SVC / HEAT SEAL
Heat-Seal Lettering
Cut vinyl and twill lettering applied under heat — fast numbers and names.
Heat-seal is the right answer when the garment cannot take a needle, when the run is small and quick, or when the lettering is thin enough that stitching would distort it. Numbers on performance jerseys are the classic case: light, flat, no stitch penetration through a technical knit.
At a glance
HEAT SEAL- Turnaround
- 5–7 business days from artwork approval.
- Minimum
- No minimum.
- Artwork
- AI, EPS, PDF or SVG — vector only, cut paths must be clean
- Approval
- Sew-out swatch before production
- Blind ship
- Available on every trade order
What it is
- Lettering and numbers cut from heat-applied material and pressed onto the garment.
- Used where stitching would perforate a waterproof or technical fabric.
- Fast on short runs and on last-minute name and number changes.
- Available in twill-look, matte, gloss and reflective materials.
What we do differently
The honest recommendation
Heat-seal is not always the right call. If a garment is going to see industrial laundering or hard wear, we will tell you to stitch it instead, even though pressing it is easier for us.
Applied to spec
Time, temperature and pressure differ by material and by garment. Getting them right is the whole job — an under-pressed number lifts at the first wash.
Typical applications
- Jersey numbers and player names
- Performance and waterproof outerwear
- Last-minute roster additions
- Bags, panels and non-sewable substrates
- Reflective identification on safety garments
Materials and substrates
- Performance and moisture-wicking knits
- Waterproof and coated outerwear
- Mesh and dazzle athletic fabrics
- Nylon bags and panels
- Safety garments requiring reflective marking
Artwork we can work from
AI, EPS, PDF or SVG — vector only, cut paths must be clean
- Everything is cut from an outline, so paths must be closed and free of stray points.
- Give the finished character height and the placement.
- Very fine detail and small counters do not weed cleanly. Ask us before committing to a delicate mark.
The artwork guide covers stitch counts, placements, backings and what does not translate to thread.
Questions we get
- Will heat-seal lettering peel?
- Correctly applied to a compatible fabric, it holds for the life of normal garment use. It fails when it is applied to the wrong material, under-pressed, or put through industrial laundering. If any of those apply to your program, stitch it instead.
- Can you press onto garments we supply?
- Yes. Send a sample piece first if the fabric is unusual — we test before committing a run.
Next step
Send us a heat-seal job.
Tell us about your team, the garments you have in mind and your target date. Need help choosing? Include that in your request.
Or email hello@custm.ink