badun 3 Posted September 26, 2011 (edited) oops, got distracted while typing in the subject name. I meant to say "Shrinkage with heat transfer vinyl". I recently purchased ThermoFlex® Plus heat transfer vinyl from Best Blanks to make a dozen two-color sports t-shirts. It cut well and was easy to apply (I used a clothes iron, but I'm in the process of purchasing a press) but the first layer shrank considerably during/after application. The top layer was then out of alignment (the bottom layer is the outline for letting, so the misalignment really stands out). I previously purchased some noname heat transfer vinyl for a similar project and it was quite a bit thicker than the ThermoFlex® Plus - and it did not shrink at all so two-color alignment was perfect. The t-shirt material was 50/50 cotton/poly. Iron temperature was ~50 degrees less than prescribed on the instructions. The carrier film was removed almost immediately after application. So the question is, what caused the shrinkage? And how can I prevent it? I like the price and ease of cutting of the ThermoFlex® Plus, but it it was the cause of the problem then I'll just switch brands. But I don't want to stock up on something else if the problem is technique! Edited September 26, 2011 by badun Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roxanneupnorth 106 Posted September 26, 2011 Probably too much heat and too little pressure....Sorry home irons just do not work consistently.....Thermo Flex is as good as any other material out there...So unless you had a bad roll, I doubt the material is the problem..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badun 3 Posted September 26, 2011 Probably too much heat and too little pressure....Sorry home irons just do not work consistently.....Thermo Flex is as good as any other material out there...So unless you had a bad roll, I doubt the material is the problem..... Cool, glad to hear that it is easy to remedy. I should have a press within a week or so but was holding off on purchasing additional vinyl until I knew the cause of the problem. Fortunately, the misalignment wasn't consistent and looked deliberate so I was able to pass it off as artistic license. And it was my own team so I didn't have to worry about upsetting paying customers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbsuperduty 0 Posted October 11, 2011 How long did you press/iron the first layer? When layering you do the first layers for just a few seconds and then the last layer for the entire time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
