# How do I get my printer to print on my T shirts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953 "2002-09-21T05:28:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jukeball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@Jukeball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jukeball)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/1 "2002-09-21T05:28:01Z")
I have a Canon BJC 210s printer. What I want to do is take a print out on a special kind of paper so that I can then iron it out on a plain tshirt . So now what kind of paper do i need , or is it possible on my printer or is it some special cartirage that I need thx ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/2 "2002-09-21T05:35:27Z")
You need to get paper made for iron on transfers, then you’ll have to set your printer (or rather the program that your using) to print the reverse image. Chances are the paper will come with a CD to do it. Otherwise I believe Print Shop and many other programs will do it for you also. ---
**Author:** ![Jukeball](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@Jukeball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jukeball)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/3 "2002-09-21T06:37:43Z")
any idea what the papaers are called ? cause I dont think my regular comp guy is going to undrstand that! ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/4 "2002-09-21T11:42:25Z")
They’re called, simply enough, iron-on transfer paper. You print on the paper, slap it onto your T-shirt, and iron it on. The ink layer melts on, and you have a nifty T-shirt. Necessarily, the image gets horizontally flipped (a mirror image), so you’ll either need to flip it before you print it in your printer software, or in the program you used to make the image. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/5 "2002-09-21T11:48:43Z")
This kind of paper is easy to find in office supply stores, and even some drug and variety stores in the section where they have computer printing supplies and special computer papers, such as greeting card paper, etc. Epson and Hewlett Packard are among the brands that are available. All of the instructions will be included with the paper. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/6 "2002-09-21T13:44:20Z")
the paper is called iron-on transfer paper. any decent stationery/office supply store should have it. iron-on transfer paper that is compatible with your model of printer is also available here: 10 sheets for $11.48 [http://www.pcconnection.com/scripts/productdetail.asp?product\_id=80418](http://www.pcconnection.com/scripts/productdetail.asp?product_id=80418) another site : [http://www.printerbox.co.uk/prodpage.asp?ProdID=622](http://www.printerbox.co.uk/prodpage.asp?ProdID=622) you might want to get photo-cartridges to print photo-quality images. however, these cartridges are expensive. i have used normal printer cartridges with iron-on transfer paper and the results are pretty decent. however, don’t expect the print to last too many washes. a few months and it fades away. some more info: > **[Photo Transfer to Fabric and other Surfaces for the Crafter & Quilter](https://softexpressions.com/pages/faqphototransfer)** > > Article by Soft Expressions Copyright 2020 When you want to transfer print a photo on fabric other mixed media surfaces using an Iron-on Photo Transfer Sheet or a Colorfast Printer Fabric are excellent options. We have been supporting the quilter... ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/7 "2002-09-21T13:51:49Z")
oh, **Jukeball** , seeing that you’re from Bombay… it’s quite difficult to locate iron-on transfer paper in this city… call up Canon’s office here : Ph.: 022-6496901,02,03,04,05 or their service center: Tel.: 022 – 4602823,24, 4602825,26 if those guys don’t have it… i got mine from the HP distributors… call up HP and ask… the same papers should work fine… they’re A4 size. ---
**Author:** ![Fishhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@Fishhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishhead)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/8 "2002-09-21T17:03:23Z")
We’ve used them to make t-shirts from some of my son’s computer artwork that looked pretty cool. What my wife found was that some materials took the ink much more permanently than others. I think 100% cotton was the best that she tried, but I’m not sure. I know I had a pic on a golf shirt that only lasted through one wash. The golf shirt had a lot of polyester. Fishhead ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/9 "2002-09-21T21:08:42Z")
I recommend the Xerox brand T-shirt transfers. Following all the directions to the letter is quite important. (Including washing inside out to make it last longer.) Caveat: You will go thru ink at blazing speeds. Try to stick to outline/black&white art. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-my-printer-to-print-on-my-t-shirts/128953/10 "2002-09-21T22:37:33Z")
You can also get certain fabrics you can run through your inkjet printer… A note about tshirt transfers, any blank areas have the transfer on them too so try not to use large blank areas .