Heat Transfer Vinyl Durability: How Long Does It Last?

What Is Heat Transfer Vinyl?

Heat Transfer Vinyl aka HTV in short is one kind of special vinyl polymer. It is used to create designs on fabrics or garments for decorative or promotional purposes.

The apparel vinyl can be cut, weeded and placed on top of a T-shirt or a bag or other types of clothing products with the help of a hot iron or heat press. For this reason, many people also know this process as Iron-On Transfer as well.

The HTVs are available in different size of rolls or pre-cut sheets in the market. Although these sheets are made in single colors, you will find different variations, such as patterned, glitter, glow-in-the-dark and even 3D puff HTVs!

How Long Does Heat Press Vinyl Last?

A pressed T-shirt looks pretty cool with its creative logos and funky words written on it, doesn’t it?

And the good news is, the material is quite durable and lasts for a good time if you know how to maintain its qualities!

There are a few reasons behind it. For starters, Vinyl is a pretty strong material that can handle even your messy fabric handling habits. The material doesn’t shrink after washing nor deform in any way when exposed to heat or moisture.

However, as we explained earlier, the heat pressing technique relies on the adhesiveness of the vinyl on the fabric. So, over time, the material will break down at some point.

Usually, with good care and precaution, a heat-pressed T-shirt may last for 50 washes or so! Ergo, the vinyl may stay intact while the fabric itself gets worn out!

To help you have an easier and better understanding, we will talk about how to make HTV, which is otherwise known as iron-on transfer, to last longer on fabric.

How To Make Iron On Transfers Last Longer?

Let The Fabric Settle

Just after getting your printing done, you have to give your fabric some time to settle in before start wearing. We recommend waiting at least 24 hours before wearing/ironing/handling/washing/trying it out. This will help the adhesive to get dry faster and bond to the fabric properly.

Turn Your Clothes Inside-Out

During the wash, turn your clothes/pillowcase inside-out.

This simple action gives a garment the extra layer of protection it needs and keeps it safe while in the washing machine. It also helps prevent the damage from being rubbed with other clothes during the washing period.

Set The Water Temperature Right

When it comes to vinyl, the colder the better!

So, when you wash a T-shirt or handkerchief with HTV prints, choose cold or at least medium-warm temperature that doesn’t exceed 178-Degree Fahrenheit. Using higher temperatures than this might result in peeling/cracking your favorite prints permanently.

Use Mild Detergent

Use mild detergent to wash printed clothes. Better yet, make a homemade mixture of your own!

Mix water and mild soap in a container and use a soft, non-abrasive tool to clean vinyl clothes.

Hang-Dry

Vinyl doesn’t like high heat. So, it’s best to let the fabric air-dry itself. Just lay them flat on a drying rack and the cloth will be ready to use in a few hours!

What To Avoid?

Soaking? Please No!

Soaking loosens the adhesive property of the vinyl.

Do NOT Iron

Vinyl doesn’t like heat.

The direct heat from an ironing machine is too much for printed cloth. That’s why it’s a good practice to turn the shirt inside out before ironing. Also, put a protective layer between the fabric and the iron for the best result.

Avoid Using Fabric Softener

Any kind of fabric softener used on your printed garment will end up stripping up your shirt altogether!

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