withstand the heat needed to facilitate the transfer of HTV. Therefore, they are not highly recommended for use. However, special kinds of HTVs have been produced for plastics and paper.

Extra pieces of equipment are normally needed in working with HTV. Design software and vinyl cutters are some of the necessities. Desktop cutters can be applied by when operating with small volume projects and small budgets. For higher volumes, standalone cutters are more suitable. One can use print/cut printers to perform printed vinyl.

Weeding tools are also needed. Weeding tools are used to remove HTV does not entail the design or pattern that needs to be transferred. An iron or heat press is used in the transfer of HTV to the substrate. Heat presses should be used for one to get professional results. Heat presses are able to set and maintain specific temperatures and pressure required by specific vinyl.




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