Heat transfer is to print solvent-based ink on the transfer film, and then firmly fuse the film and clothes together by high-temperature pressing. Heat transfer is airtight and feels slightly poor. It is not recommended to use on summer T-shirts or clothing. Large-area, one-piece heat transfers, such as printing photos on T-shirts.

Heat transfer printing is to directly disperse the ink through the transfer paper on the fabric of the clothes. Although the clothes made by traditional heat transfer printing are breathable, but because the temperature control of the transfer process is unstable, the general color fastness is also poor. With the decline, the texture is affected. At present, there are many high-precision thermal transfer materials with relatively good color fastness, but most of the materials are imported, and the cost will increase accordingly. Heat transfer is generally used for chemical fiber fabrics, which are characterized by bright colors, fine layers, lifelike patterns, and strong artistry. However, this process is currently only applicable to a few synthetic fibers such as polyester.

Dye sublimation is to infiltrate patterns or patterns, which is to use the principle of dye sublimation to directly infiltrate the patterns or patterns on the dye sublimation paper into the object to be printed for processing and printing. The patterns made by dye sublimation are relatively smooth. The sublimation process has strong adhesion and is not easy to fade.

Digital Direct Injection，thermal transfer printing and heat press, which one is better?

Thermal transfer mainly prints polyester fiber, 100% polyester fiber prints very well, but if it contains a little cotton, it will show white spots, and if it contains a lot of cotton, it will be a mess. Cotton fabrics are still suitable for digital direct printing machines. T-shirt digital direct printing machines are born for cotton. There is nothing wrong with being good at this, but direct printing machines are more suitable for printing light colors, preferably white. will be very good.
At the same time, the requirements of digital direct printing for blank bottom shirts are short fibers/hair, preferably plain high-count yarn, otherwise, after the clothes are rubbed, the color printed on the T-shirt will look light, because the ink is Printed on the surface of the bottom shirt.

Therefore, if you want to print digital direct-injection T-shirts, you also have relatively high requirements for the bottom shirts of custom-made T-shirts. If the same picture is displayed on a relatively high-quality T-shirt fabric, the effect is higher than that of ordinary T-shirts.

So, both types of printing machines are good. If you want to print jerseys and quick-drying clothes, you should choose thermal transfer printing machines. If you want to print cotton T, you should choose digital direct printing machines.

Digital and heat transfer:
Principle: The toner of digital direct injection penetrates directly into the clothes, while heat transfer uses hot melt adhesive to bond clothes.
Cost: Digital direct printing is bigger than heat press. The cost of heat transfer is relatively low, and digital direct printing can ensure the air permeability of the fabric, and has the least impact on the fabric.
Different hand feel: if you like no glue feeling, you can try digital direct printing, if you want glue feeling, you can try heat transfer printing. Heat transfer is more suitable for small areas.