Top 3 Product Recommendations for Application to Hats
Evergreen is a water based screen printed heat transfer that applies beautifully to structured hats.
1. Evergreen
Evergreen is a water based screen printed heat transfer that offers an eco-friendly customization option. With a low application temperature of just 270 F and a 10 second dwell, Evergreen is a great choice for hats that may be sensitive to high heat settings like foam trucker hats or 100% polyester mesh hats.
Another unique advantage to Evergreen is that it’s printed on a clear carrier film, making for easy placement. You can easily see through the carrier so you can line up your image perfectly. With such a small application area when decorating hats, there’s little margin for error. Having that extra insurance with the clear carrier makes Evergreen our top choice!
Howard Multi-Purpose offers a light hand feel with an easy hot peel application.
2. Howard Multi-Purpose
Howard Multi-Purpose is our best-selling plastisol screen printed heat transfer product. With a light hand feel and easy hot peel application, this is a fool proof transfer that offers great versatility – including most hats!
Howard Multi-Purpose will provide the most similar option to a direct screen print. This is because it’s manufactured using the same plastisol based inks as direct screen printing.
Generally, you’ll want to follow the low temperature application instructions of 310 F for 18-20 seconds and you should be able to apply Howard Multi-Purpose to a wide range of fitted, unstructured, and structured hats.
3. colorVIBE
When the job calls for a full-color application, choose colorVIBE for your next hat project. colorVIBE is a digital hybrid transfer, meaning it combines direct-to-film (DTF) technology with a white water based screen printed backup to create a product that’s more durable, versatile, and long lasting – ideal for application to hats.
colorVIBE offers a superior digital CMYK color output with impressive vibrancy and opacity on a full spectrum of colors from light to dark. If you had to apply over a hat seam, this would be the ideal choice and would yield the best result. Because of the excellent versatility of this product, no hat is off limits – foam trucker hats, twill snapbacks, brushed cotton caps, and more are all fair game!
colorVIBE is another low temperature application at just 275 F, but with a cold peel. Because of this, we do recommend using heat tape to secure the transfer to the hat to ensure it doesn’t begin to peel up before the transfer has completely cooled.
Our Top Tips for Heat Printing Hats:
Flip the sweatband off the platen before you begin application
Use a Teflon pillow or “stuffing” to fill the space between the platen and the hat to avoid creasing
Avoid application over seams; we recommend sourcing five panel caps
Consider unique image placement if your customer chooses not to use a five panel hat