When it comes to decorating plastics (or most materials for that matter), manufacturers and ad specialty companies have several options, most notably Hot Stamping and Heat Transfers. It can be rather overwhelming.
What Is the Difference between Heat Transfers and Hot Stamping?
Which one makes the most sense for your company? Both require heat, pressure, and dwell (time) to apply an image to a part, but where each differs is in the image itself. Hot stamping images are generally one color, created by the art in the die, while heat transfers are pre-printed images using silk screened, gravure, flexography, or digital printing. As a result, heat transfers can be one color or multicolor.
So, do you go with hot stamping or heat transfers? Before you even think about making a decision, let’s delve into the benefits of heat transfers.
What Are the Benefits of Heat Transfers?
- For starters, heat transfer is a dry process, unlike silk screening, pad transfer, Gravure, and similar methods.
- There are no storage problems: flammable materials, strong odors, or ink mixing.
- The product can be handled immediately after printing. There is no dry time.
- High quality images!
- And, of course, heat transfers allow for multicolor printing, which leads to better aesthetics, which can impact purchasing decisions.
- Heat transfer is a one-step process, reducing the number of hits or passes required to apply a multi-color graphic.
- Reduction in the set-up time between jobs.
- Heat transfers are versatile and can be used on a wide range of products, from plastics to glass to ceramics and more.
- And so much more!
Digital Heat Transfers from Grafixx
One of the most popular methods for decorating plastics (and the only digital solution for decorating glass), digital heat transfers from Grafixx are economical, making short run decorating not only possible, but affordable. Produced right here in the United States, Grafixx digital heat transfers are bringing the advantages of digital transfer technology to an increasing percentage of the product decorating industry. Of the nearly 10,000 printing lines worldwide, 20% have already converted to digital and 50% are expected to convert by next year. Is your business next?
Click Here to learn about the many benefits of digital heat transfers!
If you have any questions about the Difference between Heat Transfers and Hot Stamping and which makes the most sense for your business, please contact Grafixx at 410-646-7800 or fill out our Contact Form. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube.
