T-shirt vinyl is such a versatile material. You can apply it to most any fabric as well as wood and glass. It is so easy to work with, but if you're new to heat transfer vinyl, you may find yourself frustrated over vinyl that won't stick. That's totally okay! We've all been there, and luckily, Craftables has tons of tools and tutorials to help you out. Start by reading our Complete Guide to HTV then come back here for our best tips on how to make iron-on vinyl transfers last longer.

Tip Number One: Pre-wash

When you're working with wearables like t-shirts, onesies or even tote bags, it's always best to prewash those items before applying iron-on vinyl. Fabrics tend to shrink when washed and dried and if the shrinking occurs after you've applied the heat transfer vinyl, you could end up with wrinkled and/or peeling designs.

Tip Number Two: Preheat

Preheating your wearable or fabric items ensures a strong bond and helps to remove any wrinkles that could cause the design to have creases. Use an iron to warm the area where you plan to place the decal for several seconds beforehand. If you're using a heat press, press the blank item for a few seconds to heat the fabric.

Tip Number Three: Heat Settings

Setting the correct temperature on your iron or heat press is a crucial part of the heat transfer process. If the temperature is too low, the iron-on vinyl won't bond. If the temperature is too high, you'll end up burning or melting the heat transfer vinyl.

If you're using an iron without temperature settings, choose the cotton or linen setting with no steam.

Here's a handy heat settings chart for Craftables iron-on vinyl:

*If you're using another brand of heat transfer vinyl, be sure to check the recommended heat settings for that particular brand.