How to Make Custom T-shirts From Home

Get your blank t-shirt, light or dark tranfer paper depending on the darkness of your shirt, turn on your iron or heat press, printer, and computer. Set the heat press to 375-390 degrees or if you’re using an iron, max heat.

Take your shirt and spread out in a flat surface like a table, do not use the iron board, you will not get good results. Use silicone paper or parchment paper, (comes with transfer paper) spread the paper over the back of the shirt first and pass the iron or heat press over it to release moisture for 10 seconds. Then flip the shirt over and make sure it is straight and do the same on that side for 10 seconds.

Print your design, when printing your design, you can use a normal color printer or a black and white printer if you don’t need color. When printing your design, you must mirror the image if using light transfer paper and do not need to mirror using dark transfer paper. After the design is printed, make sure to cut out all the white parts on the outside of your logo or design.

After the moisture is out on both sides of the shirt, your design is printed and cut, and your iron or heat press is pre-heated to the right temperature, all is left is to actually apply the design onto the shirt. Depending on the color of the shirt you must use light transfer paper or dark transfer paper. The light transfer paper is mirrored because you apply it onto the shirt facing forward and then peal after heated for 20 seconds at the right temperature. The dark transfer paper is peeled off of the paper and applied facing you and pressed with silicone paper for 20 seconds at the right temperature.

After the you heat it up for 20 seconds, for light transfer paper, if you want a matte finish you peel while hot and for glossy finish you must peel while cold. For The Dark Transfer paper you peel the silicone paper off while hot for matte finish and cold for glossy finish.

Now to make sure your designs last longer, you can stretch the shirt with hands gently and repress with silicone paper on both light or dark shirts.