Heat Transfers for Tagless Labels
Heat transfers for tagless labels are an easy way to apply care labels that are customized to your liking to garments. Other methods, however, could be more cost-effective and efficient.
Also known as thermal transfers, heat transfers are a method in which a logo or design is printed on transfer paper by a special inkjet printer. The graphic is cut out of the paper and laid on the garment. A heat press is warmed up and is pressed onto the label and garment for 25-45 seconds. Open the press and remove the film.
Tagless labels for heat transfer can be printed in-house or outsourced. Printing heat transfer labels in-house is certainly time-consuming which is why a lot of small to medium companies outsource the labels.
The process of labeling is more complex than one might think. The following is the equipment necessary for creating and applying heat transfer tagless labels in-house:
Computer – Graphic software is needed to create the artwork
Printer – A specialty printer to print the logo/graphic on heat transfer paper
Ink – A special ink that transfers from paper to garment
Heat Transfer Paper – A specialty paper used to hold the graphic and aid in the transfer once the heat is applied
Cutter – a manual cutter or automatic cutter is needed to cut out the graphic
Heat Press – Used to apply heat to the label and garment to transfer the graphic
Heat Pad – a heat resistant foam or rubber placed at the bottom of the heat press to help hold the substrate
Heat Tape – Used to hold the cut-out graphic in place
Heat Resistant Sheeting – Used as the top layer over the heat transfer and substrate to keep the heat-press clean and prevent burning
Substrate – The garment you are printing. It comes in a wide variety of materials
Finding the right supplier makes all the difference in heat transfer tagless labels. Most suppliers require a minimum order quantity. If your job requires a specific amount of labels and it falls under the minimum order quantity, you’re stuck with extra labels (you can hopefully use again).
The lead time for getting your order varies greatly. A lot of heat transfer labels come from over-seas and can take weeks to arrive. A typical new order requires a lot of communication and proof approval. Any delays in communication result in delays in receiving your order.
Unfortunately, in addition to the ever-changing lead times and inventory, heat transfers also pose a potential threat to the environment. Tagless heat transfer labels produce a great amount of paper, plastic, water and oil waste each time one is used. This additional waste contributes to the overall environmental issues we face in the world today.
Heat Transfer labels are an easy solution for someone getting started in the tagless label business. However, they are not sustainable in terms of supply chain management nor the environment. Pad printing is great alternative to this method.
Pad printing tagless labels are an excellent alternative to heat transfer labels. Pad printing is more cost-effective, faster, sustainable, and requires less equipment and consumables. Not only does pad printing remove the need for excess steps and consumables, it also proves to have better adhesion resistance and is more flexible. As an added bonus to tagless labels, pad printing is the recommended solution for printing on promotional products, drinkware and more.
Additional Resources
Learn more about tagless label printing with a pad printer.
The Benefits of a tag printing machine for clothes
See how pad printing stacks up to heat transfers: The Benefits of a Tag Printing Machine for Clothes
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