Author Archives: deanna robinson

Holiday Heat Transfers

Posted on by
Reply

The holidays are a busy time of the year, both personally and professionally. But this year you can work smarter instead of harder by including Heat Transfers into your product offerings. 

holiday heat transfers

Here at Pro World, we stock 1000’s of transfers including rhinestones, screen printed, mixed media and embroidered transfer options. To apply all you need is the Heat Transfer, a heat press, and your garment! Lay the heat transfer on your garment, press it with your heat press according to the instructions listed online, and peel the backing paper off of your design. Your finished product will be ready to go in only 15 seconds.

We carry so many holiday transfers, the hard part will be narrowing down your selection. We have heat transfer designs for both adults and children, in a variety of media types (screen print, foil, rhinestones/studs, 3D, solar, and glitter).

IMG_1172

Here are a few we pulled, but you can shop all of our holiday heat transfers here.

:ho ho

Display your season’s greetings in rhinestones with this heat transfer:

christmas

Tell Santa your wish list with this heat transfer:

image_3_807

We have heat transfers for siblings:

a2031b

and Baby’s First Christmas:

first

For all the cat and dog lovers, we have heat transfers for you. Here is one featuring our feline friends:

cat

And a heat transfer where a canine is in the spotlight

dog

If you love snow and can’t wait to build a snowman, check out this heat transfer:

snow2

We have trees that sparkle:

tree

And for those who need a little help to get through the holidays:

wine

The holiday heat transfers are a ton of fun, and can even be personalized by adding vinyl to your garment!

Have you used one of our holiday heat transfers? Tag us on Instagram so that we can see!

View & Add Comments

New Product Announcement: Oracal 641

Posted on by
Reply

oracal 641Here at Pro World, we’re always expanding our offerings and capabilities so that we can provide you with the latest and greatest.  We recently added Oracal 641 to our extensive collection of vinyl so that you can expand your business and fill even more needs for your clients.

Oracal 641 is similar to the Oracal 651, but it has a matte finish instead of a glossy finish. It also has silicone coated paper on one side which provides excellent weed-stripping properties. The adhesive is Polyacrylate and permanent. It is perfect for use on cutting plotter systems in the production of short- and medium-term markings, inscriptions, and decorations. It is great for use outdoors, and its indoor uses are almost unlimited. It is available in 19 colors and sold by the yard.

If you are unfamiliar with Oracal 631 & 651, both feature an adhesive back so you simply cut the vinyl with your cutter and weed your design. Then using transfer tape you move your vinyl to your finished project surface.

Oracal 631  is a removable vinyl which has a matte finish. It is perfect for interior decorating, like on walls, indoor signage, and exhibition graphics. Since it is made from a high-quality film that creates a matte finish there is no glare. The removable adhesive allows you to remove graphics from walls with minimal effort, leaving no residue behind. It is great for short to medium term applications indoors, specifically on painted drywall surfaces.

Oracal 651 s a glossy permanent vinyl that is 2.5 mil. thick. This creates a thinner more comfortable liner with better dimensional stability which means the vinyl design will last longer when cracking, shrinking, or peeling is an issue. It is great for 3 plus years, and long-term applications, it also has outdoor durability.

What have you made using adhesive vinyl? Share your projects with us in the comments. 

You May Also Like:

apply fdc to canvas

tips for cutting large vinyl decals with your silhouette machine

How to apply sign vinyl to a car window

View & Add Comments

HTV vs Sublimation – What’s the difference?

Posted on by
1

When it comes to creating custom products, there are a number of different ways to do it. So how do you know which is right for you, your specific project, and your business overall? We’re going to help break it down for you. As you’ve seen from our Friday Facebook Live videos we love to create things and two of the main ways we make our designs is with heat transfer vinyl (HTV) and sublimation.

Heat Trans vs Sub-5_preview

With HTV you can create an endless supply of personalized shirts, bags, hats, aprons, etc. It is available in a number of different colors, sizes, and finishes, and you can use it alone or layer it for a more dimensional look.

htv

Sublimation is a great way to add a premium full-color, photographic quality image to your project, especially since it will not crack, peel, or wash away. When sublimation inks are heated to 400*F with a heat press, they turn into a gas and form a permanent bond to white or light colored polyester fabrics, or items with a polymer coating.

wedding coozie

HTV gives you more options when it comes to garments as it works on any color, unlike sublimation which can only be done on white or light colored fabrics. But if you are personalizing phone cases, mugs, frames, etc., sublimation is a more simplified process that gives you more options.

And while HTV and sublimation are each great in different ways and for different projects, they can also be used together. Want to sublimate on a dark colored garment? Create a design using HTV and then sublimate on top of it. Talk about one of a kind!

20170726_090402

 

 

For more tips check out our Facebook Live videos.

View & Add Comments

Breast Cancer Awareness Heat Transfers

Posted on by
Reply

Copy of All About Heat Transfer Vinyl

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and there is still time to show your support by creating a t-shirt, hat or tote with a heat transfer.  Heat transfers are perfect for fundraisers and building awareness around a cause.

They are also so easy to apply. All you need is the heat transfer, a heat press, and your garment! Lay the heat transfer on your garment, press it with your heat press according to the instructions listed online, and peel the backing paper off of your design. Your finished product will be ready to go in only 15 seconds.

We carry over 170 breast cancer heat transfer designs in a variety of media types (screen print, rhinestones/studs, lace, and glitter). We have breast cancer heat transfer designs for everyone. Here is a sampling:

The pink ribbon symbol:

rhinestone pink ribbon

For survivors:

survivor

For men:

guys

To honor someone special:

mom

To show the fight:

fight

To show the hope:

lace hope

Visit us at www.proworldinc.com to see a larger selection of our breast cancer heat transfer designs.

 

View & Add Comments

Sublimation- What Is It And How Can You Use It To Grow Your Business?

Posted on by
Reply

Sublimation printing allows you to create customized full-color products on demand. Using it will allow you to grow your inventory while also offering customers completely personalized, one-of-a-kind products on the spot.

Grow Your Business

Sublimation is a process that only works when using sublimation paper, sublimation ink, and a sublimation printer. You also will need a heat source like a heat press (for flat objects) or a 3D vacuum heat press which works like an oven, for objects that will not work under a heat press. When sublimation inks are heated to 400°F, they turn into a gas and form a permanent bond to 100% white/light color polyester fabric or items with a polymer coating. The result is a premium, full-color, photographic-quality image that will not crack, peel, or wash away from the substrate. With sublimation, you can print on clothing, mugs, phone cases, frames, tags, license plates, puzzles, and more.

craft show

When printing on garments, the heat from the press causes the pores of the polyester to open up, the sublimation ink turns into a gas and then embeds itself into the garment. Once cooled, the pores close up. Because of this process, the final product is nearly permanent, extremely vibrant, and leaves no texture when rubbing your hand over the garment. You can sublimate on poly-blends, but keep in mind that the ink will only dye the polyester fibers, leaving a distressed look.

Vibratrans Screen printed heat transfer

If your primary offering is garments, adding sublimation allows you to offer products like mugs, coasters, custom phone cases, photo panels, bezel pendants, license plates, and much more. Make sure that the product you are customizing is poly-coated, by purchasing blanks made specifically for sublimation. Different products will have varying applications, so be sure to read the instructions for the item you are pressing before you dive in. We also have a growing inventory of instructional videos and Facebook Live videos that you can access for tips anytime.

Sublimation is a very easy process, but like anything else, you may make mistakes while you’re learning. Plan for them ahead of time, instead of letting it hinder you. Learn from your mistakes and watch your business grow. Check out some of the starter packages that we offer to jump-start your new business! Sublimation starter package, mug starter kit,  Expanded sublimation starter package, Super starter package.

You May Also Like:

Would you like to create a t shirt business? See how here:

tshirt biz

Want to see how you can print on phone cases? Watch a recorded Facebook Live.

Here we show you how to decorate a latte mug.

View & Add Comments

Silhouette School shows us how to use Foil on EasyWeed Adhesive

Posted on by
Reply

fblive-melissa-900square (2)

We loved having Melissa Viscount from Silhouette School take over our Facebook Live on October 6, demonstrating how she works with Foil and EasyWeed Adhesive.

Melissa enjoys using Foil with EasyWeed Adhesive because it is so versatile – it can be used on any surface that will take heat. She has used it on wood, paper, and all kinds of clothing. At Pro World, we carry foil in 14 solid colors and 10 different holographic and patterned rolls.

In case you missed Melissa on Facebook Live, you can view the video below or on our Facebook Page. She shows us how to layer foil on a baby bodysuit, and also how to crinkle foil for a different effect and adhere it to paper.

Cool right?

Here are the step by step instructions for using EasyWeed Adhesive and Foil on a Baby Bodysuit:foil
1- Begin by uploading or creating your design using your software. Make sure to mirror your image, and place your Easyweed Adhesive shiny side down before you cut. If using a Silhouette, blade should be 2, speed 3, and thickness 14.
2 – Weed your design.
3 – Pre-press your bodysuit. Do this by placing your garment on your TransPro® Heat Press for 20 seconds on 305 degrees.
4 – Find the center of the bodysuit by folding it in half and pressing it again. The line is where your adhesive design will go.
5 – Fold your Easyweed Adhesive design to find the center.
6 – Place the Easyweed Adhesive center on the center line of the bodysuit.
7 – Place your bodysuit on the prepping pad and cover with a non-stick sheet. Press for 20 seconds at 305 degrees.
8 – Peel carrier sheet off of adhesive.
9 – Cut a piece of foil from your roll, and then cut it down to size. Note that the foil will only apply to where the Easyweed Adhesive is.
10 – Place your onesie on the prepping pad, cover the Easyweed Adhesive area with foil, and place your non-stick sheet on top. Press for 20 seconds at 305 degrees.
Wait for the foil to cool (about 20 seconds), and then peel the foil back.
11 – Repeat all of these steps for layering your second design. Remember, foil will only stick to Easyweed Adhesive – it will not stick to the other foil, and it will not stick to any other part of the garment.

Melissa’s Tip #1: Don’t throw out little foil pieces – you’ll be able to use them in other designs.
Melissa’s Tip #2: When washing garments with foil, wash them inside out. It is also highly recommended to lay the garment flat to dry so that the design lasts longer.

Here are the step by step instructions for adding EasyWeed Adhesive and Foil to Paper:

paper
1 – Begin by uploading or creating your design using your software. Make sure to mirror your image, and place your Easyweed Adhesive shiny side down before you cut. If using a Silhouette, blade should be 2, speed 3, and thickness 14.
2 – Weed your design.
3 – Place your design on the paper.
4 – Place your paper on the prepping pad, cover with your non-stick sheet and place on the heat press.
5 – Leave on the heat press for 20 seconds at 305 degrees.
6 – Peel off carrier sheet.
7 – Apply your foil over the Easyweed Adhesive, place back on the prepping pad, cover with the non-stick sheet, and press for 20 seconds at 305 degrees.
8 – Wait for the foil to cool (about 20 seconds), and peel back.

Melissa’s Tip #1: To give the foil a distressed look, crinkle the foil before applying it to the Easyweed Adhesive.

Melissa’s Tip #2: Melissa always creates a weeding box with her design. In Silhouette Studio she uses the Draw Square tool and draws it around her design, which makes it super easy to weed. Just make sure to take off any area you do not want foil on.

Interested in the TransPro® 15×15? You can snag one for $99 when you purchase at least $399 in stock transfers, transfer paper, heat applied vinyl, sublimation paper, sublimation blank printables, and Silhouette products (excluding cutters). The discount on your heat press will be applied automatically when you’ve ordered at least $399 of merchandise on a single order (not including the heat press).

Join us every Friday at 12:15 pm EST on Facebook Live to learn something new! We look forward to seeing you there!

View & Add Comments

Learn all about the TransPro Basic Starter Package

Posted on by
Reply

Whether you are just getting started in your business or are a hobbyist, a TransPro Heat Press is a great item to have. It is our most popular brand and comes in a variety of sizes. And if you go with the TransPro Basic Starter Package, you not only get more bang for your buck, but it also makes for a fantastic gift.

TRANS PRO STARTER PACK new blog

The starter package includes:

-The Trans Pro 15×15 Heat press which is ideal for heat applying transfers to t-shirts, jackets, mouse pads, tile, and more. It is heavy duty and equipped with an automatic digital timer. This model is our most popular heat press and comes with our industry standard Pro World warranty. There is an upgrade option available for this package- you can choose the 16×20 Trans Pro heat press for the same great capabilities, just with a larger heat platen.

-$50 off a future order to help you get started. You will receive a coupon in this amount following your purchase of the starter package.

-20 Sheets of 8.5×11 Jetpro Soft Stretch inkjet paper which produces soft, vibrant, and wash-durable transfers for white and light colored fabrics.

-10 sheets of 8.5×11 3G Opaque Paper Darks inkjet paper which produces vibrant and wash-durable transfers for dark colored fabrics.

-A Tee Square to perfectly align your graphics.

-A non-stick sheet to prevent transfers from bleeding through onto the pack of the garment.

This is a great package that will help you get started, while keeping the cost down. It is also the perfect addition to your wish list! For more information on the starter kit, visit our website.

View & Add Comments

Wedding & Engagement Gifts That You Can Make

Posted on by
Reply

With Fall upon us, love is in the air! And nothing says love more than a personalized gift. When it comes to bridal showers, bachelorette parties, wedding party gifts, and wedding presents there are many different options. Below we have listed some of our favorite ideas that are sure to wow your customers. engagement gifts

Personalized Tote Bags– This would make a great gift for the bride to be. She could carry her wedding planning materials in it from meeting to meeting, she could keep necessities nearby on her special day, or show off her new name by carrying her belongings in it on her honeymoon. You could also shower the bridesmaids with beautiful, customized bags to keep their personal items safe and separate during the wedding day. This bag was created using our Siser Glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl in Black and Neon Pink!

wedding tote

Personalized Notebook– Help the bride to be keep her vendor contracts, ideas, and wedding inspiration pictures organized in a personalized notebook. You could also gift her a personalized address book to keep track of all of her guests. For this project you will want to use permanent adhesive vinyl. 

IMG_6697

Personalized Shirts– Help the bride to be show off her wedding date or new last name with a personalized shirt, tank top, or hoodie. She can sport one to her bachelorette party, get ready for her special day in it, or even wear it on her honeymoon. You could also monogram shirts for the bridal party to get ready in- great keepsakes and they make for an awesome photo opp. Also be sure to check out our bridal Heat Transfers we have over 20 to choose from! 

IMG_6698

Personalized Mugs– Are the bride and groom to be coffee drinkers? Gift them personalized mugs to enjoy their morning drinks in. You can adhere vinyl words or designs, or sublimate a favorite photo of them, or their beloved pets. It is a practical gift that they’ll love to use and show off. For this you can use sublimation or permanent adhesive vinyl.

wedding mug

With a few tools and some project blanks, you can have a one of a kind gift ready in no time. Visit our website for everything you need, https://www.proworldinc.com/.

Have you made or received a unique and personal wedding gift? Share a picture of the finished product on our Facebook Page or by tagging us on Instagram @proworldinc

View & Add Comments

All About Heat Transfer Vinyl

Posted on by
Reply

All About Heat Transfer Vinyl

With Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) you can create an endless supply of personalized shirts, bags, hats, aprons, etc. HTV is available in a number of different colors, sizes, and finishes, which means if you use your imagination, almost anything is possible. Here at Pro World, we offer a wide variety of HTV options.

We carry Siser EasyWeed Vinyl by the sheet and roll, both in multiple sizes. We offer a number of colors of the standard EasyWeed, fluorescent, and glitter as well as a glow in the dark vinyl. Siser EasyWeed can be peeled hot or cold and doesn’t lift during weeding. It’s extremely durable and won’t wear after numerous washings. It applies at a lower temperature setting and lower pressure than other vinyls and is also thinner making it great for layering. Siser EasyWeed Extra, Electric, Holographic, Stretch, CADflex, Siser EasyPatterns, ReflectAll, Brick, Strip Flock, and Metallic are also available.

collage1

Chemica Firstmark is a semi matte vinyl available in multiple sizes and a number of colors that is best when applied to cotton, polyester, acrylic, and similar materials. We also offer Chemica Mirror Vinyl, which has a metallic finish, in 2 colors, Chemica Firstmark Fluorescent available in 4 colors, and Chemica Quickflex which applies in 5 seconds to cotton, polyester, acrylic, and similar fibers. It peels hot, is soft, flexible, ultrathin, and easy to weed and washes well. It comes in 16 colors. Chemica Bling Bling is an ultra-metallic “glitter-flake” vinyl perfect for cheer and team spirit apparel and it comes in 10 colors. We also offer Chemica Metallic, Chemica Fashion Vinyl, and Chemica Darklite.

Collage2

There are multiple types of ThermoFlex available in assorted colors and sizes. ThermoFlex Plus Metal Flake is a highly flexible vinyl. It has small pieces of glitter within the vinyl but is smooth to the touch, and will wash and wear very well. It comes in 6 colors. We also have ThermoFlex Plus available in 38 colors, ThermoFlex Glossy available in 6 colors, ThermoFlex Plus Antique available in old gold and antique silver, ThermoFlex Xtra Antique available in old gold and antique silver, ThermoFlex Xtra available in 14 colors, and ThermoFlex Plus Neon available in 3 colors. The ThermoFlex Xtra is specially designed for decorating nylon, leather, rayon, and other heat sensitive surfaces. FashionFlex is pre-printed heat vinyl that has a textured look and feel. We offer it in zebra and camouflage. GlitterFlex Ultra Vinyl comes in 10 colors and has glitter flakes encased in it. It is a bit thicker than other vinyl’s so be sure to increase your cutting pressure accordingly.

collage3

Silhouette Smooth Vinyl will give your project a subtly, shiny look. The Silhouette Flocked Vinyl is velvety and has a fibrous texture, and the Silhouette Glitter Vinyl will add a little glam to your project. They are all manufactured with transfer tape already adhered and come in a number of colors.

 

15

With so many different brands, types, and sizes of vinyl available, it can be hard to decide which is best for your project. Different types work best on different materials, so be sure to read about the options to make sure they fulfil your needs. For more information about the HTV we offer and all of the different colors, sizes, and finishes, visit our website, https://www.proworldinc.com/heat-transfer-vinyl/heat-transfer-vinyl-for-garments.html.

Do you have a favorite HTV? Have you used any of the specialty varieties? Share pictures of your projects in the comments!

View & Add Comments

Preparing For Holiday Craft Shows

Posted on by
Reply

The holidays will be here before we know it. And with the holidays comes craft show season and multiple opportunities to expose your business and creations to a new audience. If you start preparing for these shows now, you’ll be in great shape, with a large offering, by the time the shows come around.

craft show prep

Before you start crafting, you need to decide which items you’re going to feature and prepare accordingly. To save money, buy in bulk where you can. We offer a wide variety of products you can sublimate and apply heat transfer vinyl to, and there are discounts for bulk orders. If you use a lot of vinyl in your creations, you can also order that in bulk as well, saving you both time and money.

If you want to be able to offer more personal options to your customers, you can always set up a crafting station at your show and bring along your cutting machine and a mini heat press. Don’t miss out on sales because you don’t have exactly what someone is looking for ready to go. By creating it on the spot, you’re giving your customer what they want, and providing excellent customer service. You’re also showing off your capabilities and talent.

craft show

Think about how diverse the list of people you shop for each holiday season is. What are you considering for each of them? What do you offer that would be suitable? While creating your product for these shows, keep that all in mind. Be a one stop shop for your customers- help them check people off their lists by offering unique, personal gifts that appeal to a wide variety of people.

Have you already started preparing? Share your ideas and creations in the comments. Or is there something you’d like to offer, but are unsure of how to successfully execute it? Let us know and maybe we can go over it in a future Facebook Live.

If you need some inspiration check out some here:

pro-world-holiday

DIY Holiday Hostess Gift - Sublimation on Coasters

View & Add Comments