Images_Digital_Edition_January_2019

www.images-magazine.com JANUARY 2019 images 35 TIPS & TECHNIQUES A re your customers always asking you for something new, something that gives their designs an edge? Do you want to expand your customer base by offering high-end and distressed looks? If so, then it‘s time to add some foil to your repertoire, suggests Rebecca Runham, from the application team at Target Transfers. Foil is simple to add to a design – you can add it to specific areas of a garment or design, and it can be used on cotton, polyester and polycotton fabrics. “All you need is a heat press and a vinyl cutter or some custom transfers,“ explains Rebecca. First of all, using a plotter-cutter (a Silhouette Cameo 3 was used here), cut out your design using a cad-cut adhesive for a clear base – Martin recommends the Stahls‘ Cad-Cut Heat Press Adhesive. Alternatively, a custom plastisol transfer can be used. The adhesive or transfer is then heat-pressed onto the fabric; remember to pre- press the garment first to remove any moisture and create a flat, even surface. Once the adhesive or transfer has cooled and the backing has been removed, it‘s time to lay the foil, shiny side up, on the parts of the design where you‘d like the foil applied. Foil-only patterns can look dramatic, and applying contrasting foil patches to a colour print can lift a design and create a far higher perceived value for only a little extra work and cost. The Stahls‘ Fashion Foil used in the step-by-step, for example, costs £9.99 for a 5m roll (width 30cm) and is available in 12 colours, while the Cad-Cut Heat Press Adhesive is £34.99 for a 9.1m roll (width 30cm). Once the foil has been heat-pressed on, you can either stop there or heat press it again quickly to give the print a matt look. Distressed looks, which are popular in retail at the moment, are also easily achieved with foil, Rebecca reports. To add some imperfections to the final look, simply scrunch the foil up before heat pressing it – leftover bits from other jobs are perfect for this. www.targettransfers.com Applying contrasting foil patches to a colour print can lift a design Rebecca Runham of Target Transfers demonstrates how a little foil goes a long way Shine on