If you could load up your large format printer with magic ink, print rose petals in all the colors of the rainbow and lay them on a T-shirt you’d have a really, really soft decorated garment. You’d also have a pot of gold. No one has figured out how to do that, but I’m told research is ongoing. We can’t quite print flower petals on shirts, but we have the next best thing. It’s called Chemica HotMark Print. HotMark PRINT is the newest addition to our extensive line of solvent printable heat transfer films. And while it’s not a digital flower, it’s the softest EnduraTex heat transfer film we’ve ever offered. Here’s what makes it unique.
HotMark Print Features
HotMark PRINT is a solvent and eco-solvent printable film from the makers of HotMark 70. It takes the same soft, polyurethane face film that’s made HotMark 70 one of America’s best-selling T-shirt vinyls, and adds excellent print quality and washfast color with solvent and eco-solvent inks. The result is a print and cut solution that’s barely tangible after application.
Like HotMark 70, HotMark PRINT is suitable for application on cotton, polyester, acrylic, and cotton/poly blends. Its compatibility with solvent based ink results in an appliqué that will never wash off. So with HotMark PRINT, you can crank out vivid, opaque T shirt transfers that can be applied to garments of any color and are much more durable than direct to garment prints. HotMark PRINT has been tested with all major brands of solvent and mild solvent printers so you’ll get vivid, rainbow-rich color that delights your customers. It looks as good as it feels.
If you’ve sampled some of the other PU printable heat transfer films on the market, you may be wondering what the tradeoff is. You might expect HotMark PRINT to be a bear to weed and apply. Not so. It comes on a clear Mylar liner which is very forgiving for plotting and weeding. If you’ve ever cut vinyl a little too deeply and had the top layer of the paper coming up when you try to weed it, you’ll appreciate the ease of use the clear Mylar liner provides.
The best part about the HotMark PRINT liner is its easy release characteristic. Unlike some thin PU films, it doesn’t require super high tack tape to transfer the film from liner to garment. Standard tack Unimask ATT500 or Siser ColorPRINT Mask will do. Or you can simply lift your digital rose petal off the Mylar, place it on the garment by hand, and fire up the heat press.
HotMARK Print Application Instructions
Speaking of that heat press, here are the basic directions for application.- Print your image “right reading” with a PrismJET DT, PrismJET VJ48, Mutoh ValueJet, Roland VersaCamm, Soljet, or other mild solvent printer using a matte paper ICC profile.
- Because HotMark PRINT is a 2 mil film, it doesn’t take much to cut. If you’re using a Qe60, Q Series, or Graphtec plotter, set the cutting force at 12. If you’re using another device, set the blade force for two mil cast vinyl, do a test cut and adjust as necessary.
- Set the press for medium pressure, and 320°F. Cover with a Teflon sheet, and press for 20 seconds. If the graphic was applied with transfer tape, wait about ten seconds, before removing the tape. Then cover with Teflon and repress for a few seconds. If you placed your flower petals by hand, you’re done.
As if HotMark PRINT wasn’t outstanding enough, we made it even better by making it more affordable. It debuted in our fall 2012 catalog in 66 foot rolls. We’ve added 22 and 11 foot rolls to make it almost as affordable as HotMark 70. A 14” x 11 foot roll is only $34.00. Economy minded buyers can get it in 30” x 66 foot rolls. Online shoppers can order here. Whether you opt for economy or convenience, you’ll love the color, softness and ease of use of HotMark PRINT. It might not be quite rainbows and rose petals, but it’s the next best thing.
