Common Heat Transfer Mistakes (And How to Fix Peeling, Cracking, and Fading Prints)

Heat transfer peeling is one of the most frustrating problems you can run into when you are trying to grow a custom apparel business. You load up the press, follow the instructions you think are right, and then the customer comes back saying their design is lifting, plastisol transfer cracking is starting, or they ask, “Why is my print fading after two washes?”

The good news is that most of these failures come from a small group of repeatable mistakes. Once you understand how time, temperature, pressure, fabric, and artwork all work together, you can fix issues fast and stop them from happening again. This guide walks through the most common problems and shows you exactly what to adjust so your transfers look clean and last longer.

The Basics: What Has to Go Right for a Good Transfer

Before we dig into heat transfer peeling and other headaches, it helps to understand the basics of what has to go right for every print:

Correct temperature so the adhesive and ink fully cure
Correct pressure so the melted adhesive actually bonds into the fibers
Correct time so the whole ink layer reaches that curing temperature
Correct peel (hot, warm, or cold) for the specific transfer type
Dry, flat fabric without seams or moisture under the press

If even one of these is off, you end up with peeling edges, plastisol transfer cracking, or a print that looks dull and washed out long before it should.

For reference, many plastisol inks reach full cure around 320°F, while some low-cure formulas set at lower temperatures, so following the manufacturer’s cure range is critical.

Heat Transfer Peeling: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

Why heat transfer peeling shows up

Heat transfer peeling usually shows up first at the edges or corners of the design. You might see parts of the print lift after the carrier is peeled, or the customer notices lifting after the first wash. Typical causes include:

Temperature on the press is lower than the display says
Pressure is too light or uneven across the platen
The garment was not pre-pressed, so trapped moisture cooled the print
You peeled hot when the transfer needs a cold peel, or the opposite
You pressed over thick seams, zippers, or collars that robbed pressure

Even a high-quality sheet can fail if any of these are out of line.

How to fix heat transfer peeling

When you see heat transfer peeling:

Re-press immediately
Lay the shirt back on the press, cover the design with a protective sheet, and press again at the correct settings for 5–10 seconds with firm pressure.
Check your actual temperature
Use heat strips or an infrared thermometer to verify that your press surface really matches your set temperature.
Increase pressure a notch
Most plastisol transfers need firm to heavy pressure. If you can easily close the press with two fingers, it is probably too light.
Follow the correct peel timing
If instructions say “cold peel,” let the shirt cool flat before you remove the carrier. Peeling too soon is a fast path to heat transfer peeling on delicate details.

If re-pressing and correcting your settings fixes the issue, you can confidently keep using that batch of transfers on the rest of your order.

Plastisol Transfer Cracking: Undercure vs. Overcure

Plastisol transfer cracking usually shows up as tiny breaks in the ink when the shirt is stretched or after a few trips through the dryer. Customers may think the print is “old” even though it is new.

Most of the time, plastisol transfer cracking is caused by undercure. The ink never reached full cure temperature all the way through the layer, so it behaves like a partially melted plastic instead of a solid film. When that undercured ink is washed, it becomes brittle and cracks or even washes out.

Less often, overcure can cause problems if you fry the ink at very high temperatures, especially on heat-sensitive fabrics. This can make the print overly stiff, scorched, or prone to surface cracking.

How to fix plastisol transfer cracking

Stretch test your prints
Once a shirt cools, gently stretch the print. If you see cracks right away, it is likely undercured.
Increase time or temperature within the recommended range
Bump your press time by a few seconds or increase temperature slightly, staying within the transfer manufacturer’s instructions.
Pre-press thick or damp garments
Moisture inside the shirt absorbs heat and keeps the ink from curing correctly. A quick pre-press helps drive it out.
Avoid stacking hot shirts
If you pile freshly pressed shirts while they are still very hot, they may not cool evenly and can trap moisture or distort the ink film.

Dialing in your cure settings not only stops plastisol transfer cracking but also helps with heat transfer peeling and fading at the same time.

Why Is My Print Fading So Fast?

“Why is my print fading?” is a common complaint when customers wash their shirts a few times and notice a big drop in vibrancy. With plastisol transfers, severe fading almost always points to one or more of these problems:

Under-cured ink that partially washes away
Using a transfer type not meant for the fabric (for example, wrong formula on stretchy polyester)
Overloading the design with soft-hand additives that weaken the ink film
Harsh washing habits like high heat, bleach, or strong detergents

Proper cure is critical here too. Fully cured plastisol is very durable and should handle normal wash cycles well when applied correctly. ImprintNext

How to fix fading prints

Confirm your transfer type matches the garment
Use the correct transfer formula for cotton, blends, or performance fabrics, and follow the recommended settings.
Include wash instructions with every order
Suggest washing inside-out in cold water and tumble drying on low. That one extra line on your packing slip can save you a lot of “why is my print fading” messages.
Check your artwork density
Extremely distressed designs with thin lines naturally look lighter with each wash; manage customer expectations when you use this style.

Heat Transfer Peeling Checklist: Time, Temperature, Pressure

If you are fighting constant heat transfer peeling, a quick tune-up of your process can help you catch small issues before they ruin a whole stack of blanks.

Run through this checklist:

Calibrate your press using test strips or a thermometer at several spots on the platen.
Set time and temperature exactly to the transfer manufacturer’s specs.
Adjust the knob or air pressure so you feel firm, even resistance when closing.
Pre-press garments for 3–5 seconds to flatten fibers and drive out moisture.
Avoid pressing over seams, pockets, or thick collars whenever possible.
Peel exactly as directed: hot, warm, or cold.

If you use professional screen printed plastisol heat transfers, you will find that most peeling problems vanish once this checklist is part of your normal routine. You can review product options and general instructions on the Screen Printed Plastisol Heat Transfers page: Screen Printed Transfers » Advanced Transfers

Artwork and Fabric Mistakes That Lead to Problems

Not every issue comes from the press. Some “mystery” failures that look like heat transfer peeling or plastisol transfer cracking actually start in the artwork or fabric choice.

Common culprits include:

Hairline details and tiny text that cannot hold enough ink to bond properly
Huge solid blocks of ink that need more time and pressure to cure all the way through
High-stretch or heavily dyed fabrics that need a specific low-temp or bleed-resistant transfer type
Very loose or textured fabrics where only the top of the fibers ever touches the ink

To keep your artwork from causing transfer trouble, make sure your designs meet basic guidelines for line thickness, text size, and resolution. A detailed artwork checklist is available here: Artwork Requirements » Advanced Transfers

Matching the right transfer formula to the right garment is just as important. If a customer brings you 100% polyester performance tees, for example, make sure you pick a transfer type that is designed for that fabric and follow its lower-temperature instructions to reduce dye migration and fading.

When to Repress, Replace, or Reorder Transfers

Even when you do everything right, accidents happen. Maybe a batch of shirts came damp from the supplier, or your press lost temperature mid-run. Knowing when to repress a garment, when to write it off, and when to reorder transfers helps protect your reputation.

Repress if the problem is minor heat transfer peeling at the edges or a slightly undercured feel. Often a second hit with proper settings will save the shirt.
Replace the garment if you scorched the fabric, created severe plastisol transfer cracking, or pressed with totally wrong settings. Do not send borderline shirts to a paying client.
Reorder transfers if a test print clearly shows your process is dialed in but a particular batch of transfers still fails. Keep at least one unused sheet and your test notes on hand so you can show your supplier exactly what happened.

When you are confident in your troubleshooting, you can place larger orders for transfers and know they will perform, which keeps your per-print cost down and your profit margins healthy.

Heating Up Your Expertise (So Customers Trust You More)

Every time you solve heat transfer peeling or explain why a customer’s old shirts are fading, you build your reputation as the local expert. That trust is what turns one-time buyers into regular accounts.

A few habits that make a big difference:

Keep a log of press settings for each transfer type and fabric.
Save a test shirt with notes for every new formula you try.
Train helpers or staff to run the same checklist you use.
Share short “care card” instructions with every order to cut down on misuse.

As your process becomes more consistent, your reprint rate drops, your feedback improves, and it becomes easier to invest in better tools and more transfers. That is the hidden upside of mastering these “boring” details. You are not only fixing plastisol transfer cracking and fading prints; you are building a smoother, more profitable shop that can handle bigger orders with confidence.