If you're an experienced craft lover or a newcomer who has learned a lot about T-shirt DIY activities, then you must have heard of the most essential and common material: heat transfer vinyl.
As we can see on different kinds of online shopping platforms, tons of handicraft brands are selling their "best heat transfer vinyl" for crafters. But are they really all the best ones? Which one should we finally choose for further craft projects? So today, we are here to find out about "The Best Heat Transfer Vinyl" with you!
What is Heat Transfer Vinyl?
First, we will go through everyone's definition of heat transfer vinyl, also called HTV or iron-on vinyl. Heat transfer vinyl combines four parts to build up its thin sheet layer: PET, adhesion, vinyl, and hot glue. The bottom part is a layer of hot glue, which is excellent for adhering the whole pattern to the surfaces of items. Since this hot glue requires a high temperature to melt it first, the transferred items need to be heat-resistant, like fabric, which performs best after heat ironing.
Ok, now. After learning this essential information about HTV, we are going to dive into a deep analysis of the most popular brands and their best-sale products.
The Best Heat Transfer Vinyl
HTVRONT
Product: HTVRONT HTV Vinyl Rolls Heat Transfer Vinyl - 12" x 8ft White HTV Vinyl for Shirts, Iron-on Vinyl for Cricut & Cameo - Easy to Cut & Weed for Heat Vinyl Design (White)
Size: 12" x 8ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 2, Iron-on Transfers TOP 1
Stars: 4.6 (28,832 global ratings)
Price: $8.49
Pros:
Very easy to weed.
Easy to transfer.
High quality.
Vibrant colors.
Cons:
The thickness may vary for different batches.
Sometimes it cracks or curls.
Siser Easyweed
Product: Siser EasyWeed HTV 11.8" x 3ft Roll - Iron on Heat Transfer Vinyl (White)
Size: 11.8" x 3ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 165, Sewing Heat Transfer Film TOP 2
Stars: 4.7 (11,786 global ratings)
Price: $10.78
Pros：
Easy to weed.
Stay firmly on fabrics.
Multi-color choices.
Easy to cut.
Cons:
Expensive.
This size seems not to be enough.
Cricut
Product: Cricut SportFlex Iron On Vinyl, DIY Supplies, 11.8" x 24" HTV Roll, Midnight Blue
Size: 11.8" x 24" Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 542, Sewing Heat Transfer Film TOP 5
Stars: 4.7 (6,784 global ratings)
Price: $11.59
Pros：
Very easy to weed.
Sticks firmly to fabrics.
Great Stretchability.
Durable.
Cons:
Too thin.
The adhesion may vary for different batches.
VinylRus
Product: VinylRus Heat Transfer Vinyl -12" x 20ft White Iron on Vinyl Roll for Shirts, HTV Vinyl for Silhouette Cameo, Cricut, Easy to Cut & Weed
Size: 12" x 20ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 324; Iron-on Transfers TOP 13
Stars: 4.5 (526 global ratings)
Price: $16.99
Pros：
Excellent stickiness.
Smooth and thick.
Durable.
Easy to weed.
Cons:
It takes time to transfer.
Not for intricate designs.
Sooez
Product: 12" x 12ft Heat Transfer Vinyl Rolls, PU (Strong Stretchy) HTV Vinyl White for Shirts, Sooez Iron on Vinyl for All Cutter Machine, Easy to Cut & Weed for DIY Heat Vinyl Design, Matte Finish
Size: 12" x 12ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 358; Iron-on Transfers TOP 15
Stars: 4.7 (3,217 global ratings)
Price: $9.99
Pros:
Sticks well to fabrics.
Stretchy enough.
Durable.
Cons:
It's a little hard to weed.
Rough cuts.
TransWonder
Product: Color-Changing Puff Vinyl Heat Transfer 3D Foaming Heat Transfer Vinyl, 6 Sheets Color-Changing Puff Vinyl (12" x 10") for Cricut Heat Press DIY T-Shirt Gifts for Halloween and Christmas by Transwonder
Size: 12" x 10" Sheet
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 617, Iron-on Transfers TOP 21
Stars: 4.6 (448 global ratings)
Price: $19.99
Pros：
Sticks firmly to fabrics.
Peel it off easily.
Good for making puffy decorations.
Cons:
Too expensive.
Not smooth and even.
FUNKAKA
Product: FUNKAKA HTV Vinyl Rolls Orange Iron on Vinyl PVC Adhesive HTV 12 Inch X 9 Feet Heat Transfer Vinyl Easy to Cut & Weed DIY Design for T-Shirt (Orange)
Size: 12" x 9ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 644, Iron-on Transfers TOP 24
Stars: 4.7 (158 global ratings)
Price: $7.99
Pros：
Vibrant and beautiful color.
Sticks firmly to fabrics.
Cons:
It is not easy to weed.
A little thick.
Caregy
Product: CAREGY HTV Heat Transfer Vinyl Bundle: 90 Pack 12" x 10" Iron on Vinyl for T-Shirt, 53 Assorted Colors with HTV Accessories Tweezers for Cricut, Silhouette Cameo or Heat Press Machine
Size: 12" x 10" Sheet
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 1,124, Iron-on Transfers TOP 52
Stars: 4.7 (496 global ratings)
Price: $38.24
Pros：
Rich colors.
Hold well on fabrics after repeated washes.
Easy to weed.
Cons:
Too expensive.
Unclear instructions.
May be too sticky on the backing.
SGHUO
Product: Glitter HTV Heat Transfer Vinyl, 12pcs Iron on Vinyl 12 x 10, 10 Assorted Colors Weed Heat Press Vinyl and 1 Teflon Sheet for T-Shirts Works
Size: 12" x 10" Sheet
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 1,377; Iron-on Transfers TOP 61
Stars: 4.3 (2,722 global ratings)
Price: $14.99
Pros：
Glitter shines beautifully on the fabrics.
Easy to weed.
Clear instructions.
Cons:
Hard to cut through.
Thinner than others.
Vankerter
Product: VANKERTER Glitter HTV Red Roll, 12 Inches x 10 Feet Heat Transfer Vinyl Roll Glitter Iron on Vinyl for Shirts Gifts DIY Supplies for Christmas
Size: 12" x 8ft Roll
Ranking: Arts, Crafts & Sewing Top 10,999, Iron-on Transfers TOP 298
Stars: 4.3 (298 global ratings)
Price: $9.99
Pros：
Value for money.
Easy to weed.
Cons:
Hard to cut through.
Shreds while cutting.
Not enough stickiness.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Heat Transfer Vinyl?
Even though we've looked through the best heat transfer vinyl above, there are still many things you need to consider when picking up your most suitable one:
1. Quality
Typically, HTV Vinyl has these three materials as its base: PU, TPU, and PVC. Some companies adopt PU as their primary material for HTV. That's because compared to PVC, PU is much more environmental-friendly and flexible, can resist a higher temperature, and is hard to fall off.
If you have ever engaged in creative activities, then you must know that the most common problem is rough cut, which mainly results from the quality of HTV and flexibility. In this situation, the cut design cannot be weed clearly and effortlessly, and it’s possible that the material will be ruined. And when it comes to the weeding process, the material may be too sticky to peel off, which means the right amount of adhesion is important.
Therefore, the premium PU HTV may be a good choice, which is easy to cut through and sticks firmly after repeated washes.
2. Size and Form
There are two sizes of heat transfer vinyl: sheet and roll. The sheet is more suitable for personal projects created at home. It’s mainly designed with the same size as its related tool, cutting mats, so you can easily and perfectly fix the material in the right place without wasting time aligning. And the roll is technically more available for small businesses needing mass production or if you need some basic types or colors used frequently. Then the roll one will be a better value for money.
3. Types and Colors
Now, you may have an inkling of which heat transfer vinyl brand would be your favorite one. But when you design different patterns for your fabric items, you will realize that you want more than just one type of HTV. So here, you can know more about the variety of the type for further color combination.
For regular colors, HTV has matte and glossy types. One will perform a humble and gentle sense of color, and another will brighten and highlight the tone of your final results.
As for the special pattern, you will also find the type of chameleon, glitter, metallic, holographic, color-changing, plaids, leopard, laser spots, etc. You may choose the most eye-catching color coordination with your personal touch.
4. Backing
On the market, there are two kinds of backing for HTV. One is paper backing, and another is PET backing, which is clear. And since the cutting mark is slight on the material, you may want to buy HTV with a clear backing instead of the paper backing. This way, you can check your design simultaneously to ensure you didn’t weed away the necessary parts and that the backing will not be torn apart.
How to Use Heat Transfer Vinyl?
To apply your heat transfer vinyl, what you need first are a computer, a cutting machine, a cutting mat, weeding tools, a Teflon sheet, a heat press, and the fabric for transferring. The following instructions will be simple for you to understand and operate. Let’s have a look.
1. Choose your favorite image on the computer. You can search it on Google or some website, like htvront.com or Pinterest, or just pick one from the existing designing app of some handicraft brands.
2. Use a designing app to edit your image. You can extract the outline of the image and decide the size and shape of the final result and which part to cut out. Remember to mirror your image before you send the cutting code to the machine.
3. Connect the cutting machine to the computer. Align the position of your image on the canvas area of the app. Stick your heat transfer vinyl on the cutting mat in the same position as the canvas area. You can cut the vinyl into a suitable size to avoid waste. Cut out the image.
4. Use your weeding tools to get rid of the extra part and get your final design.
5. Preheat your heat press. Normally, the temperature for regular heat transfer vinyl is around 170℃. Iron your fabric item first to ensure fewer creases, delivering a better ironing performance.
6. Put the Teflon sheet on the fabric and use the heat press. You need to apply a medium force to press the machine for like 15 seconds so that the hot glue of the vinyl can melt and embed into the fabric. (Do not set up a too-high temp and place it on the vinyl for too long, it may cause damage to materials.)
7. Now, it’s almost done! Just remove the PET backing after it has cooled down, and you can totally enjoy the fabulous project!
Hope you like it and give it more shots!
FAQs
1. Do I need a transfer tape for iron on vinyl?
No. You must be clear that transfer tape is for adhesive vinyl and other sticky materials. They are different from heat transfer vinyl in the way they transfer. HTV requires heat transfer and adhesive vinyl just needs its adhesion to transfer.
2. Do I need to mirror iron on vinyl?
Yeah. That's crucial before sending codes to your cutting machine, or your design will be reversed on your projects.
3. Can I use heat transfer vinyl on glass?
Normally, heat transfer vinyl can be used on heat-resistant items, making fabrics work better and safer than glass.
4. Do I need a heat press to iron heat transfer vinyl?
Yes! Definitely! Since HTV requires a high temperature to transfer, you often need a home iron or a heat press to complete the transfer. And I would recommend you to use a heat press instead of iron if you’re a tyro because a heat press will be much safer and can heat evener to avoid material damage.
According to the analysis, you may make a better provision for your next HTV garment crafts! Hope to solve most of your questions here!
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