How To Print On Fabric With Laser Printer And Ace It in 6 Steps

It has become much easier to do fabric printing now. Earlier, you had to iron out each piece of fabric onto the freezer paper. Now, you can use laser printers. If you are wondering how to print on fabric with a laser printer, this article has come to your rescue.

Steps To Print On Fabric With Laser Printer

If you want to know how to print on fabric with laser printer, follow the steps given below.

Step 1

You should begin by designing the logo, text or graphic that you want on the fabric. You need to remember that if you want to print a small logo, it will take only a small portion of the fabric. It might be a chest emblem or a sleeve design. You can also make multiple copies of the logo if you want to.

Step 2

You need to buy fabrics on which you will transfer the design. Commercially prepared fabrics are available in the market. You can buy it by sheet or roll in different sizes. Printable fabrics will have rigid materials. They make the fabrics sturdy so that the fabrics can flow through the printer without rippling.

The backing of the commercially designed fabrics peels off quite easily. You should ask the manufacturer how to treat the fabric after you are done printing. They will be able to tell you how to make the ink colorfast and remove the excess.

It is also possible to make printable fabrics at home.

How To Make Printable Fabric At Home

You can use freezer paper to make a backing for the fabrics you prepare at home. Freezer paper is appropriate for fabric that will be printed using laser printers. You will notice that freezer paper has a dull and shiny side.

The shiny side will stick to the fabric after it is ironed a few times. It is convenient to peel off the paper after the printing is done. It leaves no residue on the fabric.

Why Should You Make Printable Fabric At Home

Commercial fabrics are undeniably more convenient. It can be a bit of a hassle to make printable fabrics at home. However, there are a few benefits of preparing printable fabrics at home.

• Commercial fabrics are quite expensive. With a little bit of effort, you can make fabric at home to print using a laser printer. You will be able to save a significant amount on the price of fabric. However, you should follow the instructions for making the fabrics at home.
• Commercial printable fabrics are primarily made for inkjet printers. You often need to treat the fabric for color fastness. You have to buy commercial products for pre-treating the fabric. It is crucial to dry the fabric properly if you are pre-treating it.
• If you fail to follow the instructions for pre-treating, the color of the prints might fade. You have to carefully choose a commercial product that goes well with your printer ink. It can be dyed, pigmented or a combination of both.

Commercial printable fabrics are primarily made from white cotton. It is a good idea, to begin with, white cotton if you are starting off. However, you will want to experiment as you gradually become a pro. If you are using homemade printable fabrics, you can choose the color of the fabric.  

Step 3

You should print a document of the design you want on the fabric. Often, the print document comes out reversed as the original logo. But the logo once again gets reversed when it is transferred to the fabric. Do not forget to follow the instructions that will be included with the transfer paper you buy.

Step 4

‘If you want to know how to print on fabric with laser printer, you should remember that the transfer paper needs to be loaded into the printer. You should check out the instructions before doing it. If you are still not sure, you can watch tutorial videos on the internet.  

Step 5

The next step is to print the design on the transfer paper. You need to perform this step carefully. The design needs to be transferred properly. Check if the entire design is fitting on the transfer paper.

Step 6

This is the last step on the “how to print on fabric with laser printer” guide. You should use an iron to print the design on the fabric. You have to ensure that you are placing the transfer paper where you want the design to appear. You should also check that the design is not getting to be a mirrored reversal. The look of your fabric will depend on where you want the design to appear on it.

Tips To Print The Fabric

If you are printing on fabric for the first time, it’s better to use pure cotton fabrics. It is also recommended to choose white fabrics for your first-time experiment. Heavy fabrics that have been weaved thickly do not work well. Here are some tips for printing on fabric.

• You need to follow instructions for drying the fabric after pre-treating them with any product.
• It is best to take 12 inches of freezer paper. Next, you need to cut away a section a bit longer than 8.5 inches in width.
• You should not use steam on fabric that is penetrable.
• Remember to remove the loose threads from a piece of fabric.
• The shiny side of the freezer paper should be placed on the wrong side of the fabric.
• It is recommended to press on the paper side of the freezer paper using medium-hot iron.
• You should press on the fabric again if it separates from the freezer paper. All the edges of the fabric should be attached to the paper without any loose threads.
• The sheet needs to be inserted into the manual feed area of the laser printer.
• You need to find out if the fabric needs to be placed face up or down.
• Remember to use the highest quality setting offered by your printer to print on the bonded fabric. If you use images of higher resolution, you will get better results. Photos downloaded from the internet can often be of low resolution.
• You should remove the freezer paper carefully after the inks dry properly.
• You can soak the fabric in a vinegar solution to set the ink.

People find it easier to work on small pieces of freezer paper. It often becomes difficult to deal with larger yardages of freezer paper. However, your experience might be different. It is best to try working with both to determine which is the most suitable method for you.

Things To Remember While Laser Printing On Fabric

Laser printing on fabric is quite convenient. You can get better designs with high resolutions on your fabric. You should know a few things if you want to print on your fabric using a laser printer. Here is a list of things that you need to consider before printing on fabric using a laser printer.

• You should bond the fabric to freezer paper. You already know from above how to bond the two.
• You have to run the bond fabric through the manual feed area of the laser printer. It is crucial to follow instructions while doing so.
• The freezer paper attached to the transfer paper should be left. You need to place the print on newspapers.
• The print should be kept in a well-ventilated room. You can also keep the print outside.
• You need to coat the fabric with light layers of a fixative.

Layering with a fixative adds more depth to the printed fabric. A fabric printed using a laser printer can be quite stiff. It is often difficult to handle quilts. So, it is recommended to reserve laser-printed fabric for making fabric postcards.

It can also be used in areas of a wall hanging that will be quilted using a machine. You can use it in crafts that do not need to be quilted at all. You should experiment to find out what methods and products work out for you.

There is no limitation to the size of the fabric that can be printed. The only thing that will stop is the maximum dimension that will be supported in your printer.

Usually, a size of 8.5 by 11 inches is suitable for most printers. You can use scissors to cut the bonded fabric according to the dimensions of your printer.