Heat Transfer Vinyl, or HTV, is a thin plastic-based material commonly used to decorate apparel and create various types of crafts. It comes in ultra thin sheets or rolls that are typically 12 inches wide by anywhere between 1 to 100 FT in length. HTV rolls that are purchased in craft stores typically come in lengths between 2 and 5 feet, but longer lengths are available from online retailers and specialty stores. One of the nice things about HTV is that it is available in hundreds of colors, patterns and finishes including glossy or matte. Patterns such as camouflage, leopard print and floral designs common. Specialty HTV such as metallic, glitter, reflective, color shift (chameleon), perforated, glow-in-the-dark and even puffy 3-D HTV is available. Some HTV can be even be printed or sublimated on. Most HTV is made to withstand the stretching and washing of garments making it an excellent choice for T-shirts and other apparel. HTV is also well suited for wood, ceramics and certain leather products.
HTV has a special heat-activated adhesive backing but it is not sticky to the touch. Heat must be applied from an iron or heat press to activate the glue causing the vinyl to bond with the surface of the material beneath it. A clear carrier, sometimes referred to as a transfer sheet, protects the finished side until it is pressed.
Designs made with HTV are cut on the reverse side, so the image needs to be mirrored horizontally. The best way to cut HTV is to use a vinyl cutting machine such as a Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 4, but simpler designs can be cut by hand with scissors or an X-Acto knife. You must remove the unwanted portions of vinyl from your design using a sharp blade or special hook tool being careful not to damage the design. This process is called “weeding.” When the weeding process is complete, you will see your design, but it will be appear reversed until you flip it over.
The remaining design is left on the transfer sheet. To prepare your item, your should use a lint roller to remove any dust, hair, fuzzies or loose threads as these may become trapped under the vinyl, ruining your design. The design is now placed face-up on the item. You may also want to cover the design with a teflon sheet or some butcher paper to prevent scorching. Next, press the design using the recommended heat and pressure settings – usually around 315˚F for about 15 seconds, but these settings vary based on the vinyl used and the material to be pressed. Finally, the clear transfer sheet is peeled off leaving behind a crisp, clean design on your item!
A word of caution: Some HTV can be peeled while still hot (hot peel) while others must cool down for at least 15-20 seconds or more (cold peel) before removing the transfer sheet. If you remove the transfer sheet for cold peel HTV while it is too hot, you risk lifting off the vinyl before the adhesive has a chance to set – potentially ruining your design. Always lift slowly at first to check if you are unsure and press again if you need to.
For multi-color designs, the process is repeated for each color by layering and pressing one color or layer at a time to create the final design. Note, however, that certain HTV (such as most glitter HTV) cannot be layered on top of so special planning may be necessary when determining how to layer your design. Always check the instructions for the specific HTV you are using to determine layering ability, temperature, peel and cut settings. Also, when layering designs, be aware that the HTV may shrink slightly when heat is applied. This may require you to slightly adjust the size of your layers, so you may want to create a test piece first.
You should not wash/clean your item for about 24 hours so that the adhesive has enough time to fully cure. It is advisable to wash clothing items inside out to extend the life of your design.