I’m reaching out to the newbies in the world of heat transfer (and please don’t be scared away by the length of this blog, it’s easy reading – I promise!) After looking at our site and doing your own research, I’m sure you are thinking, “HELP! I know I want to get my own business started but where in the world do I begin?! Do I start with heat transfer vinyl? Sign vinyl? Sublimation? And by the way, what is sublimation?! Maybe I should just start with heat transfer paper? And if I go with paper, do I use inkjet or laser? How do I choose which heat press is best for me?” Whew! That’s a lot to take in, but, hopefully, we can help!
Now then, let me start by saying I know it can be a bit overwhelming and I know how ‘ya feel! I came to Coastal a few years ago from the world of insurance claims and, to say the least, I knew nothing about all this! In fact, I almost turned ‘em down when I was offered the job because I knew I loved dealing with insurance (don’t tell the boss man I said that!) Much to my surprise, Coastal is now a part of me and hopefully will soon be a part of you too…well, your business that is!
Moving on. I’m sure there are other questions in your head outside of “Where do I begin?” such as, “Once I get started, how do I market my business so I can start bringing in the dough?” Or “What prices do I set for my product?”
I will try to answer these questions, or at least provide my opinion on these topics throughout my next few blogs. For now we will just stick with getting started.
For starters you will need a heat press (and of course we can help you choose the best one for you when you are ready). You will also need some type of design software (CorelDraw, Photoshop, etc) and either a vinyl cutter or a printer depending on what you choose to start with. Don’t forget – we have starter packages for heat transfer, sublimation and vinyl to help you get started!
You will need to decide which products you think will help you have a successful business. Here is a list of options for transfers and a brief description of each:
Heat transfer vinyl
If you plan on using heat transfer vinyl, you will need a vinyl cutter instead of a printer.
- Flock heat transfer vinyl makes onesies irresistable!
Vinyl is best when you are transferring images with only one or two colors, such as letters or numbers for the back of jerseys and t-shirts. It’s also great for other items, like blankets (using our flock vinyl on baby blankets with the name and date of birth is very cute!). You can also choose glitter, metallic, designer vinyl (like zebra or leopard print) and, of course, standard vinyls too.
Sign Vinyl
There are quite a few different options with sign vinyl, but the two most popular choices are intermediate and premium.
· Intermediate – This is also called “calendered.” It’s made to last about 4-5 years and is for flat surfaces only like windows, signs, banners, etc.
· Premium – This is also called “cast.” It’s made to last about 9 years and is intended for curved surfaces like boats, doors, tow trucks, etc.
Heat transfer paper
You have many options when getting into the heat transfer business using paper. We have paper for light colored garments or for darks. For inkjet printers or for laser. And we carry it in sheets or rolls. The best thing about heat transfer paper is that no special inks are needed. You just need a standard inkjet or laser printer and standard inks.
· Inkjet transfers – Many of us at Coastal recommend sticking with inkjet. It’s better quality (in my opinion) and the paper for light colored garments is softer, stretchier and has better colors.
· Laser transfer – There are a few downfalls to laser transfers. The first one is laser printers often run hot – sometimes just getting the paper to run through the printer without jamming can be challenging. Secondly, you MUST use a heat press. Home irons don’t get hot enough to release the image off of the laser papers, unlike inkjet transfers (of course, we always recommended you use a heat press over a home iron if possible for better results).
Sublimation
Sublimation is great for transferring images to things like mugs, tiles, dog tags, cutting boards and more. The list of the products you can transfer to is almost endless. However, if you want to use sublimation ink, you can only transfer to items that are polyester-coated or fabrics that are 100% polyester. We have a lot of information about this on our website. Check out the sublimation section of our Information Library – we have a ton of information that can explain what sublimation is, what you need for it and has templates for many of our sublimation blanks.
If you have read this far in my blog – Congratulations! Now, of course, after you have read this entire thing you are feeling like “What have I gotten myself into?” Take a deep breath and take it all in. After all, you have just read the keys to a successful business. I know, it’s much easier said than done, but now it’s time to get moving! Get moving on designs, get moving on production and start selling!
P.S. Welcome aboard! We’re so glad to have you here and please know that Coastal is here to help whenever you need us!