No. Heat transfer technology has come a long way. Although there are products on the market that require special ink or sublimation inks, our transfer papers do not. Simply use the same ink you use in your applicable inkjet, desktop laser printer or photocopier. Our papers of course will work with special inks as well should you go this route.

We recommend following the transfer paper instructions for washing guidelines. If washing in cold water, inside-out, no bleach and no dryer use, your transfer can last over 20 washes.

A general rule of thumb. All heat presses do the same three things by providing heat with pressure for an allotted amount of time. Important features to consider when buying a heat press:

1).Size- What size transfers will you be pressing and will you foresee using larger transfers in the future? A good starting point size for folks using 8.5 x 11 heat transfer paper is either the JP12 or JP 14 To press an entire 11 x 17 transfer sheet, you will require a press that is 16 x 20. Anything larger generally is not required for most jobs.

2).Arm Types- Swing Away and Clamshell. Each has its own advantages. Swing Away: The press lifts straight up and then the top platen is swung over to the side. Clamshell: The top platen is lifted open all the way.

3).Voltage- All of our presses use a standard 120v. Please contact us if you require more volts.

4).Pressure- Pressure on a manual press is controlled by a knob on the top of the press. Different pressure settings may be needed depending on the paper thickness as well as the substrate. Our digital presses come equip with digital pressure gages.

5).Temperature- Our 9x12, 12x14, 15x15 presses use an analog timer. Our larger (14x16, 16x20 and up), digital presses use a digital temperature gage. All of our presses use a digital timer.

The Inkjet transfer, also known as a digital heat transfer uses regular dye based inks that come standard with most inkjet printers. The transfer is applied using a heat press or hand-iron. This is a very quick and easy way of providing a lasting and full colour transfer image to your garment or applicable application. Your end result is a very vibrant and true image. Inkjet transfer paper has a special coating that will allow the transfer to adhere to the garment. This coating is transferred when applied with the heat press, leaving a faint layer of the coating in areas that were not printed on. Trim your transfer close to the image but allow for a little room between the border of the image and the non-printed area to prevent the ink from bleeding when heat pressed. Inkjet transfers are an economical choice when running short runs.

Important note: Commercial heat presses and home irons vary in accuracy. Perform your own tests to determine the best time and temperature to use with your own equipment.

Washing Instructions:

Inkjet transfer results can be more susceptible to fading, cracking and washing out. Ways to minimize this include including washing instructions to your customer. Turning the garment inside-out or using a garment/lingerie bag in the wash can help protect and prolong the life of the transfer.

Did you know?

Most souvenir shops sell t-shirts that use Inkjet Transfers! There is a huge market for customized products whether used for promotional pieces for tradeshows, customer appreciation and employee incentives or simply adding to your own store product line, it is an excellent way to promote a brand or show off an original image. Using a dryer is not recommended as it can shrink the transfer and sometimes cause irregularities if the dryer heat is too high. If you must use a dryer, tumble dry on a low setting.

For more information on Inkjet transfer papers, view PDF instructions available with all of our products.

Laser printer transfers leave the most professional quality results. A dry sublimation toner is used and laser transfer paper which allows the transfer to adhere to most fabrics. Using a laser printer is best used for larger runs of the same image as the set-up time and per-sheet time is less than printing on an inkjet. A heat press is required for all of our Laser and Photocopier papers.

Washing Instructions: We recommend washing separately (first time only). Subsequent washes, turn garment inside-out and wash with like colours. Using a dryer is not recommended as it can shrink the transfer and sometimes cause irregularities if the dryer heat is too high. If you must use a dryer, tumble dry on a low setting.

For more information on laser and photocopier transfer papers, view PDF instructions available with all of our products.

Geo Knight & KIX Heat Presses' are regarded as the best in the industry. All Presses come with a full manufacturer warranty and technical support. If you cannot find the Geo Knight Heat Press model in-stock on our website, we welcome special orders at no extra charge! Please call us quoting the model number you're looking for at: 877 -565-7560.

#5001 and #5002: As individual use varies, this is just a general guideline and will depend on your specific use. These two GeoKnight heat presses are great for smaller volume use and for those starting out.

#5003 and #5004: As individual use varies, this is just a general guideline and will depend on your specific use. These two digital Geo Knight heat presses are ideal for high volume use with many features including larger clamshell bed, digital controls and more.

We ship sample kits via CANADA POST and there is no charge to you. Sorry, we no longer ship free outside of Canada. Additional kits or items on your order may be subject to shipping fees.

LASER 1 OPAQUE - PRINTING TIPS:

The heat transfer paper jammed in the printer:

• If the transfer paper jams inside the machine the first thing you need to do is run a couple blank sheets of regular bond paper through your printer to clean out the fuser.
• If the transfer paper jammed you will need to adjust your settings to move the paper through the machine faster. The fuser is getting too hot at this point and the heat transfer paper is beginning to release in the fuser unit.
• The fastest setting is normal, bond or plain paper mode. This should allow the paper to run although it may not fuse completely. The key at this point is to find the right setting that will allow you to run the paper with the correct amount of fusing.

The paper ran through the printer but the toner looks stringy or cracked?

• With some machines you will need to slow down the print speed by changing your settings to Extra Heavy paper and use a Labels or Transparency mode if possible. This will allow the paper to spend more time fusing which in turn will make your heat transfer that much better!!

How do I know if it isn't fusing?

• The first sign that the toner isn't fusing to the transfer paper is the toner will look stringy or flaky on the heat transfer paper after imaging through the printer.
• Another sign may be the toner cracking during the peeling process (for Opaque) or possibly the finished transfer may show poor washability.
• All of the above can be fixed by slowing down the print speed of your copier. Make a selection from the drop-down menu above.