Hoodies, sweatshirts, French terry — a soft nap that can swallow fine detail. Press bold, and flatten the pile.
The number on your press is a suggestion. Presses ship miscalibrated, read differently across the platen, and drift over time — the panel can say 280°F while the print only sees 240°F. What actually bonds a transfer is the print reaching 280°F for 3–5 seconds at firm pressure. So you may need to set your press higher — often 300–310°F — to get there. Dial in your press once, then trust it.
Presses read differently and drift — it's not uncommon for even new heat presses to be off by 20% or more. Answer a few quick questions and we'll get you a good starting point to dial in from.
A 2–3 second tap flattens the garment and drives off any moisture. Our film no longer needs it to bond — but a flat, dry surface still gives the most even contact, so it's worth it in humidity or on a garment that's been sitting.
280°F · 3–5 sec · firm 90 psi. Heat and pressure settle the TPU into the fibers. Hit the number and lift.
Cover the design with a textured sheet and press again. It seats the adhesive deeper for wash durability and gives a softer, matte hand feel. Skip it only for rush or throwaway merch.
| Feel | Pneumatic (psi) | Manual dial (1–9) | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 20–40 | 1–3 | Paper slides out easily |
| Medium | 30–50 | 4–5 | Paper drags a little |
| Medium-firm | 40–60 | 5–6 | Firm tug to pull paper |
| Our spec — firm | 90 | 7–9 | Paper won't budge |
On a pneumatic press, set the gauge to 90 psi. On a manual clamshell, aim for a solid two-finger effort to latch, then confirm with the paper-drag test.
Closes at a slight angle, so thick seams take more force at the hinge. Great for flat tees — just latch fully for even contact.
The platen comes straight down for the most even pressure. Best on thick goods like hoodies, denim, and canvas.
Air holds identical pressure every cycle — set 90 psi once and every press matches. Ideal for volume.
Favor bold designs — thin lines and tiny text get lost in the nap.
A firm press plus the textured post-press flattens the pile under the print.
A pre-press compresses fleece for more even contact before the transfer goes down.
A textured cover sheet on the post-press keeps the hand feel soft.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thin lines look broken or patchy | The nap swallowed the fine detail | Use bolder artwork and a firm press | Finish |
| Fabric texture shows through the print | The pile wasn't compressed | Pre-press first, then a firm textured post-press | Finish |
Absolutely — they take the standard 280°F, 3–5 second setting. The main thing is compressing the nap with a firm press and a post-press so the print sits flat.
Fleece has a raised, fuzzy pile that hides fine detail. Use bolder artwork, and flatten the pile with a firm press and post-press.
Upload a design and our preflight scores how it'll press on fleece — ink density, hand feel, and adhesion, before you order.
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