Vinyl letters and designs are an easy way to decorate apparel and other items. Decorators can purchase the material by the roll and use a cutting machine and heat press to create and apply designs in-house, or they can order precut letters and numbers from a supplier – ideal for adding names and positions to sports uniforms. There are a variety of colors and finishes available, exponentially increasing the design potential.

Tips for Better Vinyl Printing

1. Use the Right Material: Suppliers have created heat-transfer vinyl and other materials designed to work well on a variety of fabrics, from tri-blends and performance to 100% cotton.

2. Follow the Recipe: For best results, it’s imperative to use the recommended time and pressure settings on your heat press. It doesn’t hurt to do a test print ahead of time just to make sure everything is working correctly.

3. Don’t Get Burnt: If you’re decorating a polyester shirt and use a transfer that applies at a high temperature, it could also start to melt the polyester fibers, leaving a shiny rectangle around your design. This is known as “scorching.” Avoid it by choosing a transfer material that requires a low temperature application.

4. Don’t be Afraid to Accessorize: Consider purchasing heat-printing accessories like a foam core pillow, perfect for garments with multiple seams, buttons or zippers. During pressing, the obstructions sink into the pillow, preventing print-through and heat press marks. Using the right platen size for the job at hand also helps – smaller platens let you reach your print area without pressing into seams.

Try These Hot Trends

Shine
Reflective vinyl isn’t just for safety and high-visibility apparel – the bright material is also a great way to punch up fashion prints. Another fun option is to use glow-in-the-dark vinyl in a design.

Glitz
Glitter vinyl and metallic foils add high drama to any design.

Layered
Mix and match vinyl in different colors, finishes and treatments to create a one-of-a-kind look. Be careful to lay out your layered design carefully to keep everything in registration, and price your products appropriately, since each layer adds to material cost, time and labor.

Product Hub
Find the latest in quality products, must-know trends and fresh ideas for upcoming end-buyer campaigns.