Fabric
Children's clothing
Press the fabric that is actually in the garment. These blank kids’ sets are cotton, with a white chest. Use the cotton DTF row, and keep the design on that chest.
| Transfer | Temperature | Time | Pressure | Peel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold-peel standard | 150–160°C (302–320°F) | 10–15 seconds | Medium | Cold |
| Warm peel | 150–160°C (302–320°F) | 10–15 seconds | Medium | Warm |
| Hot peel | 155–160°C (311–320°F) | 8–12 seconds | Medium | Hot |
| Glitter | 150–160°C (302–320°F) | 10–15 seconds | Medium | Cold |
The packet supplied with your transfers wins over this table. Where a named film publishes a different press, the lookup shows that example beside the starting point.
The kids’ sets are 100% cotton, about 200 gsm, with a long raglan sleeve. The top body is white. The sleeves and bottoms are coloured, striped or printed. There is no brand label in the neck. Baby sets further down are a different cut, still cotton.
Use the cotton press: for a cold-peel transfer, 150–160°C for 10–15 seconds, medium, peel cold, then a second press under a cover. Pre-press the white chest first so it is dry and flat. Keep poppers, zips and the raglan seams off the platen. A design that crosses the seam sits on a ridge, and the edge will lift.
Lay the top flat, front up. Centre the transfer on the white body, below the neckband, with plain cotton around it. Cover it. If the platen also covers a printed sleeve, that print takes the same heat, so slide the top until the platen meets the chest and as little of the print as you can manage.
Suggested design width
General guidance for a name or a small picture on the white chest. This is not a print area supplied with the garment. Stay inside the range and keep the design off the raglan seams and the neckband. A two-line name is better than a line that runs into the sleeve.
| Age | Suggested design width |
|---|---|
| 6–12 months | 8–10 cm |
| 1–2 years | 9–11 cm |
| 2–3 years | 10–12 cm |
| 3–4 years | 11–13 cm |
| 4–5 years | 12–14 cm |
| 5–6 years | 13–15 cm |
Baby sets want a smaller picture: about 6–8 cm at 0–3 months, 7–9 cm from 3–12 months, and 8–10 cm at 1–2 years. Flat measurements for the raglan sets are on the size guide at Heat press settings.
A one-colour name can be vinyl instead of DTF. Placement and the film charts are on Heat press settings. If you sell children’s nightwear in the UK, a design on the chest does not remove the labelling rules. That sister page points at the trading-standards summary. This site is not legal advice.
Common questions
Do children's clothes need a lower DTF temperature?
These sets are about 200 gsm cotton. They use the cotton row, not a baby-film temperature borrowed from vinyl. If the care label says cool iron or do not iron, test a spare or do not press it. The packet and the label both apply.
Can I sublimate the white chest?
No. The chest is cotton. Sublimation dye does not bond to it. A longer press adds heat, not polyester. DTF and heat transfer vinyl can sit on that chest. Heat press settings sets out why.
Sources
- Xpres, how to DTF — common press 150–160°C for 10–15 seconds, medium, cold peel
- Xpres DTF Evolution cold-peel sheets — 150–160, 10–15 seconds, cold peel, second press 10–15 seconds