New to color heat transfers and need informations

[bigben]

So I have a heat transfer press for few times now. I've only used it with cut only material. I do outsource my screen printed t-shirt but I'm starting to have few demand for full color print on dark garment. Last time I've check to have material compatible with my HP latex printer, it was very expensive and the feeling of the material on the shirt was too... plastic. I don't know how else I would explained it.

So I've saw a post on linkedin about the OKi pro8432wt and I've found it very interesting to have white ink. I've contacted my local dealer to get more information, but it seems that model is very new and not available to Canada yet. He suggested me the OKI C711WT instead.

So I'm looking for feedback to know if I go with the current model or do I wait for the new one? Also, what would be the global cost of all the consumable to make one print? I want to make a calculation of the ROI on it.

Again, using my HP latex printer to make the print would still be an option if it's a valuable option over buying a laser printer dedicated to this.

Thanks for your help and feedback.

 

[Dan360]

What material did you try with your HP?

We use Siser ColorPrint for heat transfers on our 360 and have had great results. We get it from ND Graphics.

 

[bigben]

What material did you try with your HP?

We use Siser ColorPrint for heat transfers on our 360 and have had great results. We get it from ND Graphics.

I think that was the one I've tried. I did not like the plastic feel of it.

 

[bannertime]

I think that was the one I've tried. I did not like the plastic feel of it.

That's every kind of full color transfer. You can try and get plastisol CMYK color transfers but even they have a plastic-y feel. The best option is a direct to garment option. Epson makes a few. Especially if you're wanting to do it on low quantity shirts. However, those run close to 20k and up. So get the best laser dark sublimation or whatever and use it.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The only thing that has no (what we call) "hand" to the feel of the garment is sublimation.

That's the process of dyeing the fabric. Con to that is that it has to be light colors and it has to be 100% poly.

Unless you are wanting to get a "distress" look to it, then you can use 50/50 blend and really only the poly fibers will still have ink. I don't particularly like that look for this type of process, but there are those that do.

If you want to be able to do sublimation for darks, you'll actually have to start with white fabric and sublimate the black (or other dark color) on there yourself. If you are going to do "all over" like this, I would be wiling to finish sewing the shirt or do your own pattern (this would be preferable, but not what everyone wants to do).

Color is going to have a learning curve. Since this is dyeing, there is a mixture of the base garment color (especially if using any light color other then "pure" white) and the ink color that you are laying down.

Again, sublimation is the only way to get around some type of "hand" on the finish garment.

 

[rjssigns]

As others have said there is no way around the "plasticky" feel. But it doesn't matter what you like, it is up to your clients to decide. They may think its great. Mine do.

 

[bigben]

Thank you all for the information. I'll try the material compatible with my latex printer and make some test.

 

[henryz]

You could get another small printer for shirts only like the BN-20?