Calling all vinyl addicts! We have recently expanded our vinyl inventory to include sign vinyl, which can be applied to a variety of surfaces without heat. Check out our post a few weeks back on how to apply vinyl to a planter.

Today, we will show you how to apply our FDC High Gloss vinyl to a car window. This is a great way to add a personal touch to your vehicle, whether you may be advertising your business or creating your own unique stick figure family!

This process only takes a few minutes, but does require you to work slowly, especially when working with a larger design area. You want to pay careful attention to make sure that the design is transferred smoothly and evenly.

I started off by creating my design in Adobe Illustrator, and exporting the file as an AutoCAD Interchange File (*.DXF) to work with our in-house Silhouette cutter. I loaded my white glossy vinyl into the cutter, and off to work it went!

After the design is cut, I used a weeding tool  to weed away the excess material. Next, I cut a piece of gridded clear/blue application tape to the size of my design, peeled the backing off the tape, and applied the adhesive side of the tape to the vinyl. Prepare the sticker for application by firmly rubbing a squeegee or credit card across the clear transfer tape to remove any air bubbles that may have formed.

So, you want to launch your own t-shirt business, but you have no idea where to start. How much money will you need? What products do you need to get started? Which heat press is best suited for your needs?

As one of the world’s largest suppliers of transfers and t-shirt printing supplies, we get these questions every day. And we feel it’s about time that we make it easy for you, by putting all of the information in one spot and breaking it down into just 3 simple steps.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH!

First things first, do your research. We cannot stress how important this is. Before investing your money in starting up a business, make sure you know exactly what you will need to get started, and the basic knowledge of how the industry works. There are so many different products out there and so many different ways to create a t-shirt.

In order to figure out what products you’ll need, you will first want to decide what type of t-shirts you plan on selling. Create a business plan. Are you a graphic artist interested in creating one-of-a-kind designs? If so, custom transfers will probably be the best option. Just send us your design through our quote form, and we will turn it into a screen printed heat transfer. Or, maybe you are looking to print jerseys and numbers for local sports teams? Then a Vinyl Cutter and vinyl may be the answer. Opening up an online store? We have a huge variety of stock transfers to get you started. Decide your target market. This will help you greatly in determining which products will be necessary. We have put together a bunch of starter packages as well as offering some great deals on our TransPro heat presses.

We also have a wide range of support videos on our products that are extremely helpful in getting you familiar with our different products.

2. CREATE A FINANCE & MARKETING PLAN.

What is your budget? Once you know what products you’ll need, figure out how much your start-up cost will be. Outside of materials like a heat press and transfers, you will also want to include the cost of t-shirts, labeling your product, shipping/packaging, etc. Make sure all of this is roped into what you charge for your t-shirts, as well as your time.  Keep track of all of your expenses.

Create a marketing strategy. Will you mostly be selling online? Social marketing these days is KEY. Take advantage of free marketing like Instagram and Facebook. Reach an even larger audience by sponsoring your posts on Facebook. Give out free shirts occasionally to promote your brand. Remember that sometimes, spending money is making money when it comes to marketing. Identify your strategies, and create a long term vision. Set goals for yourself each month, and believe in your ability to reach it.

3. HAVE FUN, BE CREATIVE, & DON’T QUIT!

Why run your own business if you can’t have fun doing it? Always remember to keep a positive outlook and provide more-than-amazing customer service. Customers are key, and will always return if they receive a quality product combined with a pleasant experience. Always try to improve, and continue to learn new products and new strategies. Never stop promoting your “brand”. And remember that success comes with time and hard work, so don’t give up!

With Mother’s Day just a month away, you definitely don’t want to wait until last minute to shop for a gift for the most important lady in your life. Our moms would do almost anything for us… so why not show them just how special they are by creating a personalized photo frame with sublimation?

I decided to go with a blank 8×10 picture frame, which has an offset opening for a 6×4″ photo so that the frame can be rotated horizontal or vertical to place the opening in a different position. This frame has a thick beveled edge, and comes in black.

After creating a “wood” background and custom text in Photoshop, I mirrored my design and then printed to our Virtuoso Sg400 sublimation printer, using an 8.5×11″ sheet of Texprint paper. After pressing for 60 seconds at 400° Fahrenheit with the TransPro 15×15 heat press, my frame is complete… it’s that easy! Now just toss in your favorite photo of you and your mama, and VOILA!

Be sure to check out our complete line of sublimation blanks to find the perfect gift for your mom! What will you be making your mom this Mother’s Day?

Hey guys, today we are going to be telling you all about our newest and easily the most popular vinyl that we sell, Siser EasyWeed! This material comes in three different options… regular, stretch, and electric.

Why is Siser EasyWeed our #1 selling heat transfer vinyl? Simple, EasyWeed applies at a lower temperature, can be peeled HOT or COLD and doesn’t lift during weeding. It’s also extremely durable wash after wash and uses a lower pressure setting for application. EasyWeed is thin and offers a one-step application that’s great for multiple layers. Best of all, it comes in 44 colors!

Siser EasyWeed Stretch delivers all the benefits of the regular EasyWeed and combines it with super stretch-ability to create one remarkable heat transfer material! The thinnest of any Siser material, EasyWeed Stretch has an ultra-matte finish (except for gold and silver) and a soft hand that’s currently available in 7 popular colors.

Siser EasyWeed Electric represents the latest trend in CAD materials for the fashion industry. If you’re looking to take your designs to the next level, EasyWeed Electric has a finish or pattern just for you, currently available in 11 vibrant colors, each with a pearlescent metallic sheen. EasyWeed Electric is durable wash after wash and maintains its bright color and brilliant finish.All of the EasyWeed vinyl comes on a pressure-sensitive carrier – which makes cutting detailed designs and logos a breeze. EasyWeed is also CPSIA Certified, so it’s perfect for decorating children’s clothing and accessories. Want to layer your design? Not a problem! All of the EasyWeed vinyl is layer-able, so the options are pretty much endless.

To see all of the other types of Siser vinyl that we carry, follow this link. We carry everything from glitter to flock, and even printable vinyl!

Also, be sure to check out and subscribe to Siser’s YouTube channel for tons of helpful and creative videos on using their products, like this layered design combining regular EasyWeed & Glitter!

I can’t even tell you how excited I am about a little thing called a mug press. For my collaboration with Pro World, I started to dream up ideas for making custom items and felt giddy. It reminded me of when I was 23 years old, thinking about starting a tee shirt line back in 2002. One of my mentors referred me to someone who advised I invest in a heat press. Back then internet shopping had really only just begun for me, and I scoured eBay to try and find a heat press (similar to this one) that was gently used. Then I realized that if I am going to purchase a piece of equipment that would be a business expense and an investment, I should consider buying a new one. It was so long ago and such a crazy time in my life working as a freelance stylist, part-time cocktail waitress, and then dabbling in tee shirt designs, I can’t remember how I actually even obtained the heat press. But I sure do wish I had a resource like Pro World back then. I started off just experimenting. I would print designs onto scrap pieces of fabric. I used heat transfer paper similar to this and my home printer. I printed the design (in reverse) and then cut it out by hand. Once heat pressed onto the scrap fabric, I would then hand sew them onto a tee shirt or tank top. The process was so much fun and I felt like the potential to create was limitless. When I decided to take things to the next level, I decided to print by own labels onto muslin that would then be hand stitched into every garment. By that point I had found seamstresses and local hand sewers (in Atlanta), and I had a little business going. It was enough to allow me to quit working in the restaurant and forced me to take it all more seriously rather than just doing it for fun. While I don’t think I have the desire to start making mugs for a side business, it sure is fun and someone should do it! Perhaps one of you out there?

Using the sublimation printer that came in the Pro World Mug Starter Package, I printed multiple designs onto the special paper in reverse (flipped horizontally). Not wanting to waste space on the paper, I experimented with several types of images and made sure to fill up as much of the sheet as possible. I trimmed around the design – the coolest thing about sublimation printing is that you don’t have to worry about trimming so close to the design to avoid anything white. When using regular iron on transfer papers and an ink jet printer, you typically have to trim as close as possible.

Using heat resistant tape, I attached the design face down to the mug while the mug press was warming up.

I recommend using something like an oven glove once the machine has done it’s job, as the mug is still pretty hot.

Once cooled off enough, peel off the heat resistant tape. It comes off easily, but I would recommend not getting too excited about peeling it off that you burn yourself, as I almost did.

Ann-Marie and I were laughing and dying over how cute our little ones look on these mugs!

As a small business owner, I think the possibilities would be endless for promotional products. These would make great giveaways or even add-on’s as part of a line. I could totally see people adapting card designs or tee shirt designs onto these mugs! What would you like to see on a mug?

With St. Patrick’s Day just three weeks away, we are going to show you step-by-step instructions on customizing some shot glasses with sublimation. And what makes everything better in life? That’s right… puppies! We decided to incorporate some adorable dogs into this St. Patty’s Day theme.

First things first, you will need a sublimation printer. We used our in-house Ricoh printer, which is an older model that we had previously sold in the past. The upgraded (and more feature rich) model can be purchased on our website, the Sawgrass Virtuoso. This printer will come with the required Sublijet inks. You will also need some sublimation paper on which to print your design.  We recommend Texprint paper.

I used the shot glass template to create my artwork and then I set multiple images up on an 8.5 x 11″ sheet to get the most out of my paper. The template will ensure that you create images with enough bleed room (i.e. area outside of the print), as well as helping to re-create the shape of the shot glass. Be sure to mirror print your image so that your artwork is printed in reverse.

Next, take your scissors and cut the prints apart, leaving a little bit of white trim around the edges to avoid cutting into your design. Once the designs are cut apart, you will want to prep them to be taped to the shot glasses.

Keep in mind that the shot glasses we carry do have a white coating, which means that any area of your design that is not filling the template will have a white background.

After the designs are cut, wrap them around each shot glass and attach the image to the shot glass using heat resistant transfer tape to keep the paper in place.

Now that your glasses are prepped, we need to get the heat press ready. You can also do this before printing to allow the press some time to heat up. Plug in your 3D Vacuum Heat Press and flip the switch on the back left side. Press the “Power” twice to get to the settings, and then press the “Temperature” settings button and set at 200 degrees Celcius. Now press the “Time Setting” button and set to 13 minutes. After both are set, press the “Heating” button twice. The press will now start heating up, and will beep once it hits 200 degrees.

Place the shot glasses into the shot glass mold and cover with the glass lid. Once the heat press is ready, place the shot glass mold inside of your 3D Vacuum heat press.

Attach the rubber tube (that is connected to the bottom of the 3D Vacuum Press) to the white tube sticking out of the mold. After the tube is connected, press the “Vacuum” button. The tube will then suck all of the air out of the mold. Pick up the mold carefully (while wearing protective gloves) and check to make sure that there are no wrinkles where the mold has been suctioned around the shot glasses. After flattening out any wrinkles, close the heat press and press the “Timing” button. The machine will begin to count down.

Remove the mold once the time is up, making sure to wear your protective gloves. Peel the paper off of the shot glasses immediately. Use caution as the glass will be very hot! Let the shot glasses cool down, and admire your finished product! Fill with your favorite liquor, and drink til yer Irish! Ruff Ruff. . . sorry I couldn’t resist!