🚀 go-pugleaf

Someone anonamously told me that there were some questions here about
using laser printers for creating iron on transfers for t-shirts and ask
ed if I might add some details.

Basically we have developed (1989) a special line of toner for Canon
based laser printers (ie. Apple, HP, QMS...) that has a special dye
embedded in the toner.  This toner prints black on the page and then
when heated to 400 degrees F the dye is released and if the page is
pressed firmly to a surface containing polyester then the dye will
bond with the polyester molecules.  Because of this chemical bonding
process the resulting image is very permenant.  When properly applied
it will not fade even after repeated hot water bleach washes.

Because this is a dye process, it is limited to t-shirts or surfaces
of a light color.  In a dye process there is color mixing between the
surface and the dye because the dye is not opaque like a silkscreen
pigment.  So, you can't do it on black.  But, it looks wonderful on
white, grey, silver, light red, blue, green, etc.

You can, with special presses, use this same toner to create iron-ons 
for coated ceramic coffee mugs, metal signs, vinyls, PVC, etc.  Materials
that lack polyester will often work, but the colors will be more muted
and not as permenant.  We have made banners on polyester cloth as large
ast 12 feet by 12 feet.

We have created 12 colors at this point and may make additional colors
available in the future.  If you are interested in using this process
yourself drop me a line with your postal address and I can send you
more information.  We also put out a newsletter, The Flash, which has
a column each issue about transfers and we just produced a book, The
Flash Compendium, of the best of the past four and a half years of 
The Flash.  Important reading if you are going to do transfers.

One last note on the transfer process.  It leaves the material feeling
just like it did before transfering.  You can _not_ feel the transfers
because they dye is chemically bonded ith and embedded in the surface
of the material.

Hope that answers some questions.

-Walter
BlackLightning, Riddle Pond Road, West Topsham, VT 05086 USA