Now you can design shirts, sweatshirts, bags and more with just the look you want. Avery Fabric Transfers and free templates on Avery Design & Print Online make it easy to personalize your design and transfer it onto cotton polyester blends and 100% cotton fabrics. For family reunions, team sports, charity events or even as a gift, these tips can help you get the most out of your unique creations.

Step 1: Select your dark fabric transfer product

Go to Avery Design & Print Online software and enter your product number, or choose the “Craft and T-Shirt Transfer” option, then select your product.

View our video demo for creating and applying dark fabric transfers.

NOTE: These tips are for Dark Fabric Transfers only. For Light Fabric Transfers or Stretchable Fabric Transfers, refer to “Helpful Tips for Light Fabric Transfers and Stretchable Fabric Transfers.”

Step 2: Find or create your design

Choose a pre-designed template from the themes on the left. To create your own, choose the “Blank and Text Only” option. Then click next.

You can personalize your design and make it just the way you want it. Use the design tools on the left to add text, images, shapes and more. To remove items, just click to highlight (dotted line becomes solid), then hit “Delete.”

TIP: With the white background, anything you don’t trim later will appear white on the garment. To avoid a white outline, add a colored border similar in color around your image to blend in with your garment.

Step 3: Preview & print

Click Preview & Print to review your design. To make adjustments, just click the Back button. When your design is ready to go, just click the green Print button to open the file.

TIP: Since your Dark Fabric Transfer will be applied directly to your garment, make sure that you DO NOT flip the image before printing. If your printer software automatically flips the image for fabric transfers, select paper instead of fabric transfers as your material.

Step 4: Cut out design

Cut out the design from the transfer paper, keeping a narrow margin around the design. If you added a colored border, use the outline as your cutting guide. Edges should be rounded to avoid lifting during ironing or washing.

Step 5: Prepare to iron

Find a flat surface that is not heat-sensitive and place a cotton or poly-blend pillowcase on top. We recommend NOT using an ironing board, as they absorb too much of the heat. You'll need heat and pressure to get the transfer to adhere to your garment.

Empty the iron of water and turn it on. Set it at the hottest cotton temperature, without the steam setting. Preheat iron for 5 minutes.

When the iron has been properly heated, iron out the pillowcase to remove wrinkles and moisture.

Step 6: Firmly iron on the transfer

Place your garment onto the pillowcase.

Remove the paper backing from the transfer. If you have trouble separating the backing from the transfer, try tearing the edge just slightly to separate the layers.

Place the transfer with the printed side face up onto the area you would like it to appear on the garment.

Cover transfer completely with the provided tissue paper.

Iron the transfer over the garment with firm downward pressure. Use slow passes across the transfer, from left to right and from top to bottom.

For a full page transfer, iron for 2 minutes.
For a ½ page transfer, iron 1 minute.
For a ¼ page transfer, iron for 40 seconds.

After ironing, remove the garment from the heating area, and let it cool for at least 3 minutes. Turn off the iron.

Step 7: Remove the tissue paper

After your garment has cooled, peel the tissue paper slowly and smoothly away from the transfer.

Step 8: Care of your iron-on transfer

Wash the garment inside-out on a cold setting before wearing.