Heat-sealing on temperature-sensitive fabrics is no longer an issue with these clever presses
“This is particularly prevalent in the latest sports kits where recycled plastic has been used in the construction of the garment.”
The M-Press and M-Press Maxi
However, MiRiCal Emblems reports that it has the perfect way of turning that nightmare job into an absolute dream with its unique inverted M-Press and M-Press Maxi heat presses.
The M-Press range was initially conceived to work with heat-applied embroidery and woven products where hitting such products directly with the hard metal platen of the press would crush the emblems and cause them to lose their three-dimensional appeal; but it was quickly discovered that these presses were the answer for attaching all manner of heat-applied products onto temperature-sensitive fabrics as well.
As MiRiCal’s managing director, Jonathan Dul, explains: “You simply hoop the garment up onto the heated base platen, taking care to have only a single layer of fabric resting on the heat plate, and then position the piece to be applied as usual.”
The single layer of fabric is important because the heat has to pass through the fabric before it can activate the glue on the product to be applied. This typically means adding a few seconds onto the product’s recommended application dwell time. On a football shirt or polo shirt, that might mean increasing the dwell time from 10 seconds to 16-18 seconds and on a fleece to perhaps 24 seconds.
The M-Press comes with a fixed 15x15cm platen and it is joined in the range by its bigger brother, the M-Press Maxi with a 33x18cm platen.
Both presses are hand-operated with digitally controlled temperature and time settings and easily adjustable pressure to accommodate different garment thicknesses.
Both presses are typically available ex-stock with operator training and ongoing support provided on-site as standard by MiRiCal’s field-based team of regional sales managers.
30th anniversary
MiRiCal Emblems is a second-generation family business based in Nottinghamshire that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month.
The company has enviable reputation for innovation and the unique M-Press range is testament to that. As well as manufacturing heat press equipment, MiRiCal is perhaps best known for its range of heat-applied transfers, emblems and labels all manufactured in the UK.
The company boasts “unrivalled” field-based sales support for its customers with four people covering the UK and Ireland and a further five covering Benelux, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, together with distributors in Canada and Australia.
Its success in exporting led to a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade in 2019.
