Vinyl and heat transfer printing

Vinyl & Heat Transfer Printing

Perfect for personalisation, names and numbers, and synthetic fabrics. Includes specialist finishes such as reflective, fluorescent and high-build vinyl. Check vinyl is right for your job and compare it with other print methods, all on this page.

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Vinyl T-Shirt Printing and Heat Transfers

Vinyl printing in London for names, numbers and simple graphics, on almost any fabric.

Transfer printing is a broad term used to describe any technique where the design is first printed on a non-textile surface so it can later be transferred onto a different one, hence the word ‘transfer’. Many transfers are made from vinyl that is CAD-cut and weeded to leave the final design, then applied to the garment with heat and pressure.

Great for personalisation. It’s quicker to set up than screen printing, so we can personalise the same garment many times with different names or numbers. For example, the designs of sports teams. These need the same type of T-shirt printed several times but with different numbers and names for each of the players. We use vinyl a lot for outerwear and activewear in synthetic fabrics, for names and numbers on team kit, and for hard-to-reach places on accessories, from 10 units.

Is it right for my job?

When to Use Vinyl Printing

Answer five quick questions to see if vinyl suits your job, or which method would suit it better.

How many garments?
The design
Names or numbers?
Fabric
Finish
Great fit

Vinyl suits this job

    Who vinyl printing suits

    Vinyl printing is best suited for small runs, personalised garments and designs such as names and numbers. HTV (which stands for Heat Transfer Vinyl) works across a huge range of fabrics that traditional methods might struggle with, including nylon and polyester, which is why it’s so commonly used in sportswear and activewear. For larger runs of the same design, screen printing is usually more efficient.

    Compare methods

    Vinyl Compared to Other Print Methods

    VinylDTFScreenDTG
    Minimum order10102510
    Names and numbers✓✕✕✕
    Polyester and nylon✓✓✕✕
    Reflective and fluorescent✓✕✓✕
    Full colour and photos✕✓✕✓
    Lowest price per garment at 100+✕✕✓✕
    Fine detail and small text✕✓✓✓
    Soft, breathable feel✕✕✓✓
    Pros & cons

    What Are the Advantages of Vinyl Printing?

    Pros
    • ✓Made for names, numbers and personalisation
    • ✓Quick to set up, so small runs stay affordable
    • ✓Works on cotton, polyester, nylon and blends
    • ✓Sharp, clean edges on simple graphics
    • ✓Special finishes: reflective, fluorescent, glitter and velvet
    Cons
    • ✕Solid colours only, no photos or gradients
    • ✕Up to 4 colours, but 1 colour works best
    • ✕Not efficient for large runs of the same design
    • ✕Fine detail and very small text are hard to weed
    • ✕Sits on top of the fabric with a smooth, slightly firm feel

    Vinyl, DTF or screen printing?

    Choose it for names, numbers and simple graphics, especially on sportswear. Choose DTF for full-colour designs on the same fabrics, and screen printing for larger runs of one design. Many team kit orders use screen printing or DTF for the main design, with names and numbers added in vinyl.

    Specs

    Colours, Sizes and Positions

    Colours
    Up to 4

    Up to 4 colours, but 1 colour works best. Each colour is cut and layered separately.

    Print size
    Up to A3

    Names, numbers, chest logos and larger back prints.

    Minimum order
    10 units

    Per design, across mixed sizes. Small runs and personalised orders are fine. Sampling is available.

    Fabrics
    Almost any

    Cotton, polyester, nylon and blends, including sportswear and activewear.

    Finishes
    Matte to reflective

    Matte, gloss, reflective, fluorescent, glitter, metallic and velvet finishes.

    Light and dark
    Both

    The colours are solid and opaque, so they stay bright on any garment colour.

    Print positions
    Full frontLogos and graphics
    BACK
    Full backNames and numbers, or a back print
    Left chestA small logo or initials
    Right chestA small logo or number
    SleeveSmall logos, names or numbers

    Each position is priced separately. Vinyl also works on caps and bags.

    Price guide

    What Vinyl Printing Costs

    Every job is priced on its design, so ask us for a quote.

    Price on application. Send your design and we’ll quote within 24 hours.

    What affects the price
    • Colours: each colour is cut and pressed separately
    • Size: larger designs use more material and weeding time
    • Names and numbers: priced per name and per number
    • Finish: special finishes cost a little more
    • Quantity: set-up is quick, so it stays good value on small runs
    • The garment and extras: blanks and finishing are priced on your quote

    Get a quote

    Small runs and personalisation

    It’s cost-effective for small orders and single pieces, so it suits personalised garments and team kit. While great for small orders, it may not be cost-effective or efficient for large quantities, where screen printing is the better choice.

    Finishes

    Vinyl Types and Finishes

    Popular garment transfer printing services
    CAD cut vinyl transfer

    Vinyl Transfers

    CAD cut / HTVNames and numbers

    CAD cut HTV. Reflective. Fluorescent. Velvet. Take your pick with our computer aided design heat transfer vinyl option. We convert your design into an outline in Illustrator. From this we run the design through our plotter to reveal the shapes of your design. After some time spent weeding we then use the commercial heat press to seal your design to the garment.

    Plastisol transfer being heat pressed

    Plastisol Transfers

    Screen printedCaps and necks

    Similar to a screen print, we are able to print your design onto a special transfer paper and then heat press your design onto your selected garment. This is a good method if you’re looking to print on difficult to manoeuvre locations such as the front of caps or inside necks of t-shirts.

    Gold foil transfer on a garment

    Foil Transfers

    Metallic shineTwo methods

    There are two options for foiling. As explained on our screen printing page, you can screen print a layer of glue and then heat press foil on top of this to seal the design. The second method is to add adhesive foil, which we apply in the same way as CAD cut vinyl.

    Vinyl plotter cutting names and numbers for heat transfer printing

    Names and Numbers

    Team kitPersonalised

    Each name and number is cut on our plotter, weeded by hand and pressed onto the garment, so every piece in a team set can be different. Ideal alongside a screen printed or DTF main design.

    Vinyl finishes
    Reflective vinyl Jubel lettering being peeled onto a black t-shirt

    Reflective

    Night visibility

    Reflective vinyl bounces light back towards its source, for running kit, workwear and night-time visibility.

    Orange fluorescent vinyl stripes being peeled from the carrier sheet on a black top

    Fluorescent

    Neon colour

    Bright neon vinyls for event staff, sports kit and safety wear.

    Gold metallic vinyl bitcoin logo on a black hooded jacket

    Glitter and Metallic

    SparkleShine

    Glitter and metallic finishes add sparkle and shine to logos, names and numbers.

    Black high-build vinyl lettering on a black garment, with the backing sheet being peeled away

    High-build

    Raised finish

    High-build vinyl gives a thick, raised, matte finish with crisp edges.

    Compare every transfer method in our guide to heat transfers.

    Get in Touch

    Send us your garment choices, quantities and artwork and we’ll come back with a full quote.

    Before you order

    Sampling and Artwork

    Sampling

    See and feel your result before the full run. Sampling is available on every method.

    • Blank garment samples to check fit and fabric
    • A sample of your design before production
    • A digital proof showing the size and position of your design
    Ask for a sample
    Artwork

    Send what you have and we will check it before anything is produced.

    • Best: vector files (AI, PDF, EPS or SVG) with fonts outlined, as it’s cut from outlines
    • Also fine: a high-resolution PNG, which we redraw into cut paths
    • Colours: chosen from our colour range, close to your brand colours
    • Detail: very thin lines and tiny text are hard to weed, so we will flag them
    Process

    How Heat Transfer Printing Works

    1. Quote and specGarments, names, positions and a digital proof
    2. Artwork to outlineYour design converted to cut paths in Illustrator
    3. Plotter cuttingEach colour cut from heat transfer vinyl
    4. WeedingExcess material removed by hand
    5. Heat pressingPressed onto each garment
    6. Checks and packingPrints checked and packed

    From artwork to finished garment

    Computer aided design (CAD) heat transfer vinyl (HTV) starts with your design converted into an outline in Illustrator. We run it through our plotter to cut the shapes, spend time weeding away the excess, then use a commercial heat press to seal the design to the garment.

    Turnaround: most orders take 7 to 15 working days after final approval. The exact time depends on order size and how busy the season is. Tight deadline? Ask about a rush order.

    Garments

    Garments That Print Well

    It works on cotton tees, hoodies and polyester sportswear alike. For a first drop, most brands pick a tee and a hoodie. Browse our custom t-shirts and custom hoodies to choose yours.

    More than printing

    Complementary Garment Printing Services

    Vinyl is often one part of a bigger order. We can print the main design with DTF printing or screen printing, add names in vinyl, then finish and pack the order in London.

    Screen printed t-shirts

    Printing

    Not sure which method suits? Tell us about the job and we’ll recommend screen printing, DTG or vinyl.

    Premium blank garments

    Garments

    We supply blanks from brands such as Stanley/Stella, AS Colour and EarthPositive, including sportswear for custom gym wear and caps for custom caps.

    Garment finishing

    Garment Finishing

    We offer a wide range of garment finishing services to give your products a professional presentation.

    Why us

    Why Choose 3rd Rail for Vinyl Printing

    We cut, weed and press transfers in London, alongside screen printing, DTF and embroidery. That means we can print your main design and add names and numbers in vinyl on the same order, with every piece checked before it leaves us.

    Trusted by the World’s Biggest Brands

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    Need Professional Transfer Printing in London?

    Get a quote for your project. Tell us about it and we’ll get back to you with pricing and advice.

    Rather talk? Call 0207 231 0866

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    FAQs

    Vinyl Transfer Printing FAQs

    We cut your design from heat transfer vinyl and press it onto the garment with heat and pressure. This creates sharp, clean designs that are highly durable and suitable for simple graphics.

    Yes. We post orders, including full team kit, anywhere in the UK and abroad.

    For small runs, personalised garments, and names and numbers. It is not typically used for large-scale bulk production.

    Not often in large quantities, but where other methods aren’t suitable it can be the best option. Each piece is applied by hand, so methods like screen printing are more efficient for larger runs.

    Potentially for years, with the right care. Applied properly, it resists cracking and fading.

    Matte, gloss and speciality finishes, including reflective, fluorescent, glitter and velvet.

    10 units, and sampling is available.

    Yes. We can screen print or DTF print the main design and add individual names and numbers in vinyl, so every garment in the set is different.

    Cotton, polyester, nylon and blends. It’s especially popular for sportswear and activewear because it bonds well to synthetic fabrics.

    No. Vinyl is cut from solid colour sheets, so it suits names, numbers and simple graphics. For full-colour designs, see DTF printing.

    Choose vinyl for names, numbers and simple graphics, ideally in 1 colour. Choose DTF printing for full-colour designs, photos and gradients.

    Vector files (AI, PDF, EPS or SVG) with fonts outlined are best, as vinyl is cut from outlines. We can redraw a high-resolution PNG if needed.

    Most orders, including team kit, are ready 7 to 15 working days after final approval. Larger orders and busy times of year take longer. Tell us your deadline when you ask for a quote, as rush orders may be possible.

    It depends on the size, number of colours, finish and quantity. Every job is priced on its design, so ask us for a quote.