Adhesive Vinyl Stick to Fabric

For someone who loves customizing their stuff, there is a lot you need to know. It is never-ending research. It's not like painting on a piece of paper. You cannot roll it up, throw it in the bin, and grab a new one to start from scratch. So it is super important to know what you are doing. Because without complete knowledge, you may end up turning your project into a disaster!

TYPES OF VINYL STICKERS

Everyone who loves crafting knows using vinyl stickers is the ideal method to transfer your desired designs to your desired things. But, did you know there are two main types of vinyl stickers?

1. Adhesive Vinyl, and;

2. Heat Transfer Vinyl

Even though both of these vinyls look similar, they have different properties and are used for different purposes.

Let's get into the article by first learning a little about these two types of vinyl:

ADHESIVE VINYL

Adhesive vinyls are just like stickers. To transfer them onto the surface, one just needs to peel off its backside to expose the adhesive surface and paste it on the surface.

HEAT TRANSFER VINYL

Also known as HTV, a heat transfer vinyl is similar to a sticker too. But unlike adhesive vinyl, it is not sticky from its back. Instead, it is coated with clear plastic. To stick it onto a surface, one needs to place it in its position and then apply heat to transfer the design.

Now that you know the difference between the two types of vinyl, here are the things that are suited for each of them:

USES OF ADHESIVE VINYL FOR CRAFT PROJECTS

You can use adhesive vinyl to customize your:

1. Mugs

2. Windows

3. Keychains

4. Signs for home, business, or garden

5. Bottles

6. Mirrors

7. Vases

8. Pots

The list is endless, really.

USES OF HEAT TRANSFER VINYL FOR CRAFT PROJECTS

Heat Transfer Vinyl is used to create designs on:

1. T-shirts

2. Bags

3. Wooden Boards

4. Canvas

5. Leather

6. Wool

7. Bedsheets

8. Pillowcases

And much more!

In a nutshell, to determine which type of vinyl is the most suitable for your project look at the nature of your surface. If it is smooth and hard, go for adhesive vinyl. If not, heat transfer vinyl will give you better results!

This article in no way is suggesting that adhesive vinyl cannot do what a heat transfer vinyl can and vice versa. But talking about the final product, you will love it more if you use the right type of vinyl for every project. Let's get into more details.

Let's talk about fabric, for instance. If you have been into this crafting thing for a while you might have come across many artists or designers using adhesive vinyl to add design to their clothing items. And here you are reading that heat transfer vinyl is the right method for designing fabric. Confusing, right?

Here's the thing: you can absolutely use adhesive vinyl to transfer the design on your clothing materials but in terms of durability and the quality of the final product, you are going to regret it! This is why:

USING ADHESIVE VINYL ON FABRIC

There is a reason why many experts advise against using adhesive vinyl stickers on fabric. Yes, you can save yourself a lot of time by simply peeling off the back of an adhesive vinyl sticker and pasting it on the fabric. Mark these words, it's not as simple as it looks. First off, to perfectly transfer a design from adhesive vinyl to the surface you have to apply a lot of pressure. The pressure is supposed to be equal throughout the design otherwise some part of it may not be transferred onto the fabric.

In case you get that right somehow, it's never going to last long. There are only a few times you can flaunt off that shirt until it has to go for laundry, do you think it will withstand that? No, it won't. And let's just suppose it survives that even, what are the odds that you can iron it without the design getting stuck on the iron plate? Your design will eventually start coming off and that T-shirt will be of no use for you anymore!

The design sticks well temporarily and it doesn't bleed through. But if you try to peel it off, it will come off easily, and it will leave some residue behind. Throw it into the laundry, sometimes it will wash away sometimes it won't. Try your luck, but it is definitely not something you would want to get yourself into.

Although if you're going for a short-term look such as for Halloween, you should go for it. No one repeats their Halloween costume so you will only wear it once. Makes sense to avoid the hassle of heat transfer.

But in the longer run, the wiser choice would be to go for a heat transfer vinyl. Continue reading to know more about why heat transfer vinyl is a way better option for customizing fabrics!

USING HEAT TRANSFER VINYL ON FABRIC

All of the cons of using adhesive vinyl on fabric, convert them into pros. That is heat transfer vinyl on fabric for you. Using HTV for your projects is the quickest and easiest method to do it. The thing that makes it the best is the fact that it is not tricky like using adhesive vinyl.

You don't have to worry if you are applying the right amount of pressure or if the design will be transferred to the surface completely. Let the heat do its job. It will come out way better than it would have if you had done it using adhesive vinyl.

Everything is possible if you are using a heat transfer vinyl. From adding colors to your plain old t-shirt to adding a bunch at the back of your dull jacket to making your tote bag look more interesting, there is no project you can fail if you do your research well and use the right type of vinyl i.e. a heat transfer vinyl.

Following are the two methods of applying heat to your vinyl:

1. Iron

Everyone has iron at their place. This method will cost you zero extra bucks. Place your design precisely in its position and keep the hot iron over it. Note that you may need to use some extra force than you do when pressing your clothes.

2. Heat Press

There are two ways to do anything. The right way and the hack. Using an iron for transferring the design from the HTV to the fabric was a hack. This one is the right and the best way.

It's done the same way as the iron but in this method, you won't have to apply any force. The plates will ensure to apply enough pressure to hold the vinyl strongly and transfer the design completely and accurately.

However, there is one thing you should never forget if you are using a heat transfer vinyl. When you print your design, make sure you are printing the mirror image of it. The vinyl should always be placed shiny side facing the fabric so when the design transfers, it will come out right.

As we have established that adhesive vinyl on fabrics doesn't last long and so, it is better to use heat transfer vinyl. Mentioned below are some tips to ensure your projects are always spot-on.

Continue reading further to find out what they are!

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Never work on an unclean surface. For the best results, make sure your fabric is clean, dust-free, and dry.

• Don't forget to test first. No amount of experience should be enough to let you go all-in with your project without first testing with a sample. It is a huge mistake often repeated by the PROS. You never know how a project is going to turn out. Do yourself a favor and test first. It will save you a lot of time, hard work, and money!

• Don't rush things. Whether you are using adhesive vinyl or a heat transfer vinyl, allow it to settle. Sometimes the design has not adhered properly, and if you move it, you will ruin it!

• While adhesive vinyl is a cheaper alternative, in the long run, it's going to cost you more in terms of money as well as effort. Heat transfer vinyl is a more durable option for fabric designing.

• Don't forget to place the shiny side of the vinyl on the fabric. If you don't do that, you will end up in a mess.

In the crafting world, there are new things to learn every day. As soon as you start to believe you know it all, there comes another debate. So far, you have learned the difference between adhesive and heat press vinyl which will help you decide what's best for your next project.

Keep elevating the look of your everyday outfits with the tips and tricks you learned today and pat yourself on the back for being so amazing at it!