Print Techniques 101: HTV

by Fullysick Brand

What is Heat Transfer Vinyl?

Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) is a digital printing technique that involves cutting the design out of a sheet of vinyl material and then heat pressing the design onto the garment or textile. HTV is an excellent printing option for producing high-quality, multi-colored designs on a range of fabrics.

HTV printing is a popular choice for customized t-shirts, printing by football teams and other sports teams, as it is ideal for printing numbers and names onto a single-colour design. This type of printing is the most popular for simple orders with high-impact designs.

A major advantage of vinyl printing is that there aren’t any setup costs involved allowing for short print runs at a very reasonable price. It is also very versatile and can be used on virtually all types of personalised clothing including personalised t shirts, polo shirts, work shirts, bags, caps, micro-fleeces, workwear and lots more. If you have any doubts then simply ask our staff and we’ll give you advice.

The process of printing these special effect materials is exactly the same; a plotter is used to cut the design from the material before it is applied using an industrial heat press on to the garment itself.

Advantages and Disadvantages of HTV

Advantages of HTV Printing

Long-Lasting: HTV prints are highly durable and long-lasting, making them ideal for custom clothing that will be washed and worn regularly.
Versatile: HTV printing can be used to print on a wide range of fabrics, including cotton, polyester, and blends.
No Minimum Order Requirements: HTV printing allows you to print as few or as many items as you need, without any minimum order requirements.

Disadvantages of HTV Printing

Limited color options: HTV is available in a limited range of colors, which may restrict the design options.
Limited detail: HTV is not ideal for highly detailed designs or small text as it may not transfer well onto the fabric.
Bulky: HTV can sometimes feel bulky on the garment, especially when layering multiple colors or designs.

Artwork guidelines for HTV printing

Vectored Artwork (.AI, .EPS) or high resolution .PSD, .SVG, and .PDF. with layers and transparent backgrounds.
Resolution of 300 DPI or higher.
Design uses solid colors and has clear color separation.
Low resolution designs may have to be vectorized by a graphic design artist.
The vectorized lines used in your design must be at least 1 pt or .013 inches for the design to be visible and cut out properly

Notes

Elements should have at least 5mm of height and width in order to cut them.
Printing on the seams is not possible.
The vinyl will be selected from the avalaible colours in the workshop, choosing the most similar one to that of the design.
Printing size is limited by garment size and may have to be adjusted with no futher notification.

Things you need to think about

1. Your required print positions, print sizes and print size limitations:

Sleeves, left or right breast, across the shoulders, lower back, name or number etc.

2. Your preferred printing technique:

Vinyl printing for names and numbers and solid colours.

3. Accepted formats in Adobe Illustrator / Adobe Photoshop, PNG, PSD, JPG, EPS, PDF.

Just send us what you have hello@fullysickbrand.com and we will advise or assist you with your artwork limitations.

4. Required vector files:

Ask us for more information.

Volume Discounts

If you already know the kind of print you need, then you can contact us at hello@fullysickbrand.com or fill up the form in the contact us page, our team will return with a quote within 48 hours. Also, please provide ready-to-print artworks (in vector, .ai, .eps) along with detail description on print sizes and the position of the artwork.

Conclusion

If you want a durable, versatile, cost-effective, easy-to-use, and customizable option for printing your designs, HTV is an excellent choice.