Sportflex iron-on is famous for being used on various fabrics. Sportflex iron-on is versatile and works well on different kinds of activewear. Today, we are going to discuss whether Sportflex iron-on can be used on cotton-based fabric.
What is Sportflex Iron On?
Sportflex iron-on is very light equipment that is flexed on different types of fabric. Using Sportflex iron-on on fabrics needs a lot of preparation. You need a smart cutting machine, protective sheet, heat-press, fine point blade, base material, etc.
Table of Contents
Sportflex iron-on is made with the purpose of being used on vinyl. Vinyl is a type of polymer material. But sport flex iron-on can also be used on other fabrics along with polymer-based ones. But it needs a lot of core cautions.
Sportflex iron-on possesses the ability to move with the fabric you are applying it on.
Can you use Sportflex iron-on on cotton?
One can use Sportflex iron-on on cotton-based fabrics. But it is better to do it with the help of specific instructions. The temperature of the pressing process needs to be three hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit (F) and the pressing pressure has to be medium.
Let’s discuss some fabrics and whether Sportflex iron-on can be used on these fabrics or not.
Sportflex iron-on on cotton shirts:
The manufacturers of Cricut Sportflex iron-on do not recommend using it on cotton shirts. It is designed to be used on polyester and nylon. But there are different blends of cotton shirts available.
So those cotton blend shirts have the ability to stretch and you can use Sportflex iron-on on them.
You will have to place a cotton fabric over the cotton shirt you are planning to use Sportflex iron-on on. This extra cotton fabric will protect the cotton shirt from getting damaged by the heat of the iron-on.
So even if experts do not recommend it, you can use Sportflex iron-on on cotton shirts by taking enough precautions.
Sportflex iron-on on 100% cotton:
The official instructions of Sportflex htv iron-on prohibit you from using it on 100% cotton. But you can twist the instructions a little and use a Sportflex iron-on on 100% cotton with the help of a few tips and tricks.
You will have to cover your 100% cotton fabric with another cotton fabric before pressing the Sportflex iron-on. It will protect the 100% cotton from the excessive heat of the Sportflex htv.
You will need to use it on the 100% cotton fabric for thirty seconds. So avoid using Sportflex iron-on on 100% cotton if you can. But use it with enough precautions if you have to.
Sportflex iron-on on cotton-poly blend:
Sportflex iron-on possesses the ability to be used on polyester and nylon. Because of this, it can be used on cotton-poly blend fabrics. The polyester portion of the cotton-poly blend fabric will protect it from the heat of Sportflex iron-on.
In fact, Sportflex iron-on works really well on cotton-poly blend fabrics. But you can use another layer of fabric over the cotton-poly blend to save it from burning.
Designing with the help of a Sportflex iron-on cotton-poly blend yields a good result and is recommended. The Cricut Sportflex iron-on has to be applied on cotton-poly blend fabrics for fifteen seconds.
How will Cricut Sportflex iron on work and last on cotton?
Cricut Sportflex iron-on works best on polyester and nylon-based fabrics. Experts do not recommend the use of Cricut Sportflex iron-on on cotton-based fabrics. But you can use the Sportflex iron-on on cotton-based fabric if you take the help of some tricks and tips.
Sportflex iron-on does not last for long on 100% cotton-based fabrics. The design starts fading out with every wash. But Sportflex iron-on works really well on cotton shirts. The designs remain intact for a good amount of time.
Cricut Sportflex iron-on works even better cotton-polyester blend fabrics. The design stays good for a long time.
You will need to wait for a day before washing the cotton fabric after applying the design. You will have to avoid bleaching and dry cleaning your cotton fabric if you want the design to last for a long time.
What should be the temperature for Sportflex iron-on on cotton?
You will need to set the temperature of Cricut EasyPress at three hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit (F) and preheat for fifteen seconds. It brings out the best possible result when the pressing of the Sportflex iron-on begins on cotton fabrics.
You will need to press the Cricut EasyPress on the design for fifty seconds using medium pressure.
If you are using a normal iron instead of Cricut Easypress, you will need to switch to the cotton or linen setting of the iron. The preheat timing for a normal iron is also fifteen seconds. And the pressing time for a normal iron is fifty seconds just like Cricut EasyPress.
How to use Cricut Sportflex on cotton?
There are several steps involved when it comes to using Cricut Sportflex on cotton. They are:
Wash the fabric:
First of all, you will have to wash the cotton fabric you are planning to use in this process. Pre-washed cotton fabric will make the pressing process easy and effective.
Select the design:
You will need to select the design you desire to put on your cotton fabric using the Cricut Sportflex. You will be required to send the design to the Cricut design space app. You can alter the selected design to your liking in the app.
Set the temperature and preheat:
You will have to set the temperature of the Cricut EasyPress at three hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit (F). You can even use a normal iron instead of the Cricut EasyPress.
Whatever you decide to use, you will need to preheat the cotton fabric for about fifteen seconds before applying the design.
Press on the design:
Then, you will be required to press each and every portion of the design onto the cotton fabric with the Cricut EasyPress or a normal iron for fifty seconds. The pressing pressure needs to be medium in this process.
Flip the cotton fabric:
Next, you will have to flip the cotton fabric over and press on the backside of the desired design for about a time frame of fifteen seconds. You will then have to let the cotton fabric and the fabric cool down. After that, you will need to remove the lining and reveal the final design.
Can you layer Sportflex iron-on on cotton?
You can layer Sportflex iron-on on cotton. Sportflex iron-on possesses the ability to be used as both top layer and bottom layer. You can use Sportflex iron-on on cotton using the layer system.
But you can not pair up Sportflex iron-on with another iron-on to work as layers. You can only pair up a Sportflex iron-on with another Sportflex iron-on. Because the characteristics of two separate kinds of iron-on will not match and will create complications.
Which side of Sportflex iron-on goes down?
First of all, you have to place your Sportflex iron-on on the mat. The side containing the color goes down on the mat. Then, the design is cut out from the Sportflex iron-on carefully. Next, the design is pressed on to the fabric with the help of Cricut EasyPress.
In the pressing process. The side containing the color faces upwards and the other side goes down.
What material can I use Sportflex iron-on?
Let’s talk about the materials you can use Sportflex iron-on on. They are:
Polyester based material:
Sportflex iron-on is specifically designed to be used on polyester-based material. Polyester does well under the heat of Sportflex iron-on. The design of Sportflex iron-on also stays for a long time on polyester-based material.
Nylon based material:
Another popular usage of Sportflex iron-on includes nylon-based material. Sportflex iron-on can be applied on any nylon based material. The longevity of Sportflex iron-on on nylon-based material is pretty good as well.
Cotton based material:
Use of Sportflex iron-on on cotton-based material is not recommended. But you can certainly do it by maintaining some rules. Sportflex iron-on especially works well on cotton shirts.
Cotton and Polyester blend based material:
Sportflex iron-on also works magnificently on 50% cotton and 50% polyester blend-based material. The design of Sportflex iron-on remains firm for a long time on this type of blend material.
Final thoughts
Sportflex iron-on can be applied to cotton fabric. But the Sportflex iron-on works better on cotton shirts and cotton-poly blends than 100% cotton fabric. Using Sportflex iron-on on cotton is not recommended by experts. But it can certainly be done by following specific instructions.