Thursday, 21 September 2017

Importance of T-shirt Design Software to start a T-shirt business

T-Shirt industry has been on a terrific run over the last couple of decades as T-shirts have been globally accepted as the first casual wear by everyone. As a result, online T-shirt selling houses have become a top business choice. Some entrepreneurs took this reasonable opportunity and skyrocketed their way to success. As market flourished, it is evident that you will be facing a stiff competition and one way to have the edge over other is by using a T-shirt designing software. You may be wondering that how a simple software can help you stay ahead in the market? We will answer all such questions.

What is a T-shirt designing software?

Let’s try to answer that in a way that everyone can understand this. Well, it is a software package which enables you to upload or create designs and can simulate the design on a T-shirt. It lets you have a preview of conception, that how it would look on the fabric without even physically printing. It saves time and expenses as actual design creation and print transfer requires both of above. Moreover, it provides you with lots of options to manage your design and templates.

How can the software help your business?

This is the exact question because of which you landed on this page. Well, first of all, let’s identify what makes the sale, the obvious answer will be Niche, Design, Quality, and Brand. The software won’t affect the quality and niche, but it will certainly help you to get a far better design which is fresh and vibrant. The quality depends on printing method and fabric used. Thus, overall it helps in building the brand.

What does the software offer?

When you are looking for a T-shirt designing software, you must look what the package offers you. Below mentioned points are some basic features which you will find in most of them.

  • The software provides you with an incredibly extensive range of unique designs and even lets you choose the size, color, text, and clip-arts as per requirement
  • Such tool comes with lots and lots of garment template, artwork and image library which is regularly updated by the service providers
  • Thanks to the software now you don’t need to hire a skilled designer to create design, in turn, it saves both money and time
  • Even some software aims to integrate with your e-commerce portal to allow your customers to design their T-shirts. This feature certainly gives you an edge over your counterparts
  • Not only these software are capable of designing t-shirts but also they can be used to design various other products likes caps, hats, depending on your printing capability

What to look before making the final choice

There is no doubt that a good software would help you to improve your T-shirt business. So before selecting any of them, there are some aspects that you can have a look on, some of these are mentioned below.

  • Support for software: Try to go for a package which is known for its high-quality support section. This is because, in the beginning, every person faces difficulties before getting acquainted with the procedure. So, if the support admin section is professional and customer friendly it would help a lot.
  • The library: The sole purpose of designing software is to get the fresh and trending design. The software which you are selecting must have its design library, clip art and fonts updated on a regular basis; this would help you in keeping up with the competition.
  • Price: The price of these packages varies from company to company and can be anywhere between USD20 to USD 2500. The cost varies mainly because some elite features such as e-commerce integrity or online designing feature
  • License period: Look at the time for which you are being provided the software package, there are software which comes with a limited license which others with lifetime option.
  • Update: Decent software should provide regular update depending to keep its client updated with ever chaining market needs. If the package is designed for online use, then the regular update is a must.

Conclusion

From above its quite clear that software can help you in multiple dimensions when it comes to the online T-shirt business. They can get you simulations for the print, provide you with latest designs and even track your business. There is lots of t-shirt designing software available in the market that can help you boost your business. The most popular ones are No-Refresh, GraffixPro Studio, Flash T-Shirt Design software. But if you need some offline working package then Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw Graphics suite will be an ideal choice for you. First of all, decide a budget and then try to identify a software which you can easily work on, accordingly make the selection. It is mostly a one-time investment so don’t bother if the price is high for better software.

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Sunday, 10 September 2017

Best Vinyl Cutting machine for t shirts in 2017 | Best Heatpress Machine

Best Vinyl Cutting machine for t shirtsLooking for the Best Vinyl Cutting machine?

You might be looking for a new Vinyl cutting machine that’s the only reason you are on our site. As of today, there is a significant number of the dedicated device for the purpose, and it becomes quite overwhelming to decide that which one will suit your needs the best.

Well, selecting the best vinyl machine can make the critical difference between realizing your dreams or it can lead to failure & cause lots of frustration. In the market there are different models with different features, you may get confused looking them. So before you make any choices let’s try to understand the basics of a vinyl cutting machine.

What is a vinyl cutting machine?

Well, it is the basic question that needs to answer. A vinyl cutting machine can be considered as a plotter that has a blade instead of a pen. With the help of this blade designs and shapes are cut out from vinyl. This machine is computer controlled where the designs and shapes are created in a special software and then forwarded to the cutter.

Top 5 best vinyl cutter 2017: A comprehensive list

Silhouette Cameo Electronic Cutting Machine Vinyl – best vinyl cutter for small business

vinyl cutter machine for t shirts

When it comes down to vinyl handling machines, the name Silhouette doesn’t need an introduction. The company has a reputation for delivering a simple electronic machine that possesses quality hardware to provide precise and accurate cuts. The Cameo 2 maintains the legacy of Silhouette and is easily one of the best vinyl cutter for small business. When compared to some of the top machines it is much cheaper.

The Silhouette Cameo features a sleek design with an appealing body and looks more like a printer. It is very light, so can be moved from one place to another place if required. Moreover, the cameo features USB slot which enables you to print the designs saved on a thumb drive. All of these functions combinedly gives you the ability to work on the go.

Why choose the Cameo over others?

There is more than one reason which easily speaks in favor of the Cameo, some of the notable ones are mentioned below.

  • Print and cut: This feature utilizes the Studio Software to print the image via a printer, the image thus printed has registration along with the outline. This image is loaded into the cameo which auto detects the registration markers and provides a nice cut around the print.
  • PixScan Technology: Here instead of printing the design you can place it on a PixScan cutting mat that has registration marks. Now a picture is taken and uploaded to the design studio which creates the trace line and cuts it neatly.
  • Intuitive Controls: Although it features a touchscreen interface which is quite good the entire cutting is controlled by the computer (Studio Software). This lets you work more efficiently.

Apart from these, there are other features such as the high-quality blades, USB, drawing option support, which speaks for the product, we will discuss them at some later point in time.

Pros

  • Affordable, yes it works like top of line machines yet costs less
  • Replaceable blades, give you option for drawing
  • Can cut through multiple materials
  • You get lots of designs and even access to Silhouette design store
  • Comes with one year warranty

Cons

  • Entire work is software dependent so needs to be frequently updated
  • Not as silent as expected

Summary

If you are new to the vinyl craft business and are on a small budget, this is the best vinyl cutter you can come across. It delivers excellent value for money; another is that you can import & create any design which you want to cut. The machine looks sturdy built, and touch screen interface adds a charm. Although, it cannot cut through thicker materials but would be an ideal choice for beginners as they work with vinyl mostly.

Cricut Explore Air Wireless Cutting Machine

best vinyl cutter

When you are looking for a compact and affordable vinyl cutter, you know which door to knock on. Made by Provo Craft, it is the example of a subtle blend of craftsmanship and technology over the years. The Cricut Explore Air has evolved, model by model inheriting the best from them. It is one of the few machines that have been designed to tackle some different materials, from vinyl to leather with proper setting. Because of such features, it gives to chance to expand your business into other domains.

The highlight of Explore Air is the total wireless operation, which means no need to connect the cutter with your pc via cables. You can send all your designs and images via Bluetooth. Regular cutters allow you to draw and cut, but the Explore Air is unique as has a dual carrier, enabling you to draw and cut at the same time. The cutter has the maximum cutting width of 12 inches and features four roller wheels. As it was designed for portability, it weighs a mere 10.9 lbs.

Why should the Cricut Explore Air Wireless be your top preference?

There is more than one reason which comfortably speaks in favor of the Cameo, some of the notable ones are mentioned below.

  • Wireless connection: Thanks to the wireless connection, you can now print from any corner of your home. Also, no need to keep your pc near the cutter.
  • Easy to use design: It’s an entry level cutter which is best for beginners. The interface is easy to understand and cutting power is decides using a Smart Set dial.
  • Cartridges compatibility: If you are a Cricut user your all previous cartridges will work properly with it can cut over 60 different materials.
  • Versatility: Well when you look at the versatility it is the best vinyl cutter you can get at this price, as it can

More of the features which will discuss them at some later point in time.

Pros

  • Delivers excellent and precise cuts
  • Operates much silently when compared to others
  • Can cut through multiple materials
  • User-friendly interface and easy to work
  • Total wireless operation

Cons

  • Projects need to be stored in cloud only
  • Operates on a sophisticated software

Summary

If you are new to the vinyl craft business and are on a small budget, this is the vinyl cutter you should go for. It delivers excellent performance, another important point that you can work from any location in the Bluetooth range. After the software received the update, you can work without internet connection. Overall its one of the best vinyl cutting machine for crafts.

Vinyl Cutter USCutter MH 34in BUNDLE

best vinyl cutting machine for crafts

Looking for a better Vinyl Cutter on a tight budget but have no constraints on the space, and there is no need for portability, then USCutter MH 34in is the best vinyl cutting machine for T-shirts and crafts and other such needs. The US cutter has been known globally for its quality DIY tools, and MH 34in do not disappoint you when it comes to quality and precision cutting. Over the years it has become the first choice of hobbyist and small business globally.

This vinyl cutting machine offers you much larger workspace when compared to previous two models. It can cut up to the width of 31 inches and length around 8 feet. The cutter features two pinch rollers which are adjustable to meet your cutting needs. Also, the cutter features Roland compatible blade holder which provides you with access to most economic blades.

What makes the USCutter MH 34in better than others?

There are few features which comfortably speak in favor of the Cameo, some of the notable ones are mentioned below.

  • Professional Experience: The kit comes with a design and cut software along with other tools which together give a professional
  • Versatility: the featured pinch rollers give you the flexibility to work with different materials at same time
  • Lifetime tech support: Another notable point, the manufacturers provide lifetime support over phone for this cutter

Besides the above, there are features which will discuss them at some later point in time.

Pros

  • Delivers beautiful and precise cuts for all different materials
  • Works with a more flexible range of materials
  • High-Quality Ball-bearing dual roller media roller system
  • User-friendly interface and easy to work

Cons

  • Requires a bit more workspace
  • No portability option

Summary

If you want a vinyl cutter machine for t-shirts and don’t have the work space issue then probably this is the vinyl cutter you were looking for. It delivers high-quality work and is ideal for jobs like vinyl lettering, pinstriping, and other signage. Also, the VinylMaster Cut software is quite decent to work with. Well, this cutter could serve all your vinyl cutting needs. Therefore it deserves a chance.

Roland GS-24 Vinyl Cutter

best vinyl cutter for small business

Welcome to the big boys’ club as at the number four spot on our list we have the Roland GS-24. If you even had the that it might be not good as the top models then think again. The Roland is in cutting a niche for more than two decades and is known for their uncompromising high-quality, combined with reliability. In the market, Roland is a synonym for professional quality and is known as the manufacturer of the best machine on the planet. The company has marketed the GS-24 as the best desktop cutter even, which gives the idea about the product.

This vinyl cutting machine offers you the accuracy and precision of the best professional cutters in a much smaller size, thus making it ideal for the small business. Regardless of the size of the design, it gives accurate cuts up to a resolution of 0.0005 inches. It can cut up to a speed of 20 inches per second while maintaining the same accuracy.

Why go for Roland GS-24 over others?

We have to limit the discussion of this machine as there are enough points to have an entire article alone, but some of the notable ones are mentioned below.

  • Professional Experience: As stated earlier it offers very high-resolution cutting, which enables it to mimic the slightest of details even on a small piece. The cuts are of the best quality.
  • Versatility: There is hardly any material it cannot work with
  • Cutting range: Don’t get surprised if I say that it can take material within a range of 2”-27.5” in width and 984.25” in length
  • Speed: Depending on the type of work, this cutter can provide speeds varying between 04 to20 inch/sec
  • Manual Blade adjustment: the GS-24 supports manual adjustment for the offset values of blade which gives great result even on smallest size

Apart from these, there are various different features which will discuss them at some later point in time.

Pros

  • 10x overlap cutting – perfect for even very thick materials
  • Perforation and half function
  • Precise blade grooves for intuitive manual cutting
  • Features roller base to keep feeds straight
  • Works with a more flexible range of materials
  • 3-year warranty

Cons

  • Software compatibility issue
  • Bit on expensive side

Summary

If budget is not a constraint for you and you want nothing the best vinyl cutter for small business, then Roland GS-24 is the perfect pick for you. It delivers high-quality professional work at an unmatched speed, besides it works with additional materials such as heat transfer fabric, auto films, reflective vinyl, paint mask and much more. The specially designed software with built-in functions gives you the ability to do complex tasks much easier even on the oversized images. It would prove to be a good investment for someone who is looking to get professional quality in the business.

Silhouette Cameo 3 Bluetooth Bundlebest vinyl cutting machine for t shirts

If you are interested in vinyl cutting business, then you must be familiar with the name Silhouette. As described earlier the machines manufactured by them have the quality hardware to deliver precise and accurate cuts. The Cameo 3 is a much-updated version of Cameo 2 and provides the features which its predecessor lacked. It is arguably one of the best vinyl cutters to offer such features in this budget.

The Cameo 3 has been efficiently designed to save space without compromising on output quality. The Cameo 3 has wireless connectivity so it does not to hang out with your computer all the time and can avoid the wires.

Why choose the Cameo 3 Bluetooth Bundle over others?

The Cameo 3 has a lot of features that can attract you but will be discussing only the more improved and new features here. Features like Print and cut, PixScan Technology have been already explained above.

  • Dual Carriages: Like the Explore Air, Cameo 3 features dual carriages which mean you can simultaneously draw and cut a single project without stopping the machine.
  • Slide Lock Mechanism: Earlier the Silhouette machines used to have twist lock mechanism which was not as secure as the new slide lock
  • Improved Blades: The Cameo 3 has three different blades setting option.
    • Standard blade: This blade setting is used for the most common types of projects
    • Deep cut blade: This blade setting is used while working with a thicker material
    • AutoBlade: This blade automatically adjusts the depth automatically depending on the material being cut. It does so by punching itself in the corner of the substrate until proper depth is achieved.
  • Additional storage: It features a built in accessory storage unit to store additional work equipment

The features such as the Mat Free cutting capability, high-quality blades, Full-color LCD touch screen, USB these will be discussed at some later point in time.

Pros

  • Added wireless capability
  • Mat Free cutting ability for lined media up to 10 feet in length
  • A better cutting clearance
  • Dual carriage to cut and print at same time
  • Can cut through multiple materials
  • You get lots of designs and even access to Silhouette design store
  • Comes with one year warranty

Cons

  • Delayed software update
  • No improvement in cutting power

Summary

The Cameo 3 is much improved than cameo 2 and has some of the most important features. If you are in t-shirt business and don’t need to cut leather, then this can prove to be the best vinyl cutting machine for T-shirt. The improvements such as Autoblade, dual carriages, Media guides on slide tray, multi color touchscreen interface, storage compartment give it an edge over others. It will be an ideal choice to serve most of your vinyl cutting needs.

What exact usage do you need?

Based on the usage of the vinyl cutters are classified into the categories commercial and personal. Both of these are explained below.

  • Commercial: When you need to use the cutter for a long time and work on bigger designs and projects you need a commercial cutter. These are big and much complicated, thus as a whole, they offer more precise cutting and can work with multiple projects at a time.
    • These machines can cut various other materials besides vinyl
    • Can process sophisticated design at higher speed without error
    • They require bigger storage and working space
    • These machines are quite expensive
  • Personal or Individual: If you are going to use the machine occasionally and for much smaller designs then you need the individual These are much smaller in size and looks much like a regular printer. They are much cheaper when compared to their commercial counterpart and have multiple features like wireless connection and all.
    • Compact in size, easily fits on desktops
    • Easy and much quicker in operation
    • Are very much economical
    • Even if you get an expensive, it will handle only one job at a time

What to look for in a model

Now you know that what kind of machine you need depending on your requirements, but you still don’t know that what different features to look for. Well don’t stress we have this sorted for you, below are some essential features that you should look for.

  1. Printing Size: For every buyer, it is the feature which indeed decides design capabilities regarding size and that what kinds of job you are going to perform. Depending upon the selected model the printing surface varies from a few inches up to a foot for personal level machines. On the other hand, commercial tools give you the range equivalent up to two feet, letting you design larger projects like banner and signage which are often required.
  2. Types of material which can be processed: When it comes to the range of the vinyl cutter, there are cutters available which are vinyl specific or machines which can handle up to 12 different materials seamlessly. If you are focusing on vinyl only then go for a vinyl specific model, it gives you a better precise cutting ability with lots of exciting features.

Let suppose that you planned to start with vinyl but are having plans to expand into other domains later on then go for a cutter that supports multiple materials. This may cost a bit more but will be a wise investment in future.

  1. The operating software: All the vinyl cutters which you will find in market work on a predefined software package. Its operation is simple just hook it to your computer, install all the drivers and start designing and cutting via the provided software. The key aspect while looking the cutters is the software package offered, as some of them are pretty easy to understand and work with while some are pretty complicated.
  2. Blade Quality: Well you should carefully look at the qualities of the blade provided, a quality blade will not only provide better cuts but will also last much longer. Try to look for a cutter which offers replacement blades, in the case of blades loose sharpness you won’t need to change entire cutter.
  3. Safety: While these do not pose any significant threat to the operators, if you have kids or pets it can cause cuts. A high-quality cutter will not have moving part exposed so that they cannot cause such accident.
  4. Others: Now a day’s various machines give you wireless connectivity options such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Even some tools are designed for portability and optimizing the space constraints.
  5. Warranty and support: Over the years quality of vinyl cutters have improved very much, and the life span of these cutters have grown Some of these cutters can last up to three years. Accordingly, the manufacturers provide a variable warranty from six months to three years. The longer the warranty better the product. So, try to go for a product with more extended warranty.

Now you have seen some of the best vinyl cutters available in the market; it’s time to decide a perfect match for your business needs. Our list features all the different kinds of vinyl from the best desktop cutters to the best vinyl cutting machine for craftst shirts; there is one for you in it. Try to identify your business needs and set up a budget, accordingly look for the features you need.Pro tip: do not hesitate to invest a bit more in a quality product. You can also know more about heatpress in our other articles.

Final thoughts

Now you most of the things that you need to know about vinyl cutters. First of all try to identify your business requirements, that whether you need a business or a personal type machine. Once decided the type look for the specific features which you would want on your machine. Always try to well research about the product which you want and if possible try to read the user reviews about the product. This will give you a better idea about the working and lasting of the product.

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How To Heat Press Vinyl To Create A Perfect Design

Do you admire those smooth, beautiful designs on t-shirts, bags, or jumpers? There are different ways of designing a t-shirt like designing with a printing machine, embroidery machine or vinyl printing etc. Well, this guide will show you how to heat press vinyl with seven easy steps.

1. Which is the best heat transfer material?

Any fabric that you can iron with a hot iron will work well. If you want to decorate backpacks, for example, avoid those that are made of synthetic materials. Use those made of canvas instead.

That is because most synthetic fabrics will not stand the hottest iron settings.

If you are decorating a new fabric, you must wash it first. It is common for fabrics to shrink after washing, which will affect the final look of your design.

However for those projects that you do not need to wash, you need not wash it at all, just go on to the next step.

2. Types of Heat Transfer Materials Available

There are many types of finishes and styles. There is a glitter heat transfer that gives you a fancy finish; there is matte, smooth, and even glossy.

If you want the design to be fuzzy and soft, you can use a flocked heat transfer with a thin coat of flocking on the front.

If you have dark fabrics, you should use a printable heat transfer which makes it possible to print customized designs.

Simply cut out your design and transfer it to your fabric. It is usually the best transfer material for complex and intricate projects.

Some common heat transfer brand materials are Silhouette and SiserEasyweed Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV).

You should be careful when ordering other brands besides Silhouette vinyl. If you make an order that is larger than 12′ in width, you may have to cut it, which is not easy.

If you are heat transferring for the first time, use the flocked heat transfer material. It is more foolproof than the others. You can apply it without having to use too much heat that could shrivel the project’s fabric.

If you are ready to learn, you can also use the other heat transfer material carefully. If you wish to create a multicolor smooth vinyl design, just apply them one after another.

3. How to Create Your Vinyl Design

The first step is to create a design. If you plan to use silhouette portrait or Silhouette Cameo, you can download free software called Silhouette Studio.

You do not need to have a heat press machine to use this software. You can begin making great designs and perfect your creative skills.

Once your design is ready, flip it and use the mirror image. If you miss that step, your design will come out inverted when you heat transfer it to your project. The flipped design will, however, provide the original design.

4. How to Cut My Heat Transfer Design

As soon as the design is complete, the next step is to cut it. You can either use the cutting mat if you have one, or you can simply cut them directly from the roll using Vinyl cutting machine. The best designs to cut on the cutting mat are those that fit on it.

When loading the heat transfer material, the clear plastic backing must face downwards while the heat transfer material should face upward.

It is best to start with the default cut settings of the type of heat transfer you are using.

The cuts should be visible on the heat side face up, but not through the clear side facing down. That is because the heat transfer materials are thinner and the cuts very fine.

5. How to Weed Your Heat Transfer

Wedding is an easy step in learning how to heat press vinyl. You must be careful, however, with the way you cut out the excess material.

You need to cut out all unwanted parts of the design that you do not need heat transferred.

You will, for example, want to clear anything inside letter “P” or what is supposed to be the nose of a snowman. What you are left with after wedding should be what you will transfer to your project material.

6. Placing the Design on Your Project’s Fabric

Now the clear backing side should be facing you. It should not appear inverted as it will appear when you heat press it onto the fabric.

It is possible to compact all designs to save space and get as much as possible from your heat transfer material.

If you did that, you just cut them and place them as you want on the project fabric, carefully of course. Make sure none of the clear backings end up under the other parts.

Every design should be trimmed very closely and weeded properly. That is very important to keep in mind when learning how to heat press vinyl.

7. Ironing the Design

The next step is to place the hot iron on your design using the instructions of the particular heat transfer you are using.

Most manuals will direct you to turn the iron to the highest setting and separate the heat transfer material and iron with a towel.

Most people, I myself included, find parchment paper works better than towels, irrespective of the towel’s thickness.

The time the iron should sit on the heat transfer material is between 10 to 40 minutes.

That, however, should be strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are using vinyl, letting it cool a little bit will work wonders.

If you take out the clear backing when the vinyl is still hot, it may cause the heated design to wrinkle as the backing separates from it.

We hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to heat press vinyl and you will make many awesome designs.

Check out our recent published guide how to use heat press vinyl

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