STAHLS Flexfolie Premium Plus is now a hybrid film

Flex films are an indispensable part of textile finishing. Whether it’s T-shirts, caps or bags – with the help of flex films, these can be easily customised with your chosen designs in no time at all. Until now, different films had to be used for different materials. But that’s now a thing of the past: the STAHLS Flex Film Premium Plus is now a hybrid film. This means it can be used on almost all materials from now on. YOW! introduces you to this handy all-rounder and explains how to use it in practice.

STAHLS Flexfolie Premium Plus is a high-quality textile printing film made from polyurethane. Compared with the cheaper PVC version, this material offers the advantage that, due to its lower starch content, it is gentler on the skin and feels significantly more comfortable against the body. Polyurethane also impresses across the board in terms of durability and wash resistance. The flex film is washable at up to 60°C and is even suitable for tumble drying on a gentle cycle. Thanks to its slightly tacky backing, STAHLS Flexfoil Premium Plus is very easy to cut and weed.

Last but not least, the smooth, silk-matt surface is worth mentioning, as it feels pleasantly soft to the touch. The film is so thin that it almost looks like screen-printing ink on the fabric. This makes the STAHLS Flex Foil Premium Plus ideal for overprinting multi-coloured designs, as it adds virtually no bulk. With a choice of 37 different colours, there are no limits to your creativity. Even intricate designs in a wide variety of colours can be produced to the highest standard in this way. The key advantage: whilst conventional flex films can only be used on specific materials, STAHLS Premium Plus flex film can be applied to almost all textiles. It is suitable for printing on the following types of fabric:

With STAHLS Flexfolie Premium Plus, nothing will stand in the way of your textile customisation any longer. Use the film on all kinds of textiles to transform boring garments into stunning eye-catchers in no time at all. We’ll show you how to conjure up multi-coloured designs on T-shirts, caps and more in the blink of an eye.

Place the flex film in your cutting plotter with the backing side facing down. Don’t forget to always carry out a test cut first to determine the correct cutting settings for your design. These may vary depending on the age of the blade and the material used. Open the design you want in your cutting software and, once you’re happy with the result, start the cutting process. Remember to mirror any text, logo or image if necessary.

Now remove the excess material from the plotted graphic so that only your chosen design remains on the backing. A weeding table is a great help here, as it significantly speeds up the process and reduces the risk of the material tearing.

Pre-press the garment to be printed for three to five seconds at 150°C on your transfer press before you start the actual printing process. This ensures the smoothest possible surface with minimal moisture in the fabric itself. Then place your design on the garment with the carrier sheet facing upwards and cover it with a cover sheet. Start with the background colour and work your way through to the final colour step by step. Press each individual colour for three to five seconds at an application temperature of 150°C. The final colour should be pressed for 18 to 20 seconds. Peel off the backing film whilst it is still cool after each colour layer. You can now enjoy a unique design in brilliant colours – and all with just one flex film for all materials!