100% or 50/50 Fabrics – Which works best for transfers?
Mar/100
Two of the most common types of t shirts and hooded sweatshirts customers request are 100% cotton and 50/50 cotton/polyester blends. For applying screen printed transfers though, which one works best and is there any difference in the finished product after the heat transfer is applied? For the finished product the answer is, “No, there is no difference in the quality or durability of the finished product if using 100% or 50/50 t shirts or hoodies”. The plastisol ink will attach itself to the fabric fibers in the same way.
Now, before the custom transfer is applied to the garment is where you may see a difference. The difference between 100% cotton and a 50/50 is the amount of moisture in the fabric fibers. The 100% cotton t shirt or hooded sweatshirt will hold more moisture and will need to be prepressed for a longer duration to remove the moisture. This is done before the transfer is applied.
Which screen printed ink formulas work best for the different types of fabric?
50/50 Cotton Polyester blends – Goof Proof®, Hot Split, Polytrans, as well as every other heat transfer that Transfer Express manufactures.
100% Cotton – Same as 50/50.
Recommendation:
Hot Split transfers will apply to 100% cotton however a longer prepress time is needed. All you need to do is pre-press for a few more seconds or until you do not see any more “steam” being released.
If you are unsure of which transfer type will work best for your type of fabric our Dealer Services Team is more than happy to give you suggestions.
100% or 50/50 Fabrics – Which works best for transfers?What is the Shipping Cost?
Mar/100
One of the most frequently asked questions when placing your custom transfer order is about shipping costs. These costs are set by the carriers, Federal Express and UPS. You can choose which of the carriers will work best for you. Both companies offer similar services at similar costs. Shipping cost is based on how far it will go, how fast you need it, the size and the weight. The type of packaging does not affect the cost. For example, even if you buy a few Express Names™, we use our “pizza” box, as the size of the box does not affect cost. This type of box will protect your purchase as opposed to sending them in an envelope that may bend.
The least expensive shipping method is Ground. With either ground service your package will arrive in 1-4 days depending on your location. Most packages weigh about 2-5 pounds (the carriers always charge for the minimum weight of 2 pounds) and will cost $8-$12.
If you are in the Midwest, ground is the best way to ship. For those outside of the Midwest region we have negotiated a special rate, called Speedy Air. With this service you will get your package via air in 2 working days, anywhere in the continental United States, for the price of ground. So no matter where you are located your package arrives in just 2 days!
If you need your package guaranteed overnight you will need to use a Next Day Air Service. There are two types of next day air services—next morning or next afternoon. The morning service costs more and will deliver your package by 10:30 am to most commercial addresses. If you are located in a residential or rural area this package should arrive by noon. The typical cost for a 2-5 pound package sent Next Morning is approximately $30-$35. The second type of air service, saves a little money and is Next Afternoon. To commercial addresses in most cities this arrives by 3:30 but can arrive anytime during their delivery day to rural and residential addresses. The typical cost for a Next Afternoon package weighing 2-5 pounds is about $25-$30.
If you choose to have your package sent COD (cash on delivery) a $12 charge is added to pay the carrier to collect the money. You save the COD fees by using a credit card. We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.
At Transfer Express we try to reduce costs by using ship groups. Orders scheduled to ship the same day will always be grouped together to ship in one box, for one shipping fee. If you have orders shipping over several days, you can decide if they should be grouped to leave with the latest package or shipped separately based on your time needs. Just let your dealer service representative know what works best for you.
What is the Shipping Cost?Express Your Views- New Tea Party Transfers
Feb/100
Whatever your political views, we can make a custom transfer that will share your message. We have created some new layouts for the Tea Party movement but if you don’t share these views the words can be replaced to best fit your message. See all of our political transfer ideas in the election section of our Idea Book™. Just choose a layout, change the clip art and text and let us know the size and colors! If you order your one color print by 11 AM EST, it ships the same day, and multi-color prints take just 2 days. Plus your transfers will arrive anywhere in the continental US in 2 working days with our exclusive Speedy Air, 2 day air shipping for the price of ground!
Customizable Tea Party Designs
St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt Design Ideas
Feb/100
QAL-289 with x19a-999 distress
We are already seeing Saint Patrick’s Day custom transfers flying through the Transfer Express production line. It’s about that time that Dealers start advertising their ability to create the holiday gear and give the customers design ideas. There are so many available Easy Prints® layouts that can be customized to show the St. Patty’s Day spirit! Order just a clip art of a shamrock or choose a layout from the Idea Book™ for more customization options. Some layouts have already been set up specifically for St. Patrick’s Day. Look for layout QHL-34, QHL-41, QHL-42 in the Easy Prints® Idea Book™ or search them online.
This season customers are looking for simple designs with text and clip art with added effects such as distressed or pattern fills. These custom plastisol transfers aren’t just for t shirts either. Heat print your transfers onto foam koozies for those green beer drinkers too!
Our designers put together a few examples of design ideas, clip art, and typestyles that can be used for the St. Patty’s Day celebrations. Don’t forget you can add a distressed effect to many layouts and clip art to give your custom screen printed transfer a vintage look!
Clip Art:
Shamrocks
Leprechauns
Beer Mugs
Typestyles
Tips for Winning Your Local Baseball League Orders
Feb/100
1. Most baseball leagues are run by volunteers who change year to year. Look in the newspaper for sign-up information to get the name of this year’s contact.
2. Use Easy View™ to approach the contact with new ideas for this year’s league. Prepare a few designs for your first meeting with their name and show them the Idea Book™ for more ideas. Many times they say “do what we did last year” but a new design can separate you from the competition and will win you the job.
Ideas for Mentor Baseball League
3. Suggest new ways to add the sponsor name to the shirt as well. These uses/placement of the sponsor name will save both you and the league money:
- Under the league logo
- Above the number on the back
- On the sleeve
4. Let them know the service you can offer. Remember one color Easy Prints® now ship the same day when ordered by 11am EST, pass this information on to your customer as a service you can offer.
5. Watch our Free Webinar on Leagues as Easy as 1, 2, 3 on February 23rd for more tips and information.
Tips for Winning Your Local Baseball League OrdersArtwork Upload Area – New & Improved!
Feb/100
Transfer Express has refreshed and improved our file upload area of our web site to make it easier for you to get real-time statuses and images of your uploaded artwork.
What’s New!
Benefits for our Dealers:
• Faster review of your artwork
• Real-time statuses and updates of your uploaded artwork
• Thumbnails of artwork that you upload
• Upload progress bar for large files
• “My Uploads” area added to TransferExpress.com
Changes to be aware of:
• Our file upload area now requires a login
Dealers – Just login with the Dealer ID and password that you already use on TransferExpress.com
Potential Dealers – You must register to use our new upload area
• When? This is scheduled to go live on Thursday Feb. 18th, 2010
How to Become a Dealer - All you need is a Heat Press!
What is Clip Art?
Feb/100
Clip art for customizing Easy Prints® layout
Clip art is ready made art that can be used to create your custom transfers. At Transfer Express, we offer thousands of clip art to help create your custom print ready to apply to your apparel.
The clip art is categorized online and in the Idea Book™. We offer general shapes, mascots, animals, occupations, and sports to name a few of the categories. To find what you are looking for use our clip art search. To find the best results in our search, enter the simplest part of the description you would call the clip art you are looking for. Example: Search for “glasses” instead of sun “glasses” or “bee” instead of “bumble bee”.
Our clip art can be added to an Easy Prints® layout, with text or used alone. It can ordered in just one color or as many colors as you like. If using just one color, what you see in black will be the color you select. If you want to add colors, just let us know what colors are needed and where they should be placed. To order clip art alone – use the layout QAL-CLIP when ordering online.
With thousands of clip art choices, any layout can be made custom for your specific need. The choices are endless….
Don’t forget about selling those St. Patrick’s Day shirts. We have shamrock clip art too!
What is Clip Art?I “Heart” Custom T-shirts!
Feb/100
The popular “I (heart) ____” design is a well known symbol in American culture. Today a different variation is growing and becoming a much wanted tshirt among the younger audience. Seen in schools and organizations all over the country groups have replaced the (heart) with a symbol for their group such as a “baseball clip art” for the Boys Varsity Baseball team. See examples below. Even though you are replacing the (heart) with a clip art of your choice, the audience recognizes that design as the “I (heart) ____” design that is regaining popularity.
To have custom transfers created using this design idea, use Easy Prints® layout QAL-340 and customize the text and clip art for your customer’s needs. Some great examples are below to get your creativity flowing. Becoming a Dealer allows you to use the Easy View™ design previewer to see your design idea before it gets printed!
I love tshirts!
February Heat Press Special – Free Freight!
Feb/100
Hotronix® Auto Clam Heat Press
For those Dealers of custom apparel or those just starting their t shirt printing business, Transfer Express is now offering FREE FREIGHT on all Hotronix® and Maxx™ style heat presses for the month of February. Hotronix® and Maxx™ heat presses are the most accurate machine for heat printing custom transfers. With any heat press purchased from Transfer Express you will receive a free 2010 Marketing Kit complete with the Easy Prints® Idea Book™, Color Selector, Display transfers and much more!
Also, Hotronix® ground ships the heat presses the “Same Day” if ordered by 1pm. Order your Hotronix® or Maxx™ heat press online or call our Dealer Services Department to place your order!
Faux Rhinestone Transfers Add Bling to Your Custom Prints
Feb/100
Rhinestones are hot, but finding someone to do custom printed rhinestone transfers is difficult, and the cost is high. For your budget-minded customer, we offer an alternative, “Faux Rhinestone”. Faux Rhinestone is not actual rhinestones, but rather a screen printed transfer created with a dot pattern and glitter ink to give the effect of rhinestone. We offer several transfer designs from cheerleading to basketball to give your customer some “Bling!” Just choose a layout, let us know what you would like it to say and choose one or more of our glitter ink colors—Silver, Gold, Red, Blue or Green. We have free samples of faux rhinestone available if you would like to see it before you order, just give us a call!
Faux Rhinestone t-shirt designs
