Decoration method
Water-based transfers.
The soft hand of water-based, the freedom of full color, from a single piece.
How they work
Water-based transfers digitally print your design in full color, then press it into the garment so it sits into the fabric rather than on top. Unlike an old-school transfer there’s no heavy plastic feel. You get a soft, flexible finish closer to a water-based screen print. It’s a six-color digital process, so more range than standard CMYK, and we can Pantone-match, so your colors come out accurate rather than close-enough.
What they’re best for
Full-color, detailed and photographic artwork.
Unlimited colors with no per-color charge, one to a million, same price.
Single pieces through to bigger runs.
A soft, flexible hand feel.
Technical, stretch and performance fabrics where you want to keep the garment’s feel.
The finish
You can barely feel it
Run a thumb across it and the print moves with the cotton. Matte, low sheen, and it sits into the weave instead of on top of it. On a dark garment the color still reads clean, which is the part people don’t expect from something this soft.
Durability, size and files
Supacolor, who make our transfer film, wash-test these past 80 washes with the garment washed inside out. Max transfer size is A3, 11.7 × 16.5 in; go bigger and we’ll print direct to the garment instead. We print from high-res CMYK files, not RGB.
Transfers or DTF?
The two overlap. Water-based transfers give a softer, more into-the-fabric finish and serious wash life; DTF is more flexible on odd fabrics and turns around fastest. Tell us the garment and the look you’re after and we’ll pick the right one. Not sure what to press it on? Browse the blanks.
Practical
Placement, and living with it
Where a transfer goes
Chest, back, sleeve, hem, hood. Anywhere the press can meet the fabric flat, on cotton, poly, blends and stretch.
Curved and ribbed panels are the exception. A cap front or a beanie won’t take a pressed transfer cleanly, so those go to embroidery or a patch instead.
Washing and ironing
Inside out, cold, and skip the dryer where you can. If it needs an iron, iron the reverse side and keep the plate off the print.
That’s the same care a water-based screen print wants, so a mixed order doesn’t arrive with two sets of instructions.
Minimum order
1 piece
Colors
Unlimited
Wash life, vendor tested
80+ washes, inside out
Delivered in
2 to 3 weeks
Common questions
Can you match a specific color?
Yes, we Pantone-match. Send the PMS code with your artwork.
Is there a per-color charge?
No. Unlimited colors and gradients for the one price.
How big can a transfer go?
Up to A3, 11.7 × 16.5 in. Bigger and we print direct to the garment.
What fabrics do they suit?
A wide range, including technical and stretch fabrics, while keeping the garment’s hand feel.
What file do you need?
High-res CMYK artwork, not RGB.
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