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 Archival Inks 

The type of inks that most of us use are the Magic Mix� line of pigmented archival inks (available through http://personalizedsupplies.com ). They will work on almost any type of fabric, I.E. 100% Cotton, 50/50, Polyester, Canvas, etc. such as mouse pads, coasters, t-shirts, caps, tote bags, aprons, etc.  We have even been doing testing and experimenting with poster board, treated wall board, leather and other materials with success. 

Be careful when shopping for your inks. Not all inks are created equally. The dye based inks will bleed (like the inks that come in the brand name cartridges usually) and or fade.  Pigmented inks actually have crushed fragments of pigment in them, not simply a liquid that is tinted with a dye. It is because of these pigments, that the transfers will not fade or bleed usually.

As we mentioned above though, since not all pigmented inks are created equally, make sure you either test the inks you choose with a tough wash and soak test prior to selling something that could become an embarrassment to your reputation. Some pigmented inks also include some dye with them. The dyes in the pigmented inks cause the colors to be darker or more vivid, which can at first appearance be a benefit.  What happens though when that dye starts to fade or bleed? Possibly a disappointed customer! 

Pigmented inks are not opaque like a paint would be. They are translucent (same as typical printer inks) and will  work on light colors only, white, ash, and pastels (best on white).  When applied to the pastel and ash colors, the color of the fabric will alter the colors slightly due to the inks being translucent.

In addition to this there is sometimes a slight 'ghost' of the carrier on the transfer paper that will show up.  For example, the skin tones will take on a slightly blue hue on a blue shirt, etc. A quick way of avoiding the carrier ghost is to put an oval or other shape around the design you are pressing. Putting a colored background in that oval or other shape and then the artwork will help cover the ghosting area, all but eliminating the potential for problem.

 These type inks WILL NOT work on dark fabrics with TransJet ll  transfer paper.  You will need an opaque paper for that but you can use these inks with Opaque paper. 

The cost of ink for a full page 8 �� X 11� transfer using the bulk ink system is about $ .10 per transfer when using a bulk unit. It goes up depending on the print type, printer model (due to the size of cartridges), if you refill or purchase prefilled cartridges, etc. It is virtually impossible to give an accurate cost per print in these circumstances, but we would guess somewhere between $.25-$.50 per print (which is still much better than OEM which can run in excess of $1.10 per print on ink alone).

 

What are DURABrite inks?

DURABrite inks are pigmented inks that come directly from Epson in  select Epson printer models such as the C80, C82, C84, C86 and the C64 as well as some of their printer/scanner combination units.  If in doubt, just read the cartridge packages. They specify DURABrite inks on the packaging.

Originally we were excited that Epson was releasing a pigmented ink in a reasonably priced printer like the C86, but after many people began purchasing these printers (as well as ourselves), we quickly began to realize that these pigmented inks might very well be excellent for photo printing and archival purposes (archival meaning long lasting basically) of photos on paper, like they were intended; they fell very short  for our purposes of transfers.

There is something different in the viscosity of these inks and likely the entire make up of them for that matter from the pigmented inks that we prefer (the Magic Mix inks).  For some reason, when heat is applied to the DURABrite inks, a yellowing occurs typically.  Sometimes colors change, for example grays turn greenish, entire artwork gains a yellow tone to it and so forth. 

While these OEM inks do seem to hold up as far as not fading and / or bleeding with washing; it does not do well for transfers in our opinion.  If you wanted to use these, we suggest that you experiment with the potential color changes that can occur prior to selling or taking orders.

 

Preferred Printers for Archival inks-

Most of the people who do transfers professionally use Epson printers. Why an Epson? 

There are several options for printer models that are compatible with the Magic Mix� inks. Other ink types will have various other models listed on their sites s compatible models. If you don't plan to use the Magic Mix� inks, be sure to check with the vendor of the inks you will use to see which models are compatible.

There is a line or two that Epson offers (check http://www.epson.com or your local office supply store for availability) that come with Archival inks. They are called DURABrite and are pigmented inks. They will not run or fade noticeably with transfers. However, they are encapsulated inks (don't need to understand that at this point) and since they were never meant to be used for doing transfers, they didn't compensate for the temperature of a heat press. The colors will shift and grays will turn greens, etc.

We don't recommend the use of the DURABrite inks for transfers, but some have found the ability to alter the color management of the DURABrite-using models so that the discoloration is as minimal as possible. This is typically done by reducing the yellow and increasing the cyan and magenta levels in the color management. There is no specific settings that will work well, so it will require a bit of trial and error. Many of us use a quality pigmented ink that is not-encapsulated (like the Magic Mix� inks) so that there is not a color shift when heated.

Current models that are compatible with the Magic Mix� inks (and possibly other ink lines) are the C80, C82, C84, C86, 825,  and the 900 Stylus PHOTO.  For a wider format print size, you can select 1270/1280.

There are some older models that have been discontinued for quite some time, but are excellent options for doing transfers. They hold a larger ink capacity generally and also are "refiller-friendly" for the most part. If you can get your hands on an older model printer, it's still a good option and if nothing else, a great back-up printer. With that in mind, here is a list of  preferred "older models" printers. First 4 color:  980, 900, 880, 800, 850, 740,  and 1200 for the normal size printing. Then the 1160,1520, and 3000 for  wider format printing.

You will notice some printer models offer a 4 color and others offer a 6 color selection. A 6 color is over kill for transfers, but will definitely work without any problems.  Tip: Epson printers that have "Photo" in the name are 6 color printers. 

Bulk Ink Systems

There are several different bulk ink systems being sold for printers.  A bulk system  has a special  "Programmed Chip" and doesn't need to be reset. This is handy on these chipped printer models because it tricks the printer into thinking the chips are always full.  These units are available both filled with their own inks and empty sometimes. Be sure if you choose to order it pre-filled that it contains a proven ink that will not fade or bleed when washed on apparel. Pigmented inks often will say they will not fade or bleed, but that's not based on being used with heat transfer. It is important that you not only find a quality pigmented ink, but that you find one that is proven with heat transfers.

Make sure to ask questions of the bulk unit vendor prior to purchase regardless of who you purchase from as this could either become the best thing you've ever purchased in regard to convenience or it could become a pain in the rear end if you don't understand the installation and process.   If you are going to be doing very many transfers, we suggest you invest in one of these as soon as you can.  The clogging with them is far reduced from that of some prefilled cartridges and it all but eliminates ink waste.  They will likely pay for themselves with the first set of inks.  It is important to note though, all Epson model printers are susceptible to clogging issues with or without a 3rd party ink. With a 3rd party ink, they are even more susceptible. There is no reason to avoid 3rd party inks, but it is necessary to understand that if you do not properly maintain the printer, that the life of the printer can be reduced. Of course, most of us would argue that the quality of the inks and the revenue it can generate is well worth a reduced life if you're printing daily and making money!

We both use them on most of our printers (can't even count them all) and have had little to no problems for nearly four years on  some of them. 

This is directly from Nomorecarts.com about clogged cartridge filters:  "You can't always say it is one thing, but in general you see the matter from the ink eventually clog up the internal cartridge filters or cause enough resistance to ink flow through the screen or sponge that the system will not work consistently, especially towards the end of long print jobs.  Pigmented inks will tend to clog up carts faster than dye based ones - bigger ink particles to begin with, plus they start to aggregate over time".

 

Transfer Paper

We believe that the most popular inkjet transfer paper for Archival inks is TransJet ll.  It will leave a slight hand, (stiffness) until the first or second wash.  After the wash, the stiffness will be gone and the image will still be there.  I have shirts in the field under heavy use which still look good after about 3 years.  In fact, due to the life expectancy of pigmented inks (many claim in the ball park of 75 years or longer), you will likely find over time that the transfer will last longer than the item it was transferred onto!

The transfer paper's job is to provide a clear (or mostly clear) carrier for the artwork to be printed onto. When heated, the paper and carrier attach to the blank. The paper stays attached until you peel it off of the blank, but the artwork and carrier have now moved permanently onto your blank.

Like with the inks, it's vital that you use a commercial quality transfer paper. If you are tempted to go with a cheap paper to keep costs down and profits up, be prepared for potentially unhappy customers.  Not all papers are the same. The word commercial nor the fact that you purchase it from a vendor in the industry necessarily should assure you that you've got a quality paper. After trying many brands, and experiencing cracking, peeling, excessively stiff feelings that doesn't disappear within the first wash or two, we realized that when you find a quality paper, you stick with it.

Suggestion: Stay away from the office supply or otherwise brand name papers unless you are in a major jam and can't get your quality paper soon enough.  Most of these are not what we personally would ever use on a product that our reputation relies on. These papers are great for the hobby or occasional crafter who wants to do a few t-shirts for gifts, but probably not really what you would want to use when selling a product that you want to last many years.

NOTE: These papers are for inkjet pigmented inks and will not work on Dye Sub inks (at least not to perform the function of dye sublimation).  There are special  Dye Sub inks and Dye Sub papers  too but the two are totally different processes and will require different printer set ups..  Check www.personalizedsupplies.com for the current pricing.

 

Dye Sublimation Inks 

These inks when pressed to the substrate, e.g. t-shirts, mouse pads, etc. turn into a gas when heated and impregnates the dyes INTO the product, thus Dye Sublimation.  These inks are for 100% Polyester fabrics, mugs, tiles, plates, plaques, mouse pads, coasters, etc.  About anything that is coated to accept them.  When pressed to 100% Polyester, they will leave only the image and will not leave stiffness on the shirt.  The transfer will be very soft. 

At this time, the only 100% Polyester shirts I now are limited to white, ash, sand, light blue, lime green and neon yellow and cost about $4.50 and $6.00 ea for these shirts.  Some people do print on 50/50 shirts without any prep sprays. The image is dyed to the 50% that is polyester, so is not as bright as higher poly content but is acceptable for some customers.

The inks will not work with natural materials, such as cotton. Be very cautious when choosing your ink type if you anticipate wanting to print t-shirts. Some have sprayed the  50/50 fabrics with a spray made to allow the fabric to accept the inks.  This however, isn't actually sublimation at that point to our understanding, since the spray is coating the material, giving the ink something to hold onto. It is claimed (though neither of us are experts in Dye Sublimation, so we base this portion on only what we are told and read about) that these sprays last many washes.

NOTE:  I�m not promoting any of the sprays.  These sprays can be found primarily at dye sublimation supplies vendors and we can neither recommend for or against them. Some also say that  White Rain, unscented hair spray can perform this same function, though again, we don't know this first hand. This is just one I have read about.  There are a lot of different ones made for this.  I have read good and bad reports on the sprays used for this so if you want to try them, experiment on a reject shirt. 

The biggest message board that specializes in Dye Sublimation is www.dyesub.org and is owned by Cherie Derrick.  She is a fantastic lady and very knowledgeable about Dye Sub inks. 

 

Vendors 

At this time, the above items can all be purchased at www.personalizedsupplies.com   (for mug wraps, mousepads, pigmented and dye sub inks, TransJet II paper, and many other supplies. There are a lot of Dye Sub vendors who carry additional imprintable blanks for Dye Sub on www.dyesub.org.

 

 Press times and wash test 

Pre-press the shirt for 4 to 6 seconds to remove any wrinkles and moisture, then press at 350 to 375 degrees, heavy pressure for 12 to 16 seconds and peel hot.  Peel it back over itself immediately from corner to corner in a quick smooth motion. 

If the time and temp is right, it should peel very smoothly.  Different presses may work at different time and temps.  Just experiment and use the time and temp that works best for you.  With the lower temp, the discoloration where there is no image seems to be not quite as noticeable. 

This is for the TransJet ll paper with Archival inks.  If you are using another paper or ink, and especially Dye Sub inks, use the vendors recommended settings.

To test the inks, after pressing the image on a shirt, soak the shirt with water, lay it on a flat area, (bath tub, etc.) fold the image over the white area of the shirt and let it set for about an hour or so.  If the inks are going to bleed, you will see it when you un-fold the shirt.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Transfers_For_Desktop_Printers

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Inkjet Transfer Printing (not dye sublimation)
by Don Ford, Fords Screen Printing, October 2001

If you are wanting to go to an inkjet (not dye sublimation) transfer printing system that works great for 50/50 and 100% cotton items, then I would suggest the CIS, Archival, bulk ink system. I switched to it due to the OEM inks bleeding and fading.

I did about 300 shirts with the OEM inks when I first got my printer and am embarrassed each time I see one. The reds are now a light orange (this is for textile transfer printing, not every day printing on paper and photo paper). The archival inks do not bleed or fade after several washings. When you first print the transfer, it will look dull, but after transferring it to the fabric the colors brighten up. I went to this system after reading a lot of posts by Flo Karp of www.fishpie.com, on the Heat Transfers Groups board. She has been an angel working with me on this and I give her a great big 10.

I use the TransJet ll transfer paper, Epson 1160 & 980 printer, with the settings at 720 DPI, and the "Mode setting" on "Custom" and ICM checked. Press at 375 degrees for about 14 seconds and peel hot. I have the Stahls Hotronix, 16" X 20" draw heat press. You will be able to tell when you have the right setting because when you peel the transfer it should peel of very smooth without too much resistance. (some transfer machines may need to be set a little different).

I washed the test shirt for 8 washes, I soaked the shirt in HOT water and folded it over itself, let it lay for two hours and it didn't bleed. I then put it in the wash and let it set after the spin cycle for another two hours and still, no bleeding. When you lay it beside another shirt that I pressed at the same time that hasn't been washed, the colors still look like the original. There is a small amount of stiffness when first transferred but
that washes out after a few times. It will still have a slight hand, but not as much as screen printing. It doesn't have the soft hand that dye sublimation has, I don't know of anything that does.

The ink system I use with the TransJet ll paper costs less than .65 per sheet (when purchasing supplies in like quantities), including paper, for a 75% to 90% coverage on an 8 1/2" X 11" transfer. It will transfer to 50/50, 100% cotton or Polyester the same.

Copyright � 2001-2004 Don Ford. All rights reserved. This article may not be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the author.