For the Business of Apparel Decorating
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100 | Printwear M ay 20 1 4 20 1 4 M ay Printwear | 101 BagS & acceSSorieS tips & tricks screen print non-Woven Bags Eco-friendly, reusable non-woven shopping bags look great with trans- fers or screen prints. Decorating them is all about getting the tem- perature just right. For screen printing, keep in mind that black tends to burn twice as fast as other colors. Use "quicker-cure" inks that cure at lower temperatures. When using normal ink, add a hard- ener and test the heat starting at 320º F. However, note that not all inks and machines are the same. Be sure to test a few bags and make adjustments to get the best results. KiM Hendrix, SportSMan Cap & Bag take DoWn the heat If you are looking at applying heat transfer vinyl to your reusable grocery or tote bags, one of the first things to do is know what temperature your blank surface can take. The bags need to be able to take at least 250° F, the bare minimum that standard films will begin to stick. Use films with a low temperature application around 250- 305° F. Rhinestones can also be applied to a bag or tote, but, once again, the bag needs to be tested to see if it can withstand a heat of 300° F. SaMantHa norMandin, Heat tranSfer WareHouSe Bag FunD raiser Business With more and more in- dividuals bringing their own reusable tote bags to grocery stores, bags can make for a great fund raiser. The price point can be controlled by the tote bag itself—from high-end, heavy-duty canvas to inexpensive, non-woven materi- al which you can choose to be made from sustainable, eco-friendly materials or not. Sports icons, mascots, team logos or other personalization can be added easily, run- ning 40 weight embroidery thread. The non-woven material these bags are made of will hold stable enough for the use of a tear away embroidery backing, but take care when hooping. The fabric does not stretch well and can tear if not handled with care. aliCe Wolf, Madeira screen print canvas totes Here are some things to consider when screen printing on canvas bags: Additives or "soft" inks flow better and fill the coarse weave of canvas bags. These inks can be driven into the fabric so the surface won't affect the adhesion. Add a bonding catalyst. While usually used for nylon bags, it can help any ink Bags are afford- able options for booster sales or fundraisers as they are one-size- fits all and easily customizable. (Im - age at top courte- sy Sportsman Cap & Bag; images at right and below courtesy Madeira) Check with manufacturers to get the maximum heat tolerance for any given bag to ensure proper decoration adhesion. (images courtesy Heat transfer Warehouse) Text continued on page 111 PW_MAY14.indd 100 4/17/14 1:27 PM