We selected CADtex T-shirt Vinyl based on the same criteria that we used in selecting our inks and heat transfer paper. If we were still in the retail business, what would we want?

In our former retail days we first started cutting vinyl in late 1987 with a MAC SE (you'll have to go to Wikipedia to see a picture of that old dinosaur, but hey, it worked).

We quickly found out that a good quality vinyl was just as important as a good vinyl cutter! Also, for profitability, good value was also important.

CADtex T-shirt Vinyl fits the bill. The quality is excellent, the standard 19.5" roll (Click Here if you only want 15” wide vinyl) is a good size to provide design flexibility and reduce waste, it's easy to work with, gives consistent results and is reasonably priced. Overall, it's a nice value package.

• CADtex is the group name. The manufacturer keeps the word "CAD" and uses a different last words to describe the type of vinyl.

• This vinyl is ONLY for decorating fabrics.

• Rolls come in 4 different lengths: 5 yards, 10 yards, 25 yards and 50 yards.

• Actual vinyl colors, depending upon your monitor, may be a slightly different shade than what is on your screen.

• Roll Width: For manufacturing reasons, CADmetallic, CADprism and CADreflective are 19" wide. All others are 19.5" wide.

CADflex is a great "day to day" t-shirt vinyl. This will probably be your standard vinyl for most cotton, cotton blend and polyester fabrics.

The 305° F and short 10-15 second pressing time, with medium pressure, is a definite plus, when you have large orders and need to "put the pedal to the metal".

Peel the carrier off, cold (take the shirt off the press and wait 45 sec)

Wash warm, using a mild detergent and dry in a household dryer. Caution: commercial dryers can get too hot!

Carefully iron garments inside out, when ironing over the design (no steam).

White	Yellow	Dark Yellow	Orange	Red	Bordeaux	Rose
Violet	Light Blue	Royal Blue	Navy Blue	Green	Gray	Black

CADflex Ultra is a very premium vinyl, with a very soft hand. It is slightly thinner than other vinyl's so cutting and weeding (pulling the excess off that you don't want, after cutting) small designs and details is very easy. It is also our best vinyl to "layer" multiple colors.

Another potential plus is the fact that CADflex Ultra has a slight matte finish. Many customers will prefer a finish that does not have a “shiny” look.

– Put a sample shirt in your customers’ hands and let them feel the softness.

The vinyl costs more than regular CADflex but easily commands better decorating prices. It is favored by those who decorate baby clothing, need fine details or want a very soft feel.

This vinyl works well with most cotton, cotton blend and polyester fabrics, as well as some nylons (NOTE- it is always best to test nylon and polyester fabrics before buying a lot of a specific product).

Again, the 305° F and short 10-15 second pressing time, with medium pressure, is a plus.

Peeling the carrier off cold (take the shirt off the press and wait at least 45 sec) is the same as for the regular CADflex.

Wash warm, using a mild detergent and dry in a household dryer. Caution: commercial dryers can get too hot!

If your customer is careful, they can iron directly over CADflex Ultra.

White	Black	Gray	Light Gray	Red
Orange	Yellow	Royal Blue	Navy Blue	Green

CADflock is slightly raised on the garment and the velvety feel is so incredibly soft that it feels like rubbing the back of a Persian cat! This is a really great alternative to high-end embroidery and does not have any "plastic" look or feel on a garment.

This is a premium product (highest wholesale price) but commands (and gets) higher retail prices.

The best way to sell this product is to make some exciting, dynamite samples and make sure that your customer feels it, as they look. Smart retailers also usually include the phrase "upscale look", as they are talking to their customers.

The most popular colors are white, black, royal, red and pink. Most little girls (and some "big" girls) go wild over the look and feel of the pink.

CADflock works well with most cotton, cotton blend, polyester and some acrylic fabrics (NOTE- it is always best to test polyester and acrylic fabrics before buying a lot of any product - not for nylon).

A temperature range of 305° - 320° F and 8-12 second pressing time is given for this product. This material is more sensitive to time and temp than plain vinyl and you will need to test the exact settings with your equipment.

Don't worry. This is not rocket science. Just a few test pieces will nail the parameters of your press.

The medium pressure (about the same as for heat transfers) and peeling the carrier off, cold (take the shirt off the press and wait at least 45 sec) is the same as for the regular CADflex.

Wash warm, using a mild detergent and dry in a household dryer. Caution: commercial dryers can get too hot!

Carefully iron garments inside out, when ironing over the design (no steam).

White	Yellow	Orange	Pink	Red
Royal Blue	Navy Blue	Green	Gray	Black

CADmetallic has a very high opacity and very soft hand (feel). It is also easy to cut and weed small details. Ease of weeding is always something to be mindful of, no matter the type of vinyl.

Shiny gold and silver metallic designs usually sell themselves (make sure you have an attractive sample). The reason is simple: the customer loves the "splash and dash" of the look or, figuratively speaking, they wouldn't be caught dead wearing it. Some will want the look because they need something to stand out in a crowd (like a security person, for example).

For these reasons, CADmetallic can look really stunning on fashion, leisure and work-wear. It's all about picking the right designs. Note- we have seen a lot of "tattoo type" work that looks really good.

CADmetallic works well with most cotton, cotton blend, and polyester (NOTE- it is always best to test polyester before buying a lot of any product - not for nylon or acrylics).

A temperature range of 305° - 320° F and 10-15 second pressing time is given for this product. The temperature is important. Test your press with small pieces at 305° and then increase by 5°, if needed. You could also use 305° and 15 seconds for a second test.

This product does require firm pressure (more than the other CAD products), but is still peeled. We usually wait about a minute, after taking the garment off the press.

The medium pressure (about the same as for heat transfers) and peeling the carrier off, cold (take the shirt off the press and wait at least 45 sec) is the same as for the regular CADflex.

Silver

Gold

If film decorating doesn’t fit into your game plan right now, you may still need the ability to put names and numbers on garments. The next page of your tutorial covers Flock letters and numbers.

Updated: Friday September 10, 2010