So you’ve come across an old box at a garage sale, and inside you find a couple of dozen blank vintage t-shirts in various colors. But, the shirts alone don’t have much value. Maybe $20 each if you sell online. What can you do to make the shirts more valuable? You can apply a vintage iron-on transfer!
An iron-on transfer is a semi-cured plastisol ink print on heat resistant paper. When applied to a substrate using a press, the transfer affixes to the garment using sustained pressure and heat which cures the ink.
The substrate is just a fancy word meaning whatever you’re applying the transfer to. It could be a t-shirt, hoodie, coffee mug, blanket etc.
Just to clarify. Since this is a website dedicated to vintage t-shirts. We’re only going to discuss VINTAGE iron-ons. Also called transfers or decals. Not to be confused with modern inkjet or laserjet iron-ons that are created using a different process. Those are the kind you buy at the office depot in a 10 pack.
Are there different types of vintage iron-ons?
Yes, there are several types of vintage iron-ons.
Plastisol ink transfer. This is a similar process as screen printing but instead of printing directly on a garment, the ink is laid onto special heat resistant paper. Then it’s partially cured using a flash or conveyor dryer.
To apply, the transfer is placed on the garment and pressed with heat and pressure for approx 30 seconds so the ink is forced into the fabric and the high-temperature finishes curing the plastisol.
Wax transfers. Just as the title suggests. These iron-ons are made of wax. Popular in the early-mid 1970s, they tended to be primitive hand-drawn looking transfers on paraffin paper. They make for an amazing natural, long-lasting print especially after they’re washed. They’re easy to use, almost foolproof but they’re very difficult to find. When heat is applied to the wax it melts and binds with the shirt. Its the only style of transfer that doesn’t require a commercial heat press for excellent results. You can just use a household iron.
Sublimation style transfer (no hand). No hand refers to the feel. If you close your eyes and touch where the transfer was applied you’ll only feel fabric, not a rubbery decal. They were often found in comedy publications and comics like Mad Magazine and Cracked in the 70s and 80s.
*NOTE* These transfers should only be applied to 100% polyester or high percentage poly blend fabric. 50/50 is too low…and 100% cotton yields very poor results. The Star Wars iron-on book (above) disappointed countless children (and adults) by misrepresenting the ease of use and quality of the finished product. Although when done right these shirts look amazing. Here are a few examples of tees I made with the Star Wars transfers on 100% polyester tees.
Let’s explain how the sublimation process works. Similar to dry ice, sublimation is the transition from a solid to a gas without the liquid phase. When heat and pressure is applied to the transfer it jumps from the paper and adheres to the substrate and sets. If applied to 100% polyester, the colors POP and look incredible. The drawback is finding 100% poly t-shirts. They come up occasionally on eBay but they’re fairly scarce.
Glitter decals. These are the flashy glittery transfers of the 70s and 80s. Generally, they were puffy print as well. Mostly popular with girl related themes. Cute saying, unicorns, zodiac, etc. These transfers tend to be the most troublesome.
What is the point of an iron-on? Why not just screen print?
There are benefits and drawbacks to each. In the 70s and 80s there were iron-on t-shirt shops. They’d have design choices on the wall. You’d pick your logo, choose your shirt color and size. Then they’d press the decal on the shirt. I remember getting my brother a Ghostbusters tee for his birthday in 1984. Iron-ons are inexpensive to print and easy to store. So you could have tons of variety. Plus you didn’t have to carry a lot of t-shirt inventory. Just a few boxes of different sizes and colored shirts.
Think about it this way. You could have a couple of boxes of t-shirts, 150 different iron-on transfer designs, a heat press and you could have an entire business. All in a pretty small space. Now imagine the amount of inventory and storage space you’d need if you actually screen printed all those designs. Plus when a printed shirt doesn’t sell you’re stuck with dead inventory.
The drawback to iron-ons is print longevity. They are definitely inferior to screen printing. If improperly applied they can easily flake or peel. Repeated washings don’t help either. Nearly all plastisol transfers flake or peel at some point. They’re here for a good time not a long time. A lot of people think the cracking and flaking looks cool.
How long can they last if they’re not used?
It’s proven now that they can last decades if properly stored. I have some Big Daddy Rat transfers that are over 50 years old and they still work like a charm and look amazing. It’s my experience that when I touch a transfer and it feels slightly moist or slimy, that it will work well. It means the plastisol ink isn’t cured. On the other hand, if the decal feels really thin and dry you may have problems.
How come some iron-on transfers don’t work?
There are several reasons a transfer might not work.
- The plastisol ink was over cured at the time of production.
- The plastisol ink has dried over time because of improper storage.
- Insufficient heat and pressure applied.
- Insufficient time under the press.
- Peeling the paper cold when its a hot peel (vice versa).
- Peeling the paper with an uneven or jerky motion.
- Using a household iron when a commercial heat press is required.
- Applying the decal to a rough, wrinkled or inappropriate substrate.
For application. Do I have to use a commercial heat press or can I use a household iron?
Honestly, you should use a commercial heat press every time unless you’re applying wax transfers. If you’re going to make a number of shirts it’s a good idea. Using a household iron is difficult because you have to apply HEAVY sustained pressure and even heat for a prolonged period. I have successfully used a hand iron in the past, but its a lot of work. Chances are you’ll just ruin the shirt. Here are some commercial heat presses to consider. The swivel head ones are awesome so are the ones with the moving platen. Click here for eBay’s large selection.
What if I only want to make one iron-on shirt?
If you’re only going to apply the transfer to one shirt. I suggest taking it to a local screen printer or sporting goods store. If you ask nicely most of the time they’ll affix your transfer for free. Other times they might charge you a couple of bucks. It’s worth it. Let a pro do it.
How come some of the transfers aren’t licensed.
Well, it depends on age. Licensing laws changed around 1983. They became more stringent. Michael Jackson had a lot to do with that legislation because so many people were bootlegging his merchandise. Before that, the laws were more lax and vague. That’s why you may see unlicensed old transfers from time to time. Of course, there’s also the chance that they’re just bootlegs.
Is there a way to remove the iron on it if it doesn’t set properly?
This is another drawback. If the transfer isn’t properly applied it can ruin the iron-on as well as the t-shirt (I’ve destroyed dozens of cool shirts). If the instructions aren’t followed or the transfer is defective it may only adhere in certain spots or it can rip when removing the backing paper. There is a way to reclaim the shirt but it entails using a screen printing knock-out gun and chemicals. It’s expensive and time-consuming. It can work but most of the time isn’t worth the hassle. Just toss the shirt. If it happens again with a similar transfer than you have a bad batch.
How much will an iron-on increase the value of my shirt?
Well, it depends on the shirt and the logo applied. If its a fairly generic logo like funny saying it won’t increase the value much. But if its a cool band or Harley logo it can double the value of a blank vintage t-shirt.
Where can I buy them?
Although they’re becoming rarer, they were extremely popular for over a decade so there is still an abundance of transfers in circulation. If you call older, established screen printers in your city sometimes they will have them. Otherwise, the best spot is eBay. They always have iron-ons for sale in lots and single units.
STORYTIME!
When I first started selling online I found a massive lot of DEADSTOCK t-shirts at a local screen-printer. Ringers, raglans, crew necks you name it. But they were blanks and seemed kind of unappealing. At the same time, vintage iron-ons tees were having a resurgence in popularity. So I thought I’d buy some to decorate my blank tees.
I searched on eBay and found a lady in NY who was selling her old stock iron-ons from a shop she owned in the 70s and 80s. She had a few low-quality pics of the transfers in her listing but claimed there were 600-700 in total (too many to count she said).
She was asking something like $400. It sounded like a good deal, so I pulled the trigger. I figured even if I could get 20-30 valuable transfers that should pay for the lot.
I remember the box was delivered New Years’ Eve 2003. IT WAS GIGANTIC. It must’ve weighed 80lbs. What she claimed to be several hundred transfers turned out to be thousands. Probably more than 10 thousand in fact. Every possible genre imaginable. Movies/TV, Sports, Funny Sayings, Zodiac, Advertising, Music, and Bands. Every popular thing you can imagine between 1977 and 1985.
It took me days to sort through. It was vintage GOLD! Needless to say, it was a very profitable purchase. I made t-shirts for years from that lot and it paid for itself many times over. I still have some of those original transfers in fact.
How much should I pay for one?
I’d suggest spending under $20 (take into consideration shipping cost as well). Ask the seller if they’ve ever applied that exact style of transfer to a shirt. It’s a bit of a gamble that the transfer will actually work. As we stated before, a faulty transfer can’t be reused and can also destroy an otherwise good shirt.
Isn’t putting an old iron-on decal on a shirt making fake vintage?
Not necessarily. If the shirt is 80s vintage and the transfer is 80s vintage, you still have an 80s vintage t-shirt. It’s like buying a NOS air conditioner and putting it in your vintage hot rod. It’s legit.
Just try and apply a 70s decal on a 70s shirt. 80s transfer…80s shirt. If you’re selling them, let your customers know before they buy. Disclose it in your item description. ESPECIALLY if you put a vintage transfer on a modern shirt (don’t do that BTW).
To find old stock shirts for your decals click the link. They come up on eBay all the time. CLICK HERE.
Can you show me an example of how to apply one?
Sure, it looks easy but there are a couple of tricky parts depending on the type of transfer.
