Vocational Vocabulary

The word ‘bleed’ has multiple different meanings, like what happens when your skin gets cut. But in this article we’re going to focus on 2 ways this term is used in the printing and heat transfer industry, how it affects you, and how to utilize one and avoid the other. A ‘Bleed’ in printing? A […]

While the terms Substrate and Textile aren’t used very much in ‘day-to-day’ speech, you will probably hear them when you attend trade shows, or other events catering to the garment decoration /  sign graphics industry. So what do they mean and how do they differ? What is a ‘Substrate’? Substrate is a term used to

What does Hi-Vis mean? Hi-Vis (or High-Visibility) is a term used for brightly colored garments (t-shirts, vests, jackets, etc..) and can also refer to neon or fluorescent heat transfer vinyls and screen print inks. The pigments or dyes used in these bright colors reflect the light more efficiently than normal dyes. This is especially true

What is ‘Tack’? Tack can mean a few different things in the garment decoration business, especially when dealing with heat transfer vinyl. Here are 2 areas this term is used: ‘Tacking’ HTV to the garment When applying vinyl to a garment or fabric, ‘tacking’ it down means to just press it for a very short

What Does Kiss Cut Mean? Kiss Cut refers to a cutting technique where multiple layers are stacked together then cut, with each layer’s cut path inset from the layer below it. This technique is commonly used in two different fields: Tackle Twill for apparel, and Stickers. What Are The Benefits Of Kiss Cut? Benefits of

What is Dye Migration? Dye Migration (also sometimes called bleeding) is when the dyes or inks from a fabric (like a t-shirt or jersey) migrate or move from the fabric into something else, like heat transfers or screenprint inks. Why Does Dye Migration Happen? Dye migration is usually caused by exposure to heat. When decorating

What is Denier? Simply put, denier is a unit of measurement for fiber thickness and weight. A single denier unit is based on a 9000 meter strand of silk, which weighs about 1 gram. So as an example, if a 9000 meter strand of polyester weighs 80 grams, the fabric made with that polyester would

What is Kerning? ‘Kerning’ is the process of increasing or decreasing the space between two letters/characters within a font so that they are visually pleasing. This is usually needed for letter combinations that are wide on one end, narrow on the other, e.g. A, V, W, T, etc… When these letters are put together, whether

What is Scorching? ‘Scorch’ or ‘burn’ marks are the result of too much heat applied to heat sensitive fabrics/materials. Usually this is seen as a box or outline of the heat press (see above picture). The scorched area will either be a different color from the rest of the garment or have a sheen to it.

What is Threading and Threadability? ‘Threadability’ is a trademarked innovation by Stahls’ Hotronix®. Threading is the act of sliding a garment, like a t-shirt, onto the lower platen of a heat press. Rather than laying the whole garment on top of the platen, you slide the garment on with the platen inbetween the front and back. See picture below: What’s