Nowadays, design and logo printing using vinyl is becoming more and more popular. This can be attributed to the multiple advantages that vinyl printing provides. Easy application, clean prints, available in multiple sizes, and usable on a variety of surfaces. Here we bring you a detailed review of the HTV Size Chart & Guide.
Out of the different kinds of vinyl used for printing, perhaps the most preferable one is Heat Transfer Vinyl or as it’s commonly known, HTV. As well as, HTV suits printing on garments the most. It is available in multiple sizes and can easily be cut into smaller sizes according to your desire.
To help you through the selection of the right size which suits your needs the best, we have compiled this guide.
What is HTV:
In this paragraph, we will discuss HTV, HTV, or Heat Transfer Vinyl is a type of vinyl that is made of polyurethane material. It is used for printing designs or logos on garments or other decorations.
This is a very popular form of vinyl thanks to its convenience. Besides, it is easily cuttable using a vinyl cutter. The material is quite thin and flexible making it easy for design to be transferred on the fabric.
As the name suggests, it requires heat to be transferred. In fact, this heat can be transferred using a home iron making it easy to apply it.
Why Is HTV Sizing Chart Important:
If you are looking to print using HTV, it is essential to have knowledge about the sizing of these vinyl. Getting your size wrong will inevitably result in a misplaced design and an unprofessional look to your final product.
Getting an oversized cut will result in a distorted final image. No matter how good the HTV was, the image will have an appearance that will not be pleasing to the eyes. On the other hand, getting a cut that is too small will result in an image or design which will appear misplaced on your fabric or decoration.
The quality of the vinyl cutter or the HTV will not matter if the sizing is wrong. So it is very important to know HTV sizing before going to the cutting process. To help and guide you about the multiple sizes and their suitability to different fabric sizes, an HTV chart is available which gives you proper information regarding the sizes.
HTV Sizes:
Onesie or Infant:
When it comes to newborn babies, you look to get cute designs on their apparel. For babies that are around 6 months or less, HTV sizes of 3 x 3 and 4 x 4 are perfect. The designs of this will perfectly fit their clothing.
Moving to a baby which is from 6 to 9 months, the HTV size can be moved up to 4 x 4 and 5 x 5 inches. This best suits the clothing of this age. When looking for sizes that will suit a baby that ranges from 12 months to up to 18 months, you can move from sizes of 4 x 4 to 6 x 6.
An important factor to remember is that when printing, the design should be 1 below the neckline, check below in HTV Size Chart.
Toddler:
Furthermore, from 18 months and onward, the HTV sizes of 4 x 5 to 6 x 6 are suited. This toddler age ranges up to 5 years of age. For a child that is 18 months or around 2 years, it is recommended to use 4 x 5 or 5 x 5.
Following, 5 x 5 and 5 x 6 suit children of ages 3 or 4. Likewise, From age 4 and up to 5, the best-suited size is 6 x 6. Similarly, to the infant sizes, keep in mind to keep design 1 below the neckline to get the best results.
Youth:
Similarly moving on to the youth category, the sizing gets diversified and the division is no longer done on the basis of age. Being a popular thing among the apparel of youth, HTV sizes are required to be chosen according to the size of the shirt.
The size range includes 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5. These sizes are then selected according to the clothing size. For X-Small and Small, 6.5 and 7 are suited. Moving to Medium, 7.5 is best. For apparel of Large and X-Large size, HTV of 8 and 8.5 is perfect.
For placement, it is recommended to place the design about 1.5 or 2 below the neckline.
Adult:
When it comes to HTV sizes for adults, the division is done in 2 categories. The first is for fitted garments. This category has XS, L, and XL. The HTV sizes suitable for these clothing sizes range between 9 x 9 to 10 x 10.
Secondly, moving on to the second category is for people that wear your regular apparel or unfitted garment. This category has the 6 standard sizes of XS, Small, Medium, Large, XL, & 2XL. For the first three sizes of XS, S, & M, 8.5 to 10 HTV sizes are best and for the Large and XL category, 11 x 11 is perfect and when looking for 2XL, 12 x 12 matches the best.
Lastly, for apparel sizes that exceed 2XL, the HTV size can be expanded. In addition to the placement of design for standard t-shirts should be 3 to 3.5 inches below the neckline. For V-Neck or Scoop neck, the placement is recommended to be below 1.5 inches.
Extra:
If your clothing has pockets, then the HTV sizing is altered. For pocket designs, the suitable size is 4 x 4. If you are looking for a design printing down the sleeves of your shirt, the sizing can be either 2.5 x 14 or 2 x 11 inches.
For adult-size hoodies, you need to move up to 12 x 16 inches in HTV size. For example, Hats have a recommended HTV sizing of 4.75 x 2.75 inches.
HTV Size Chart:
The following chart shows a tabular overview of the HTV sizes:
| Category | Age/Size | Design Size | Placement Below Neckline |
| Infant | 0-3 Months 3-6 Months 6-9 Months 9-12 Months | 3 x 3 – 4 x 4 3 x 3 – 4 x 4 4 x 4 – 5 x 5 4.5 x .4.5 – 6 x 6 | 1″ Below Neckline |
| Toddler | 18 Months 2T 3T 4T 5T | 4 x 4 – 5 x 5 4 x 4 – 5 x 5 5 x 5 – 6 x 6 5 x 5 – 6 x 6 6 x 6 | 1″ Below Neckline |
| Youth | X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large | 6.5 x 6.5 7 x 7 7.5 x 7.5 8 x 8 8.5 x 8.5 | 1.5″ – 2″ Below Neckline |
| Adult Fitted | X-Small Large X-Large | 8.5 x 8.5 9 x 9 – 9.5 x 9.5 10 x 10 | 2″ – 3″ Below Neckline |
| Adult Standard | X-Small Small-Medium Large-X-Large 2X-Large | 9 x 9 10 x 10 11 x 11 12 x 12 | 3″ – 3.5″ Below Neckline |
| – | 4 x 4 | ||
| Down The Sleeve | – | 2.5 x 14 or 2 x 11 | |
| Hat | – | 4.75 x 2.75 | |
| Adult Hoodie | – | 12 x 16 | |
| V-Necks & Scoop Necks | 1.5″ Below Neckline |
Quick Tips:
It is a good option to keep a ruler with you. Moreover, this can help you not only sizing your design properly but can also help you in the proper placement of the HTV. For example, A ruler will be helpful in a lot of phases of designing.
Furthermore, before applying the HTV and transferring the design to the fabric, you should iron the shirt. Lastly, fold the shirt in halves and then iron it to create a crease on your shirt. Also, the two lines that will appear on the shirt will show you the center of the shirt.
Closing Thoughts:
As discussed above, HTV is an incredible option for design and logo printing on fabrics. It is highly diverse which is proven by its application on clothes of all ages. In fact, from the apparel of newborn babies to adult hoodies and hats, HTV gives you a great platform to express your creativity. If you are a beginner then this HTV Size Chart is best for you. Also, read some comments from Reddit here.
However, due to the wide range of size categories, HTV sizing can go wrong and result in an undesirable final product. That is why understanding the HTV sizing chart is very important. Having the proper knowledge regarding the size of the HTV according to the clothing size will get you the desirable final result.
Lastly, we hope this guide will help you in understanding the HTV sizing.
Hi, I am Charles, 25 years of age & an enthusiast blogger, also called the printer guy in my family. I bring you the top & unbiased reviews of sublimation printers.