Digitally printed heat transfer label
A digitally printed heat transfer label and method of manufacture is disclosed. The heat transfer label and method of manufacture provides a more efficient process with less waste, as well as prevents halos. The method comprises adding adhesive powder to a digital image printed on a substrate to produce a high stretch, multi-color photographic quality label for the apparel industry.
1. A digitally printed heat transfer label for use on apparel, comprising:
at least one printed image applied to a substrate layer;
a polymeric coating, which can stretch at least about 5% and applied over the printed image; and
an adhesive layer having a powder and applied over the polymeric coating layer and printed image, while the printed image is still wet.
2. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 1 , further comprising a release layer applied to the substrate layer before the printed image is applied.
3. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 2 , wherein the release layer is applied in roll form.
4. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 2 , wherein the release layer is applied in sheet form.
5. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 1 , wherein the printed image is printed on the substrate layer via a digital printer.
6. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 1 , wherein the powder adhesive is then melted via an infrared (IR) lamp.
7. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 1 , wherein the powder adhesive is then melted via an air impingement dryer.
8. The digitally printed heat transfer label of claim 1 , wherein the powder adhesive is then melted via an oven.
9. A digitally printed heat transfer label for use on apparel, comprising:
a release layer applied to a substrate layer;
at least one digitally printed image applied to the release layer and the substrate layer;
a polymeric coating, which can stretch at least about 5% and applied over the printed image; and
an adhesive powder layer having a powder and applied over the polymeric coating layer and printed image, while printed image is still wet.
10. A method for manufacturing a digitally printed heat transfer label, comprising:
a sheet or roll-fed process;
applying a release coating to a substrate;
printing an image on the substrate;
applying a polymeric coating which can stretch at least about 5% over the image;
applying polymeric adhesive powders to the polymeric coating;
drying the polymeric coating; and
cooling resulting images.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the release coating is applied in roll form.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the release coating is applied in sheet form.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the image is printed via a digital printer.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric coating is printed over the image.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric adhesive powders are applied while the polymeric coating is still wet.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric coating is dried via an IR lamp.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric coating is dried via an air impingement dryer.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymeric coating is dried via an oven.