Vinyl Cutting & Heat Press
What is Vinyl Cutting & Heat Press?
Vinyl cutting and heat press printing is a versatile and durable method for custom garment and product decoration. Using heat-activated adhesive vinyl, we cut your design, weed out the excess, and apply it to your chosen item with a commercial heat press. This method is ideal for names, numbers, logos, and one-off or short-run projects.
Whether you're customizing a shirt, bag, blanket, shoes, or another item, vinyl is a quick and affordable way to add a personal touch. If you're unsure whether your item is compatible, give us a call or use our contact form—we’re happy to help!
Vinyl Artwork Requirements
To ensure clean and accurate cuts, vector artwork is required.
Accepted File Types:
- CorelDRAW (.cdr)
- Adobe Illustrator (.ai)
- Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg)
- Encapsulated PostScript (.eps)
- In some cases: Adobe PDF (.pdf)
Please do not use Photoshop to save as an EPS—it must be created using professional vector software to be usable.
Need help with design? We offer in-house graphic design services, including vector file conversion for a small fee.
Best Uses for Vinyl Heat Transfer
Vinyl is perfect for:
- One- or two-color designs
- Sports jerseys (names and numbers)
- Small company logos
- Prototypes before screen printing
- Quick personalization for in-store items or customer-supplied garments
It can be applied to almost any flat surface on a compatible item. We can help determine placement based on the garment type.
Compatible Fabrics for Vinyl Application
Vinyl can be applied to a wide range of materials, including:
- 100% cotton
- 50/50 cotton/polyester blends
- Tri-blend fabrics
- 100% polyester
- Mesh
- Spandex
- Vinyl-coated fabrics
To apply heat transfer vinyl properly, the material must withstand high heat and pressure. We recommend using new or unworn garments for best results. If you're decorating worn apparel, wash it five times in water only to remove any detergent or fabric softener residue.
Available Vinyl Colors
We stock a wide variety of standard and glitter heat transfer vinyl colors for cotton, polyester, and blends.
Standard Vinyl Colors:
- Athletic Gold, Black, Cardinal, Grey, Fluorescent Pink, Fluorescent Green, Forest Green, Gold, Kelly Green, Lemon, Navy, Orange, Red, Royal, Purple, Silver, Vegas Gold, White
Glitter Vinyl Colors:
- Black, Black Gold, Copper (Orange), Blush, Gold, Green, Forest Green, Jade, Lavender, Navy, Purple, Red, Royal, Silver, Vegas Gold, White
Looking for a specific color or effect? Specialty vinyl in additional colors, textures, and finishes can be ordered upon request.
Heat Press Curing for Vinyl Transfers
Our high-quality heat presses ensure your vinyl design is securely bonded to the garment for long-lasting results. When applied correctly, vinyl transfers remain durable and vibrant through many washes.
Garment Care for Vinyl Decorated Items
To extend the life of your custom vinyl print:
- Wash inside out in cold water
- Hang dry or tumble dry with no heat
- Never iron directly over the vinyl design
Proper care ensures your print stays looking great for as long as possible. Like any decorated garment, even vinyl won’t last forever—but with good care, it’ll stay sharp for years.
Interested in Vinyl Cutting & Heat Press?
Contact us below with the apparel & quantity you would like and upload the artwork you want produced. Let us know you're interested in the vinyl cutting and heat press decoration method and we will provide you with a free quote. Browse our catalogs to view some of the items we can provide for you, but keep in mind we have access to thousands of products that are not listed in these catalogs. You can also supply your own apparel or purchase something from our retail store to be decorated.