Epson S041153 Iron-on Cool Transfer Paper

What a disappointment! I've used t-shirt transfer paper many times before, and this type by Epson has been the hardest to use, by far. I was making 6 matching Ts and each came out differently... the glue on the transfer paper yellows, adheres inconsistently and the directions are difficult to follow. You have to pay close attention to how you load it into the computer because it's impossible to tell one side from another. Ironing too long (or actually as long as the directions say to) results in a yellowed appearance. Too short, and the image is true to color, but pulls off of the shirt. Taking the paper off is an exact science... it has to be just right, not to hot/cold or you either won't get the paper off or it'll result in glue globs on the T-shirt. Better luck with Avery!

The results that I got were very good and I was satisfied thoroughly except that I still manage to scorch one shirt by leaving the hot iron on the fabric too long... that was my fault. After reading some of the other comments on the Epson Iron-on Transfer Paper, I knew to be careful about the side on which I printed. Also if you have never used this product, you should carefully read the instructions and be sure to reverse the image before printing. I use Photoshop to "flip" the image horizontally to create the mirror image before printing.

I ironed on a full letter size image and two small images (that completely fitted under the iron). I was careful to remove all water from the iron so as to not generate any steam. The instructions said to use a flat surface but NOT an ironing board so I used an old table top. With an image that completely fits under the iron, it is easier to scorch the fabric because the iron is left in contact with a particular section of the garment longer. My suggestion is to get the "feel" of the process using an old piece of fabric before using a garment of value. After all, the transfer paper is not that expensive and so a piece wasted won't break the bank. The Epson instructions will give you some guidelines about how to move the iron in some very specific pattern. My suggestions is to use the ironing pattern as a guide and not as a method that must be followed rigidly.

You will probably use a pillow case between the iron and the transfer paper... that pillow case will most likely be scorched when you are through so better to use an old throwaway pillow case. My shirts were 100% white cotton and I don't know how the transfer will look other colors or non-cotton fabrics. I can tell you that you must use a hot iron and some fabrics do not hold up well under high heat. Finally, I washed one of the T-shirts that had the image transfer and it came out just fine with no noticeable fading or bleeding.

I am a teacher and constantly teaching students to make t-shirts. These Epson transfers last the best. It's true though, Epson, PLEASE put type on the side not to print on, it woud make these absolutely perfect.

3 hints: (a) trim the edges so there is a quarter of an inch of white around the design, it looks a lot less dorky; do not trim right to edge, they will peel too easily
(b) you can use a light grey or pastel color with these, as long as you trim the edges it is barely noticeable
(c) turn the shirt inside out when washing and drying, they last longer

Have fun!

We bought Epson not knowing about the HP or Avery products. The paper loading instructions are totally misleading and worthless and it's impossible to tell which side to print on since both are plain, white, and glossy. I'm sure they sell more paper that way at first, but folks reading these reviews should be prepared for confusion when it comes to knowing which way to load the paper. And at $1/sheet the education process gets expensive. Also, although following instructions explicitly, it took a half hour to 'pick off' (using fingernails) small bits of residue that remained on the material after pulling the main piece of paper off. The image looked good, but we have not stretched or washed the material and are somewhat apprehensive about that, given other reviewers experiences. But for a reasonably quick and special kind of project once in a while, Epson seems to work ok. We'll try HP next time though, since we use one of the higher end HP Photo Printers. Never had much luck with Epson printers.

Cheers

I created a dinosaur cartoon and used this product to transfer it onto white t-shirts. The result was great! I found I had to use a "wool" setting on my iron & make only 3 shirts at a time or I had trouble with scorching & the image peeling. The image finish was matte, not shiny, which looked good & was not stiff to wear. Overall, I would use this product again. It was easy with good results.