Ever wonder if the moisture content in apparel reduces the ability for ink to adhere to the garment during the pressing process? Readers from Printwear were wondering the same thing, so here is Chris Pluck’s published response:
Yes, the garment’s moisture makes a difference. When applying heat transfers with a heat press, the garment’s moisture can impede the progression of the ink remelt properties, resulting in reduced ink adhesion. This can be a problem when the transfer application takes only a few seconds.
So how can you best prep the garment to prevent issues with the transfer? If moisture is high in the garment, prepress it under the heat press for approximately five seconds at a temperature setting of around 360 degrees F. Then, apply the transfer according to the regular procedure.
Chris Pluck has been involved with the imprinting of textiles for more than 30 years. He is a passionate and positive advocate for all aspects of apparel printing. He is widely recognized for establishing inventive heat fusible printing products for the imaging of textile and won the 2015 SGIA Golden Image Award for Best Heat Transfer.
Pluck is also Business Development Director at Insta Graphic Systems, Cerritos, California. For more information, visit www.instagraph.com