How to Use Siser® EasyColor™ Direct To Vinyl™

You’ve asked for it, we’ve developed it! Siser’s first and finest DESKTOP INKJET compatible material is finally here! EasyColor™ works with almost all desktop inkjet printers, so you don’t need anything fancy to start printing direct to vinyl™!  With a little printer and some EasyColor DTV, you can print A LOT of colors! Oh did I mention- EasyColor is also thin, soft, stretchy and has an influenceable matte or glossy finish? Keep reading to see all the reasons you’ll love EasyColor!

Here’s everything we suggest having on hand when working with EasyColor DTV….

Supplies

• EasyColor™ Direct To Vinyl™ Sheets
• Desktop Inkjet Printer and Inks
• Something to Cut With: Vinyl Cutter, Scissors, Exacto Knife, or Paper Trimmer
• Siser® EasyWeeder® or EasyTweezers™
• TTD Easy Mask (for designs with separated pieces)
• Siser® EasySqueegee™
• Siser® EasyTape™
• Something to Apply with: Heat Press, Cricut EasyPress, or Home Iron
• Heat Transfer Cover Sheet or Parchment Paper
• Blanks that are Cotton, polyester, cotton/poly blends and more!

How to Print on EasyColor DTV

Do you have one of the printers shown above? If so, great- you’re almost ready to get started with EasyColor DTV! If you have a different inkjet printer than the ones on the list, we still encourage you to give it a try- there are so many printers out there it’s impossible for us to test them all, but it’s worth a shot! Since EasyColor works with most desktop inkjet inks, it will likely work with your desktop inkjet printer. You may notice some color variation between printers- that is totally normal and can depend on your printer’s ink and settings.

What Setting Should I Use? 

For most projects we suggest using the “plain paper” setting on your printer. You can play with more high quality settings to see different color results, but the high quality settings tend to make heavily saturated prints, so you may need to let the printed EasyColor rest for 15-30 minutes before applying.

Do I Need Additional Software to Print? 

No! You can print straight to your printer from your computer or phone. You can even make a copy of something with your printer and avoid another screen altogether.

Which Side Do I Print On?

EasyColor has a bright white side and a cloudy/slightly-discolored side. The cloudy side is the static backing that you do not want to print on. The bright white side is the side you do want to print on. Depending on how your printer feeds the material, you’ll want to be sure you load the DTV in accordingly.

Ready to print direct to vinyl™? What will you make first? There are so many options now that you can print full color. Here are a few of our favorites, but if you have another ideas I’d love to hear it in the comments or share it in our Facebook Group!

Project Idea #1: Print YOUR Images

Vacation views, family portraits, and favorite selfies can now be transformed into t-shirts, journals, canvases and so much more!

Project Idea #2: Print Multicolor Designs and Logos

Printing all your colors at once not only cuts back on production times, but the fewer colors you have to layer the less weight their will be on the finished garment!

Project Idea #3: Print Custom Patterns and Colors

Ever search for the perfect teal or the ideal leopard print? Now you can print your perfect shade or pattern direct to vinyl! And like I said before: Less Layering = Less Time Consuming & Less Weight on the Garment!

How to Cut EasyColor DTV

EasyColor is so accessible- you don’t even need to use a cutter and software if you don’t want to! That’s right- some scissors and a home iron will work just fine for this amazing DTV– but of course we also have tips for working with your favorite cutting machine as well. Find your preferred method below and keep reading for all the detailed steps…

Print and Hand Cut

The simplest way to work with EasyColor is to cut by hand! Whether you choose scissors, a hobby knife, or paper punches you can make simple shapes, fun borders, and even intricate details if your skills are so inclined. Check out the video below for a fully hand-cut, custom tee!

Print and Contour Cut with a Vinyl Cutter

If you work with HTV or PSV, you probably already have a vinyl cutter! If your machine has a print and cut function then you can even use it for EasyColor. When it comes to this process, each cutter works a little differently. So check out the list below for some common cutters and coordinating videos that show the full process step-by-step.

No matter what kind of cutter you have, it’s always important to keep these 3 maintenance tips in mind:

Tip# 1: Calibrate or Re-calibrate your machine for print and cut

Tip #2: Clean the optical eye with a lens wipe or microfiber cloth

Tip #3: Ensure your blade and cutting mat and/or cutting strip is in good condition

Print and Cut with Juliet™

Thanks to Juliet’s optical eye, print and cut is more accurate than ever! Watch how easy it is to set up artwork in Leonardo Design Studio™ to cut EasyColor DTV in the video below:

Print and Cut with Silhouette Cameo

See all the steps to the print and cut process with your Silhouette Cameo and EasyColor DTV on our YouTube channel!

Print and Cut with Cricut

See all the steps to the print and cut process with your Cricut cutter and EasyColor DTV on our YouTube channel!

How to Weed and Mask EasyColor™ DTV™

After cutting, it’s time to weed! EasyColor DTV is on a static liner which means it is NOT sticky. So as you weed out the excess, you may notice edges of the material start to curl away from the liner. No worries though! EasyColor magically unfurls with a bit of heat. Place the DTV on the lower platen of your Heat Press after it’s warmed up or  pre-iron the area of the garment you’ll be applying on and lay the DTV on the warm surface. You’ll see the curled edges begin to flatten out which makes the material easier to mask.

Do I have to use a Mask?

No! Masking is not always necessary. If your design is one (or several) large pieces then you can simply peel them off the liner and place them as desired on your project. If your design is made up of several smaller pieces or pieces you really need to stay in a certain position, that’s when you’ll need to mask.

What Mask Should I use?

TTD Easy Mask is recommended for best results*

*Please Note: For best results when using TTD Easy Mask, immediately heat apply EasyColor DTV designs. Masking may produce slightly lighter color results.

How to Change the Finish

All the masks I mentioned are a hot peel so you can remove the mask immediately after pressing. You may notice after removing the mask that EasyColor DTV now has a glossy finish. One of the benefits of EasyColor is the option to have a glossy or matte finish. If you prefer a matte look, you can create one! After peeling the mask, place a piece of parchment paper on top and press for 5 seconds. When the parchment paper is removed, you’ll reveal a matte finish on the DTV! Don’t believe me? Check out this video!

How to Heat Apply EasyColor DTV

Did you know we put application settings for all Siser products in our app? That’s right- you can have them in your hand in seconds so you can keep creating as quick as possible. I’m going to go over EasyColor’s settings a little more in depth, but whenever you need a refresher check out the Siser App!

Heat Press

A Heat Press is always going to be your best option for DTV and HTV thanks to the consistent heating, reliable pressure adjustment, and built-in timer. Follow the steps below for success!

Step 1: Pre-Heat Garment for 3 seconds

Step 2: Lift EasyColor away from static backing manually or with mask

Step 3: Position EasyColor and cover sheet of choice

Step 4: Heat Apply

• Temperature: 310°F / 155°C
• Time: 15 seconds
• Pressure: Medium
• Mask: Hot Peel

EasyPress

An EasyPress is not quite as reliable as a heat press, but more so than an iron. This blog post goes into more detail on the pros and cons of an EasyPress and how to use it for your Siser projects, but the gist is below.

Step 1: Pre-Heat Garment for 3 seconds

Step 2: Lift EasyColor away from static backing manually or with mask

Step 3: Position EasyColor and cover sheet of choice

Step 4: Heat Apply

• Temperature: 340°F / 171°C
• Time: 25-35 seconds
• Pressure: Medium
• Mask: Hot Peel

Home Iron

If all you have is a household iron, you can still achieve incredible results with EasyColor! These 3 tips are key to any home iron and HTV project.

Tip #1: Ditch the ironing board! Instead, use a heat-safe surface like a wooden table.

Tip #2: Don’t slide! Instead, lift and press the iron in sections until each area has been heated.

Tip #3: No Steam! Instead, empty the water compartment and turn the steam setting off.

With those tips top of mind, follow the rest of the steps to success below…

Step 1: Pre-Heat Garment for 3 seconds

Step 2: Lift EasyColor away from static backing manually or with mask

Step 3: Position EasyColor and cover sheet of choice

Step 3: Heat Apply

• Setting: Cotton
• Time: 25-35 seconds
• Pressure: Medium
• Mask: Hot Peel

After application, be sure to follow the recommended washing instructions to keep your prints looking their best!

• It is recommended to wash the garment prior to wearing to ensure that any excess ink from the printing process is removed
• Wait 24 hours before first wash
• Machine wash cold
• Tumble dry low
• Do not bleach or dry clean

Are you ready to try out EasyColor DTV for yourself? You can purchase EasyColor and Easy Mask from an Authorized Distributor or Reseller. Not sure who that is? Email us at Info@SiserNA.com and we can help point you in the right direction! Then tell you crafty friends, your business friends, and any friends who have access to a home printer about this amazing new material! Help us get the word out to everyone about EasyColor DTV when you pin the image below on Pinterest!