Heat transfer vinyl is a thin, plastic material that adheres to t-shirts or other fabric through a combination of heat and pressure. Vinyl is a popular choice for making custom t-shirts for a business, sports team, or just for fun. Here are some pros and cons of using heat transfer vinyl on shirts that you may want to know about.
Pro: Looks Great
One of the most notable advantages of heat transfer vinyl is that it looks great. Most manufacturers make or upload the design onto a computer and print it out from there. This process ensures that the pattern is clear and has a high resolution that looks fantastic on a t-shirt.
Con: Requires Extra Care
A notable downside with heat transfer vinyl is that you have to be more careful when taking care of it. For example, you can’t iron heat transfer vinyl because that can warp and damage the material. Carelessly washing and drying shirts are some of the biggest mistakes to avoid with heat transfer vinyl. You can take steps to help the fabric last. But otherwise, it may start to peel or chip away.
Pro: Cost Effective
When looking at the pros and cons of using heat transfer vinyl on shirts, the cost is something that may come up in both categories. HTV shirts are a fantastic, cost-effective option if you’re doing a small print run or just making a few shirts for you and your friends or coworkers. However, there may be better choices for large-quantity print runs due to the time and material costs of HTV.
Con: Rubbery Feel
Some people dislike HTV on shirts because it has a distinct rubbery feel compared to screen printing or other design options. The printer ink coverage on your HTV design typically doesn’t impact how wearing the shirt feels, but the design may feel a bit peculiar to the touch when you fold it or otherwise handle it.