7 Best T-Shirt Transfer Papers

1. Handy Crafts Inkjet Heat Transfer Paper | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

Handy Crafts DIY or commercial heat transfer paper makes the Best Budget slot. It comes in an affordable pack of 10 A4 sized sheets and is compatible with any inkjet printer.

• Best feature 1: Ideal for tees and other garments
• Best feature 2: Iron-on or heat press compatible
• Plus points: Affordable, easy to use, grid markings, highly durable paper
• Minus points: Light colors only, cotton and cotton/poly blends only

Transfers onto: T-shirts and other garments, hats, bags, and other light colored surfaces.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

This heat transfer paper is affordable and high-quality for its price. It’s compatible for use with a regular house iron or any of the popular heat presses. Most important of all is that it’s easy to use and produces consistent results. The grid markings help you to cut precisely and position the paper design in the exact place. It’s a highly durable paper that lasts a long time with correct storage.

The Not So Good

Handy Crafts’ heat transfer paper is for light garments only. That’s not a con per se, but a common buying blunder is to buy paper for light fabrics to use on dark surfaces. This product is also for use only with cotton and cotton/poly blends. Again, that’s not a fault, but it’s an essential point to note.

2. PPD Inkjet T Shirt Transfers Paper | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

Our Best Value choice goes to PPD inkjet t-shirt transfer paper for darker fabrics. The prints are long-lasting, stretchable, and feel soft to the touch when applied correctly.

• Best feature 1: Stretchable
• Best feature 2: Highly-durable (long-lasting, machine washable)
• Plus points: Easy to use, grid backing, iron on or heat press, available for light/dark fabrics
• Minus points: Iron on takes some practice

Transfers onto: Dark colored tees and other clothing, pillowcases, cushion covers, bags, banners, and tablecloths, etc. It’s best suited for cotton fabrics but seems to work well on blends too.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

There are 20 sheets of 8.5 x 11” PPD heat transfer paper with grid backing in a pack. PPD also sells mixed bundles for light and dark transfers if you need flexibility. This iron on paper feeds through all inject printers and is quite easy to transfer. The included guide is well-thought-out and walks new users through the transfer printing process.

You can use the simple iron-on method or a purpose heat press. Either way produces striking results when applied as per the instructions. Printed fabrics are fully washable and guaranteed never to peel.

The Not So Good

A dark transfer is different from a light transfer process. The instructions for the PPD Inkjet t-shirt transfer paper are easy to follow. However, using a regular iron to do the transfers can take some practice. It’s tricky to find the correct pressure and timing when working with cotton/poly blends. It’s a good idea to do a practice run before transferring to the main surface.

3. Neenah 3G Jet-Opaque Heat Transfer Paper | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

Neenah 3G Jet-Opaque heat transfer paper is for dark color garments and our Top Pick product. There are 100 sheets of commercial-grade 8.5 X 11” paper in this bumper pack.

• Best feature 1: Designed for high-resolution images
• Best feature 2: Soft to the touch
• Plus points: Easy to apply on cotton fabrics, hand iron, resistant to endless washing
• Minus points: Cold peel, thick finish

Transfers onto: T-shirts (and other tight weave garments), hats, koozies, totes, and so on.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

3G Jet-Opaque is a high-quality heat transfer paper that produces spectacular results on dark surfaces. It has an opaque layer that allows users to transfer photographic-quality images easily. The product cuts with any vinyl cutter and transfers using a hand iron or heat press. The latter option is the better approach, especially for cotton/poly material blends.

The resulting transfer is a soft yet durable print that’s resistant to endless washing. An image needs plenty of whites and lighter colors with dark surfaces for the best outcome.

The Not So Good

It’s a cold peel product as is the case with most dark transfer papers. Removing the cover sheet before it has time to cool down will likely result in a failure. Also, the film is quite thick compared to some products though it still feels soft. That’s not a fault as such—it’s more of a style preference.

4. Avery 3275 Iron-On Light Fabric Transfers

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

Avery is another favorite name in heat transfer papers. This product is the 3275 iron-on paper for light fabrics. It’s for use with 100% cotton garments and cotton/poly blends.

• Best feature 1: Free templates for Avery customers
• Best feature 2: Feeds through all modern inkjet printers
• Plus points: Color Shield™ formula, durable, personalize and print on demand
• Minus points: Directions not clear for novice users, slight shiny finish

Transfers onto: T-shirts, aprons, hats, bags, stickers, labels, and magnet sheets, etc.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

The pack includes 12 iron-on sheets of 8.5 x 11” size that feeds through all modern inkjet printers. Avery’s new Color Shield™ formula adds to what’s already a durable paper. It ensures the colors stay crisp and vibrant even after multiple washes.

Avery customers can choose from 1000s of free, fully-customizable templates at the company website. There’s something for everyone for use with garments or personal items. Users can personalize their designs, and then print on demand.

The Not So Good

Avery falls short with its directions which are not too clear for first-time users. Everything you need to know is there—it’s just that the guidance should be more beginner-friendly. The other downside is that the paper leaves a slight shine. Overall, though, it’s an excellent product for the money.

5. SOFSTRETCH Heat Transfer Paper Custom Pack

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

Fifth on the list is the Neenah JET-PRO® SS heat transfer paper #9811P0. The company designed this paper to transfer images and photos onto light-colored surfaces.

• Best feature 1: Iron-on or heat press transfers
• Best feature 2: Works with cotton, blends, and synthetics
• Plus points: Simple to use, feeds through most inkjet printers, soft finish, durable
• Minus points: Some fabrics require trial and error

Transfers onto: T-shirts, sweatshirts and other garments, coasters, mouse pads, puzzles, and leather.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

There are 25 sheets of 8.5 X 11” size in a pack of Neenah JetPro® SS (Sofstretch™). It’s for use on light colored surfaces only and works with a variety of fabrics. They include 100% cotton, 50/50 blends, spandex, lycra, nylon, jersey, and rib knit. The results are soft and subtle and comfortable to wear. The vibrant colors are long-lasting and withstand multiple laundry cycles and stretching.

The transfer method can be hand ironed or use a heat press, although ironing is the trickiest. Even so, ironed results are just as impressive when applied as per the product instructions.

The Not So Good

JET-PRO® SS heat transfer paper works with a variety of fabrics (see above). Not all surfaces are equal, though. Fabrics like 100% cotton and cotton blends work better than synthetics. It’s possible to get the same results, but expect a little trial and error with certain materials.

6. NuFun Activities Iron-On Heat Transfer Paper

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Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5

This iron-on heat transfer paper is by NuFun Activities and made in the USA. The product is for use with light substrates and fabrics although there’s a dark option too.

• Best feature 1: Made in the USA
• Best feature 2: Soft to the touch
• Plus points: Compatible with most inkjets, amazing color density, excellent value
• Minus points: Poor instructions, not as durable as some papers

Transfers onto: T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, aprons, and bags, etc.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

There are 100 8.5 x 11” sheets in this bumper pack of iron-on heat transfer paper. It feeds through most modern inkjet printers without any problems. The heat press or iron-on results display amazing color density when applied correctly. You can use this paper on light colored 100% cotton, cotton/poly blends, and canvas. It also transfers onto tissue paper, wood, and other surfaces.

Users favor this paper for cotton and cotton blend t-shirts more than other purposes. It’s excellent value for use with a heat press. The iron-on approach works well too but takes a while to grasp.

The Not So Good

You get a lot of heat transfer paper for the price, but there are reasons for that. First, the instructions are not clear, especially for first-time users. It reads like poorly-translated text, and that’s a shame. There’s more potential for wastage and trial & error on the users’ part. The color density is pleasing at first. However, the transfers don’t seem quite as durable or as long-lasting as others on this page.

7. CISinks A3+ Sublimation Ink Transfer Paper

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The last t shirt transfer paper review is CISinks sublimation paper. It’s eco-friendly with excellent air permeability. Best of all is that the printed images can last over 80 years.

• Best feature 1: Photographic quality prints
• Best feature 2: Works with any inkjet printer modified with SUBLIMATION ink
• Plus points: Lasts 80+ years, works on many types of surface, excellent value
• Minus points: needs a particular setup, doesn’t work with cotton

Transfers onto: T-Shirts and other garments, coffee mugs, mousepads, and phone cases. Substrates include plastics, ceramic, metal, cards, paper, and 100% Polyester fabric.

What We Like About this Heat Transfer Paper

CISinks sublimation paper works with RICOH GX Series, EPSON ME Series, and SAWGRASS printers. It comes in a pack of 100, 13 x 19” sheets. The transfers are flat and smooth to the touch. Consider dye sublimation transfer paper if you expect to keep the garment or thing for a long time. This method of transfer provides longer-lasting (80+ years) colors than regular heat transfer papers.

The process works by converting the ink into a gas at the transfer process. The result is photographic quality print that’s superior to other methods. You can use a regular inkjet printer if it’s modified to use SUBLIMATION Ink. However, the paper is harder to work with than regular heat transfer products.

The Not So Good

Sublimation paper and its printing process is not for everyone. It’s a more specialist approach and needs a printer made to use—or a printer modified for—SUBLIMATION Inks. The paper can roll onto itself and is more likely to jam than regular heat transfer paper. Finally, you must use 100% polyester fabric as the colors don’t transfer well onto cotton materials.