What is Threading and Threadability?
‘Threadability’ is a trademarked innovation by Stahls’ Hotronix®. Threading is the act of sliding a garment, like a t-shirt, onto the lower platen of a heat press. Rather than laying the whole garment on top of the platen, you slide the garment on with the platen inbetween the front and back. See picture below:
What’s The Advantage of Threading?
- Separates front and back of garment.
- When applying HTV to both sides of a garment, while doing your second application, you don’t want the heat to reach the transfer you just pressed. This could mess with the HTV’s adhesion on that first application. Threading puts the heat press platen inbetween the front and back which prevents heat from reaching the other side.
- Quick, easy, efficient application of 2 sided garments.
- When a ‘threadable’ Heat Press is combined with a Lower Pad Protector, not only can you easily slide the garment on/off the press, but you can spin the garment in place, on the lower platen, for Front and Back decoration. This means decorating up to 40% faster, saving you time and money.
- Prevents buttons, zippers, seams from interfering with the print area.
- To get even heat and pressure, you need a flat surface. This can be difficult when decorating the back and the front has buttons, zippers, thick seams or anything else that creates bumps or raised areas. Threading the garment helps to isolate the flat side, while the buttons/zippers/seams hang down underneath.
- Reduce the need for extra accessories.
- Before the invent of the ‘Threadable Heat Press’, you would need to purchase extra items, like Heat Press Pillows or Print Perfect Pads. While these accessories are sometimes still needed, for the average user, threading the garment delivers the same results – only faster.
- Quick, easy, efficient application of 2 sided garments.
- When a ‘threadable’ Heat Press is combined with a Lower Pad Protector, not only can you easily slide the garment on/off the press, but you can spin the garment in place, on the lower platen, for Front and Back decoration. This means decorating up to 40% faster, saving you time and money.
- Prevents buttons, zippers, seams from interfering with the print area.
- To get even heat and pressure, you need a flat surface. This can be difficult when decorating the back and the front has buttons, zippers, thick seams or anything else that creates bumps or raised areas. Threading the garment helps to isolate the flat side, while the buttons/zippers/seams hang down underneath.
- Reduce the need for extra accessories.
- Before the invent of the ‘Threadable Heat Press’, you would need to purchase extra items, like Heat Press Pillows or Print Perfect Pads. While these accessories are sometimes still needed, for the average user, threading the garment delivers the same results – only faster.
Is Threading Available for all Heat Presses?
No. Most heat presses, especially cheaper brands, don’t allow garment threading. All Stahls’ Hotronix® flat heat presses however, have this feature available.
The Hotronix® Fusion series (Fusion, Air Fusion, Dual Air Fusion) have the Threadability function built in. They are specifically designed with a ‘cut-out’ space under the lower platen to allow the garment to slide on.
The Hotronix® clam style presses, like the Auto Clam and Maxx, don’t come with this feature built in. But it can easily be added, just by mounting the heat press onto a Caddie Stand or Counter Caddie.
Threading Summary.
While ‘Threading’ isn’t essential to pressing heat transfers, it is a technique that could save you lots of time and money. If you press multiple garments at a time, are regularly decorating both the fronts and backs, or would just like to utilize your time more efficiently, then start ‘Threading’ today.
For more information on this technique, or the products needed, give us a call or email us:
