Benefit your business and add to your bottom line

Garment transfer paper should be an important segment of any garment or product decoration business, says Peter Wright, managing director of Amaya Sales UK. Read on to find out why.

Transfer paper has evolved greatly over the last few years. You can now use this kind of product for many kinds of applications. Whether you are in embroidery, screen printing, vinyl printing, engraving or any business involved in personalisation, you should offer this along with your other applications.

Just in case you are not using transfer paper I thought I would run through the various types and the processes used in applying them.

Printing full colour on to black or dark garments

This has become a very popular application and gives you the lowest start up cost for full colour printing on to dark products. Because printing onto dark products/garments require a white under base, you would need to purchase a white toner printer.

First print your image in mirror in full colour on the transparent A-Foil. Press it together with the dark opaque B-Paper and separate both sheets from each other while hot, giving you a transfer ready to be applied to your garment. The white coverage on the image from the B-Paper, not only increases the opacity of the transfer on dark garments but also contributes to the wash ability of the transfer. Also remember that there is no weeding.

Prints on to most fabrics and substrates, such as cotton, polyester, mixed fabric, nylon, leather, denim, paper, book covers, felt and much more.

Printing single colour on to black or dark garments

This paper allows single colour printing on dark garments but only requires a standard black laser printer. The papers are available in standard colours, metallic and neon.

First print your image in mirror in black on the transparent A-Foil. Press it together with the dark opaque B-Paper and separate both sheets from each other while hot, giving you a transfer ready to be applied to your garment. The white coverage on the image from the B-Paper, not only increases the opacity of the transfer on dark garments but also contributes to the wash ability of the transfer.

This paper has many uses and can print intricate designs for fashion or personalisation, with no weeding.

Prints on to most fabrics and substrates, such as cotton, polyester, mixed fabric, nylon, leather, denim, paper, book covers, felt and much more.

Printing on to white shirts

There are several types of transfer paper available for printing on to white or pale coloured shirts.

These are all one paper systems and range from basic high production to high end products.

The basic products are ideal for printing full colour on to shirts, mouse mats caps etc.

The high-end papers for printing on white offer intricate printing with no weeding and no background around you image. One of these requires the use of a white toner printer and gives brighter colours on a white shirt. The other one is a transparent product and works with a standard CYMK laser printer.

Hot stamping foils

These are used in conjunction with the full colour printing on to dark garments. Once you have pressed your A and B papers on to your garment, you then apply the metallic foil and heat press again. These are available in a wide variety of colours.

Transfers for hard surfaces

There are also a variety of products for hard surfaces. Transfers that can be applied to wood, ceramic, slate, metal, glass, plastic and even candles.

To apply these papers, you would require a good class heat press, ideally one that can hover over the transfer.

One of the main benefits of transfer paper is that it can be applied to so many different fabrics and substrates.

So, with a good quality transfer paper there are many ways that you can benefit your business and add greatly to your bottom line.