This special kind of vinyl can be ironed on different surfaces, including leather, wood, and fabric. It comes in numerous designs and colors, including glow-in-the-dark, patterned, foil, glitter, printable, glossy, matte, and metallic.
However, if you want a custom color combo, you can always request a manufacturer to produce an HTV. On top of that, HTV has a clear carrier sheet; therefore, you don’t have to utilize a transfer tape when working with HTV. This sheet carries your design appropriately, allowing you to iron it to different surfaces.
HTV-Related Terms
Here are a few HTV-related terminologies used to refer to application guides and other related situations:
1. Carrier
This is the clear, glossy back on a HTV sheet. This can be slippery or sticky, based on the types of HTV. Additionally, they can come in medium, low, and high-tack backs. If you intend to transfer intricate designs, the best carrier is high-tack backing.
2. Cavities
These are the middle sections of the design, surrounded by excess vinyl.
3. Peel
After heating the vinyl, you have to peel the carrier from the HTV. Depending on the type of HTV, your options are cold, warm, and hot peel.
Cold peel
Allow the carrier to get cold before peeling the carrier.
Warm peel
Let the carrier cool down, then peel out the carrier when the HTV is warm.
Hot peel
Remove the carrier while the HTV is still hot.
4. Soft Hand
An HTV with a soft hand is lightweight and soft.
5. Stretch and Rebound
These are related to HTV’s flexibility. When the HTV stretches, it gets back to its initial shape eventually. This variable is essential when working with jerseys or activewear requiring HTV that moves with the cloth.
6. Vinyl Cutter
These are the machinery and tools for DIY heat transfer productions. They are normally used with HTV, transfer paper, and screen-printed transfers to develop unique designs for clothes or other custom print designs.
7. Weed
This refers to removing extra vinyl from the cut product, which leaves only the design on the material.
HTV Applications
HTV is used in numerous ways, and before you make a purchase, here is what you should consider:
Resilience
For products like jersey, abrasion resistance and overall resilience is imperative. Choose HTV that can outlast the garment’s life. Most of these materials can apply heat to ply-cotton blends, polyester, and cotton. A few materials can work with nylon mesh, along with other materials that are tough to work with.
Weight & Flexibility
The next thing to consider is weight and flexibility. If you are working with performance wear, having HTV that won’t limit your garment would be best.
Type of Fabric
Some fabric types are more effortless to work with than others. You won’t have any problems getting HTV to design clothes made of cotton. On the other hand, working with a woven nylon bag or polyester, rayon, and spandex might not be as easy. You might require a specific HTV, so choose accordingly.
In Conclusion
There is plenty to learn about heat transfer vinyl, but having covered the basics, we hope this has helped you better understand what HTV is all about.
Here at TransWonder, we manufacture easy-to-transfer, cut, and weed HTV making it the perfect choice for numerous materials. Additionally, you can machine wash it multiple times without worrying about it getting ruined.
Contact us for your order or a free quote!
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
