Resources

At its core, white toner heat transfer is a printing process where designs are printed using a toner printer. These specialized printers have white toners in addition to the standard CMYK toners. The white toner acts as a base layer during printing, making colors appear vibrant and opaque even on dark materials. The white toner printer works with special transfer papers that are compatible with a wide variety of materials like fabric, leather, acrylic, ceramic, wood and metal.

There are a variety of special transfer papers available to work with white toner heat transfers. You should always use transfer papers that are specifically designed to work with the white toner heat transfer printer that you are utilizing.

Transfer papers can be broken down into several categories.

• One Step: These transfer papers can be printed directly onto and then adhered to the substrate that they are designed for.
• Two Step: These transfer papers have two sheets, an A sheet and a B sheet. Typically, you will print onto the A sheet, while the B sheet is some form of adhesive. After printing you will be utilizing a heat press to marry the A and B sheet together, before peeling them apart, leaving a layer of adhesive on the white toner portions of the design. This will enable you to apply the finished transfer to a variety of materials.
• Hard Surface: Transfer papers that are intended to apply to a hard surface such as ceramic, metal, wood, etc.
• Textile: Transfer papers that are intended to apply to textile materials like cotton, linen, polyester, etc.

Below is a look at a few of the benefits of utilizing a white toner heat transfer printer in your business.

• Compatibility with dark substrates: White toner allows you to print and transfer full-color designs on dark colored or black materials.
• No pretreatment required: Unlike direct-to-garment (DTG) printing, white toner heat transfer doesn’t require pretreatment of the garment, saving time and effort.
• Versatility: It works not just on fabrics but also on hard surfaces like mugs, wood, metal, and even specialty items like mylar balloons.
• Minimal maintenance: Toner-based systems generally require less maintenance than ink-based systems like DTF or DTG printers.

Check out our buyer’s guide to learn how to get started with toner heat transfer printing.

Yes! You can print and transfer in white! It has been 25 years since the first laser copier was launched and almost that long since people started to use laser copiers and printers as a digital transfer manufacturing tool for garments.

Printing and pressing a full-color image or photograph onto a t-shirt using laser printed heat transfers is a simple and inexpensive way for businesses like printers/copiers, t-shirt shops, screen printers and others to decorate all types of garments and promotional items.

Unfortunately, this simple and inexpensive way was, until now, only limited to white or light colored garments. Printing on dark garments has always been a challenge. Even products with excellent washability and color, such as FOREVER’s “Laser-Dark”, have satisfied customer needs with the ability to print photographic images.

The application of letters, numbers, and logos have needed an additional cutting and weeding process. As a result, people have always dreamed of transfer printing on dark garments in an easier way.

White toner made it possible
The revolutionary white toner printers from UniNet remove the last barrier in creativity and design.

Transfer media from FOREVER for white toner technology makes transfer printing on dark garments as easy as on white garments.

Characteristics of white toner transfer:

• Transfers are soft to the touch.
• Colors are bright and vibrant.
• T-shirts can be washed over 15 – 20 times without seeing any significant degrade of the transfer.

The color black is achieved through a blend of the other three colors (CMY) and white toner covers the complete image except for black printed areas. The printer software automatically places more white toner on light colors and less white toner on dark colors, performing the desired, optimal color reproduction.

Digital heat transfer papers and foils are special Laser printer papers and foils for printing images onto t-shirts and other applications.

• First print a black colored image onto the digital heat transfer paper or foil.
• For digital heat transfer papers, using a heat press, you can press the image directly onto your t-shirt or mug.
• For digital heat transfer foils, you take a heat press and press the printed foil layer with the glue layer.
  • After pressing, you remove the glue layer. Your image will be covered in the glue as the glue only sticks to your image.
  • Place a t-shirt on the heat press and press the image to the t-shirt.
  • Remove the foil once the image and t-shirt are cold and you have your finishing t-shirt.

First, you will need to determine if you are going to press and transfer on a hard or soft substrate. Then you will need to choose the specific paper that will work with that substrate and is used with your toner laser printer.

JPPlus has a wide selection of printers from iColor, the leading name in heat transfer printing. We also offer heat transfer papers and supplies.

This in-depth guide explains the full white toner transfer process, making it easy for beginners and experienced users alike to get great results. With two-step white toner transfers you can create full-color designs on both light and dark garments. You’ll also learn tips for aligning graphics, avoiding ghosting, and selecting the best substrates for white toner transfer printing. Whether you’re customizing cotton tees, blended fabrics, or unique promotional items, mastering this method helps you deliver vibrant, professional-quality results without the need for pretreatment or weeding.

This white-toner tutorial video walks you through:

• Setting up your white toner printer and performing test prints
• Understanding the A + B sheet marrying process using a heat press
• Choosing the right transfer paper, heat press, and temperature settings
• Troubleshooting issues like incomplete or uneven toner transfer
• Perfecting your final press for a soft feel and long-lasting durability

The video below provide a comprehensive overview of specialty papers for white toner printing and discover applications for your white toner printer beyond typical apparel! The video covers various transfer papers like water slide paper for delicate items such as candles and soaps, and two-step standard paper for mylar balloons, demonstrating how to achieve unique printed results on a diverse range of surfaces. Plus, learn how glitter paper works, to create a mess-free, sparkling effect. Throughout, practical tips are provided for optimal heat press settings, peeling techniques, and essential materials to ensure successful transfers on different substrates.

In the most basic terms, light substrates are white or bright colors, to include some grays. Dark substrates are any colors that are black or in the darker side of the color spectrum.

Johnson Plastics Plus has a wide selection of printers from iColor, the leading name in heat transfer printing. We also offer heat transfer papers and supplies.

Self-weeding heat transfer papers are laser printer compatible papers that transfer only the printed image. This eliminates the need to trim away the background.

Most papers for light substrates are a single step process. The sheet you print on already has adhesive and is ready to press on your substrate right away. Papers for colored or dark substrates require more adhesive because they need to be opaque. Self-weeding paper has a two-step process: the sheet you print on is not coated and the adhesive comes on a secondary sheet.

JPPlus recommends using the paper that is designed to go with your toner laser printer. We have several paper options that work with hard and soft substrates.

There are a few things you can check when the full image is not transferred to your substrate or garment:

• Make sure your press is at the temperature indicated on the thermostat. A handheld thermal thermometer can ensure that your press is heating correctly.
• For digital heat transfer papers, using a heat press, you can press the image directly onto your t-shirt or mug.
• Make sure you’re using the correct pressure for your substrate. If you’re pressing a soft item, such as a shirt or tote bag, placing a piece of cardboard under the area to be pressed can help even out the pressure.
• Make sure you use the proper paper. If you’re using an inkjet system, make sure you’re using inkjet paper designed for heat transfer. Same goes for a toner-based laser printer. Using the correct paper for your printer can make all the difference.

For additional troubleshooting, check out the JPPlus tech tips, located in the “Tech Docs and Downloads” tabs at the bottom of each product page.

When using toner heat transfer printing, you’ll have to peel away the unused portion of the transfer. It’s important to note if the transfer paper being used will peel with a hot, warm, cool, or cold peel.

• Hot peels are typically done right after the substrate is removed from the heating/pressing source.
• Warm peels are typically done within 30 seconds of removing from the heating/pressing source.
• Cool peels are normally after waiting for 1 minute from removing from the heating/pressing source.
• Cold peels are normally after the substrate has been removed from the heating/pressing source and are cold or room temperature.

Be sure to check the directions for the specific paper you are using as there may be variances in time, temperature, pressure, and peeling method that is recommended.

iColor ProRIP software is designed to work with the iColor White Toner Transfer papers and iColor printers. It also has versions compatible with OKI and Creo printers. They also offer a scaled down version of the software for older printers called iColor Essentials.

Features of iColor ProRIP:

• Single-Pass White Printing: Enables printing white as either an underprint (for transparent media) or an overprint (for transfers) in a single pass through the printer, significantly improving efficiency.
• White Opacity Control: Allows users to precisely adjust the amount of white toner, which helps reduce material costs and create softer, more flexible prints.
• Advanced Color Management: Includes tools for color manipulation, removal, and blending, along with custom ICC profiles for accurate color reproduction.
• Professional Layout Tools: Provides features for resizing, rotating, tiling, and repositioning graphics directly within the software’s preview screen.
• Rasterization: Offers various preset patterns (e.g., holes, lines, squares, diamonds) to enhance design effects and improve toner transfer feel.
• Toner Configuration Modes: Features dedicated print queues for different needs, such as CMYK for standard jobs, Overprint for t-shirts and hard surfaces, and Underprint for transparencies and clear media.
• Optimized White Toner Usage: The software intelligently identifies areas needing white toner, preventing excessive application and saving on toner consumption.
• Perpetual License: Includes unlimited updates for the product version, ensuring long-term usability.

With the robust features of the iColor ProRIP you can maximize your productivity and ensure you are creating a consistent product for your customers.

It’s recommended to run iColor ProRIP software using a Windows PC. While it’s possible to use a Mac using virtualization software like Parallels or Boot Camp, it’s not recommended. The virtualization software adds a layer of complexity and more opportunity for disrupting production. Common issues include timing out errors and license corruption within the dongle. If you rely on this software for your business, investing in a dedicated Windows computer is the best course of action.

You need RIP, or Raster Image Processor, software for white toner transfer printing to apply a white toner underbase on your prints. This white toner underbase helps to ensure successful full-color printing. RIP software

• Specialized White Layer: RIP software adds a pure white toner layer under your full-color design. This white underbase makes your colors remain visible on dark-colored garments or other media.
• Special Features: RIPs offer features like rasterization, and “knockout black,” which helps create a softer, more flexible transfer by eliminating black from the design, improving the feel of the final product on fabric.
• Registration and Adjustments: It can adjust for printer registration offsets and allow for overprint or underprint settings to ensure perfect alignment between the color and white layers, leading to better results and less waste.

Your printer may come with RIP software; some white toner transfer papers are designed to be used by specific RIP software. Verify that your printer and paper are compatible with the RIP software you are planning on utilizing.

There are many popular RIP software products available on the market, you should get the RIP software that is recommended for your machine and the transfer papers that you are intending to utilize. Some popular RIP software options for white toner heat transfer include Digital Factory, and iColor ProRIP, with Forever TransferRIP also being a well-known option.

• Digital Factory: This is RIP software that is designed to work specifically with OKI and Creo printers.
• iColor ProRIP: Specifically designed for use with iColor printers and paper, with versions available for use with OKI and Criowhite toner printers.
• Forever TransferRIP: Designed for use with the Forever brand papers and OKI brand printers.

The most important part of any RIP software is ensuring it will work with your printer and the papers you want to utilize.

White toner heat transfer and direct-to-film (DTF) printing are both popular methods for creating custom apparel, but they differ in their processes, materials, and suitability.

Printing Process:

• DTF: Involves printing a design onto a special film, applying adhesive powder, curing the adhesive powder and then heat-pressing it onto the garment.
• White Toner: Uses a white toner cartridge in a laser printer to print the design, while following the specific paper or film instructions to marry the print to an adhesive sheet, then transferred to the garment via heat press.

Printing Materials:

• DTF: Uses specialized DTF inks, DTF adhesive powder and prints on a specialized film.
• White Toner: Uses standard toner cartridges, including white toner, and can print on various papers and films designed specifically for heat transfer.

Durability:

• DTF: Produces more durable and vibrant prints with a flexible and softer feel on textiles. Estimated to last 75 or more washes.
• White Toner: Prints with a slightly thicker, less stretchy feel, and some papers are less durable that DTF, estimated to last between 30 and 50 washes.

Fabric Compatibility:

• DTF: Can be used on a wide variety of fabrics, including cotton, polyester, blends, and even leather. Not recommended for hard surface application.
• White Toner: Works well on various substrates, including fabrics, but also excels on hard surfaces like wood, glass, and magnets.

Maintenance:

• DTF: Requires regular cleaning of the printer and shaker system, and ventilation for fumes during curing process.
• White Toner: Generally, it requires little to no maintenance, however there is a lifespan on toner drums, fuser and other replaceable parts.

The decision between DTF and white toner printing will depend on your specific business needs. For example, if you need highly durable, vibrant prints on a wide range of fabrics DTF is a fantastic option. However, if you need versatility for various substrates including hard surfaces, then white toner printing may be more suitable.

If you’re not sure which file format to use for your design, print, or web project, our resource guide is here to help! Below we break down the most common file types, such as PNG, JPEG, SVG, and PDF. Whether you’re working with vector graphics, high-resolution photos, or laser and print-ready files, this guide will help you understand file extensions, compression, transparency, scalability, and ideal use cases for each file type.

• SVG: A Scalable Vector Graphics file, or SVG, is a file type for graphics, known for its ability to scale without losing quality. SVGs are defined by mathematical equations that describe shapes, lines, and curves, rather than pixels. SVGs are excellent for logos, icons, and vectored artwork. You can use them with many software types from printing, website design, to laser engraving. They are not suitable for use with photographs.
• PDF: Portable Document Format files, or PDFs, are a common and versatile file format used in graphic design and printing due to their ability to preserve design integrity, maintain color accuracy, and ensure consistent display across different platforms. PDFs ensure that the design looks the same on different computers and devices, regardless of the software or fonts used to create it. PDFs can handle complex designs, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. PDFs can maintain color accuracy, which is essential for clients who rely on precise color reproduction in their designs. PDFs are often optimized for printing, allowing designers to embed color profiles, manage separations, and control output settings for high-quality results.
• PNG: Portable Network Graphics file, or PNG, is a raster image file type. It’s known for its ability to handle images with transparent or semi-transparent backgrounds, making it a popular choice for web graphics, logos, and icons. By utilizing lossless compression, PNGs can compress images without losing any image data, preserving quality even after multiple edits. They support transparency, which is crucial for layered images and web design. PNGs primarily run RGB color profiles. The PNG is a universally supported format, with excellent compatibility across different browsers and image editing software.
• JPEG: A Joint Photographic Experts Group file, or JPEG (JPG), is a raster image format known for its lossy compression, which helps reduce file sizes for easier sharing and storage. JPEG files achieve smaller file sizes by discarding some image data during compression. This process means that some image quality is sacrificed to reduce file size. These files also do not support transparency, meaning they are not suitable for images where parts of the image need to be seen through. These files can also contain metadata, such as information about the camera settings used to capture the image, the date and time it was taken, and even location data. JPEGs are versatile and widely used for various purposes, including digital photography, and social media sharing.

You will always want to verify what file types are compatible with the software and technology you use, as some equipment needs specific file types, while others can handle multiple different types of files.

The main categories of heat presses are clamshell, swing-away, and specialty heat presses. Each type offers unique features and is suited for different applications and personal preferences.

Let's take a more detailed look:

• Clamshell Heat Presses: These presses feature a top platen that opens and closes like a clamshell, pressing down onto the lower platen. They offer solid pressure and heat distribution, which is ideal for sublimation. While great for flat items, like name tags, ornaments, and t-shirts, they can be less convenient for thicker substrates as they require more space to open.
• Swing-Away Heat Presses: The top platen swings away, either to the side or back from the lower platen, providing a clear view of the substrate and allowing for easy placement of materials. Swing-away can open to the left or right side, while other swing-away versions offer a drawer or slider feature, where the top platen lifts upwards and the bottom platen slides forward. Both versions of the swing away press are better suited for thicker materials due to how the top platen closes straight down. They also offer better visibility for positioning and alignment of transfers on substrates; however, they tend to be larger and will require more available workspace than a clamshell.
• Specialty Heat Presses: This category includes presses designed for specific items like mug presses or hat presses. They are optimized for the unique shapes and sizes of these items, ensuring even heat and pressure distribution. Many models of mug press offer different size attachments for the variety of sizes and shapes available in drinkware. While hat presses can have different size platens to fit different size hats. One drawback of either mug presses or hat presses is that they are focused only on specific items.

When choosing a heat press for sublimation, consider the type of projects you'll be doing, the size of the items, and your budget. Factors like temperature accuracy, pressure adjustment, and ease of use are also important considerations.

If you are just starting out with sublimation or toner heat transfer, you may be curious what style of heat press is right for you. Some of the factors to consider before purchasing your swing-away or clamshell heat press are listed below.

Clamshell Heat Press:

• Space-saving: Clamshell presses are known for their smaller footprint, making them suitable for smaller workspaces or when space is at a premium.
• Cost-effective: Generally, clamshell presses are more budget-friendly than swing-away models.
• Ease of use: Clamshell presses are often considered easier to operate, especially for beginners.
• Ideal for flat, thin materials: They excel at pressing heat transfer vinyl (HTV) onto t-shirts and other flat, thin substrates like keychains and photo panels.

Swing-Away Heat Press:

• Safer operation: The swing-away design keeps the heated platen away from the user during loading and unloading, reducing the risk of burns.
• More even pressure distribution: Swing-away presses are known for their ability to apply consistent pressure across the entire pressing area, which is crucial for achieving high-quality transfers on thicker materials or specialty applications like white toner 2-step papers and DTF transfers.
• Versatility for thicker materials: They can handle thicker items like plaques, awards, and certain blanks more effectively due to the way the heating element presses down vertically.
• Ideal for high-volume businesses: The faster and more precise nature of the swing-away press can be beneficial for businesses with high production demands.
• Requires more space: The swing-away arm requires additional space around the press, which may be a drawback in smaller workspaces.