Heat transfer bleed

[flisk]

Recently I got in some T-shirts that had a logo placed onto them via Heat Transfer Paper.

My understaning is that it was printed with a plain printer using it's regular inks onto a heat transfer paper, then applied onto white t-shirts with a heat press. The shirts were either Haines or Fruit of the Loom, just a common everyday white t-shirt.

Sublimation inks were not used. We ordered these from a local person who claims to have been doing these for over 15 years.

About 2 weeks later one of the shirts came back with the inks having washed onto the surrounding area of the shirt. Not acceptable.

The logo was a hand drawn image and so detailed that it could not be vectorized (hence why we did not go with screen-printing).

My question is, what would cause the ink to bleed like that?

Is it possible that the person doing it did not put a "primer spray" onto the shirts first? Or is that needed in doing heat transfers?

I'm heavily considering getting a sublimation set-up, mainly because I like to fart around with making shirts, but this issue got me thinking twice. Will sublimation inks do the same thing?

I also got in some samples of a machine that does direct to garment printing, but (holy mackerals!) $16,000.00 seems a bit much for me to have something just to fart aound with. I need to get a pick-up before I get one of those things...

[rcook99]

Brian, I have used premade transfers and also made transfers of full color pictures with my OKI 5200 and OEM inks with no problems. But I use a transfer paper from spectra that is for white shirts only. It works great for white shirts, but they fade over time but never had any of them bleed at all. The premade transfers I have used are for dark and lite shirts and work very well. Did a thousand last year for a fair and had no issues. Just did another 300 last month for a local sale and had no problem with them.

I was at a friends shop and he does sublimation and I have to say it is very nice as you can also do plaques with pics and lettering by just printing it on a transfer paper and pressing it to the steel on the plaque in full color and the colors were very vibrant. The only downfall to doing sublimation on t-shirts is you are limited to using 100% polyester, and they are more expensive than your regular tees. I hope this gave you some help to your questions.

Bob

[flisk]

Thanks Bob,

Yeah, it kindav does. Sublimation is something I had when I was down in Florida, alas it was one of the things I opted to sell off before I moved to the (sticks) middle of Arkansas.

I do like the options for what all you can sublimate on, and all of my t-shirt ideas could certainly come to life.

Dunno, just looking for options at this point. I know I want to be able to do this stuff in house, but after getting in these "bleeding" t-shirts, I'm looking to cover all options before I jump into any one thing.

[rcook99]

Take a look at artbrands.com they have many stock transfers full color for lite and dark color shirts and I believe they will produce transfers from your artwork also. This may be a way for you to go although may be pricey as they are doing the work and may have a limit on the amount they will produce for you.

Off the subject, but who built your site, or who did you use and if you don't mind me asking what did it cost? who do you use for hosting? If you don't wish to share the cost I understand.

Thanks Bob

[badgeman]

We do sublimation all day long. Shirts Ties scarves etc. before we went digital we also had a few of those transfers and I think we still have some boxes gathering dust somewhere.

I hate them personally but if someone wants one we explain all the Cons to them first. Ink running off is probable because it was not heat set long enough or at the right temperature. Happened once to us.

If someone wants something detailed and on a cotton t-shirt we sub out to a Direct to Garment printer friend we know who has a tjet. We give the customer a quote that way and a sublimated shirt. Once they look at the transfer versus a proper job on a Tjet or sublimation on polyester they normally go with one of the later options.

Keep a couple of samples handy to show customers. You will find that they may even change their mind about price.

Good luck

[Bogie]

I'm wondering what kind of ink was used.

I've done some shirts with eco ultra, using the "green line" paper from Alpha Supply, and they didn't turn out half bad. But if you're using something that is water soluble, you can run into problems. I generally press the things a little too hot and too long too...

[Si Allen]

Hey Brian....tell your website designer to get a 'spell checker'!
It is Advanced Design, not Advenced Design!

[flisk]

I built it, and I'm the speel checker.
It's something I've never been able to do is spele. I found a mispellling on it a few days back and fixed it. I'm sure there are other sepelling errors on there.
I used my other company www.darkblueweb.com .

Si Allen, I'll got it fixed today. Thanks for pointing that one out :)

[toonsign]

Good afternoon,

Sorry to take so long to answer your post but if the heat transfers were made using a non-pigmented ink, then the ink will run when it's washed for the first time.

To test to see if an ink will run, wash a sample shirt in warm water. While still wet, fold it in quarters and leave it for an hour. Make sure the shirt stays wet.

When the hour is up, unfold the shirt and look at the print. If it's going to run, you'll see it. If it doesn't run, then the ink is satisfacory.

Currentlu Ep[son printers are the basics of the heat transfer printers and using the Epson DureBrite inks. These inks are pigmented and I've been using these inks for the past 3 years with no running.

I print with a C86 onto Transjet II heat transfer paper. Works perfect on 100% cotton, 50/50, totes, etc...

Generally, any ink that is pigmented should work. For me and a lot of other printers, the Epson DureBrite has never run.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Melbourne FL

www.you-print-online.com (http://www.you-print-online.com)


Recently I got in some T-shirts that had a logo placed onto them via Heat Transfer Paper.

My understaning is that it was printed with a plain printer using it's regular inks onto a heat transfer paper, then applied onto white t-shirts with a heat press. The shirts were either Haines or Fruit of the Loom, just a common everyday white t-shirt.

Sublimation inks were not used. We ordered these from a local person who claims to have been doing these for over 15 years.

About 2 weeks later one of the shirts came back with the inks having washed onto the surrounding area of the shirt. Not acceptable.

[flisk]

Whoah, you are from Melboune, FL?
I just moved away from there about a year ago! Live there for about 4 years, LOVED it!
Had a kid and wife and I moved back to my home area (Memphis, TN) so that our daughter could grow up knowing her grandparents and extended family.

Thanks for the information! I'm considering getting a sublimation system from Conde' and I know it comes with a C88 printer, I know that those sublimation inks will work great on t-shirts, and I suppose I'd just use the same type heat transfer paper. Currently I'm subbing out some shirts to a local shop that states they have been doing them for 13 years, and they also claim to have never seen this type of bleed before. I glanced around their shop and as best I could tell they were using a regular printer link what I have at home, just something that uses the 56, 57, 59 inks.

[toonsign]

Hi Brian,

Sublimation ink does not work on 100% cotton shirts. After the first wash, it will wash out. Sublimation ink heat transfers work best on made made fabrics such as polyester, spandex, nylon, etc... Any sub ink transfers that are heat pressed onto any natural fibers such as cotton, canvas, wool, etc... will wash out.

On 50/50 blend shirts, the image will only wash out on the cotton part, leaving you with a faded look. I understand that there are some prep sprays on the market but I've never tried it and heard some good things, bad things about them.

If you are going to just be doing shirts and fabrics, mousepads, etc... you may be better off getting a C88 printer ($80) and using the Epson Durabrite inks (comes with the printer), then heat pressing them. The printers are available at most office stores such as Staples, Office max, etc...

The Durabrite inks work great on 100% cotton, 50/50, canvas, denim, mousepads, aprons, etc with no washout.

You should adjust your printer preferences to:

Yellow -15
Magenta +5
Cyan +5
Black ok

This will help the yellow/green tinting that usually occurs when heat pressing Durabrite inks. You may have to adjust it a bit but this will get you close and will eliminate any tinting.

Usually the reason for any ink washout is due to:

Sublimation - heat transfered to natural fibers such as cotton.

Regular inkjet inks - they are non-pigmented (dye based).

The best way to check to see if any inks run is to wash the sample t-shirts and before the 'spin' cycle, remove it from the washer while still wet, fold it in quarters let it sit for an hour, keeping it wet.

Then unfold it and see if any ink ran. This is the easiest (and cheapest) test. If the ink ran, change to pigmented inks. If it didn't run, then all prints you do will be good.

Hope this helps.

Fred

www.you-print-online.com (http://www.you-print-online.com)

[FisherDesigns]

I'm not understanding the vector/screenprint problem????.......If it's a clean image, why cant you just burn a screen from it?
Mark

[JPDTees]

Why not just contract it out to a DTG printer?

I would imagine after the price of the dye-sub shirt ($4.00+), ink, transfer paper and time, DTG contract printing would be the ticket.

Eric :cool: