If you are looking to personalise clothing, sports kits, hoodies, t-shirts or workwear, you may be wondering whether iron on letters or screen printing is the best option for your project.

Both methods are popular for custom clothing, but depending on the quantity, design and turnaround time required, one option can often work out much cheaper and easier than the other.

At Iron On Letters, we specialise in made-to-order iron on names, numbers and lettering which can be applied at home using a standard household iron. For many smaller orders and personalised garments, iron on transfers are often the perfect alternative to traditional screen printing.

What is Screen Printing?

Screen printing is a process where ink is pushed through a stencil mesh screen directly onto clothing or fabric. It is commonly used for bulk orders, business uniforms, promotional clothing and large event runs.

Screen printing can produce fantastic results, especially when printing hundreds of the same design. However, setup costs can make smaller orders expensive.

For example, if you only require a single football shirt name, a few custom hoodies or personalised tablecloth lettering, screen printing is often not the most cost-effective solution.

What are Iron On Letters?

Iron on letters are custom cut heat transfer vinyl letters and numbers which are applied using heat and pressure from a household iron or heat press.

Our iron on transfers are made to order from premium grade material and hand finished to ensure clean, professional lettering every time.

Iron on letters are ideal for:

  • Sports kit names and numbers
  • Custom t-shirts
  • Hoodies and sweatshirts
  • Workwear
  • Tablecloths
  • Event clothing
  • DIY craft projects
  • School leavers hoodies
  • Hen and stag party clothing

Because every order is custom made, you can order exactly what you need without paying for large batch quantities.

Iron On Letters are Perfect for Small Orders

One of the biggest advantages of iron on letters compared to screen printing is that there are no large minimum order requirements.

With screen printing, setup time and screen preparation costs usually mean suppliers prefer larger orders. This can make ordering one or two personalised garments surprisingly expensive.

Iron on letters are far more flexible. Whether you need:

  • One custom name
  • A single football shirt number
  • Matching family holiday t-shirts
  • Personalised gym wear
  • Small business workwear

You can order exactly what you need without unnecessary setup costs.

Faster Turnaround Times

Screen printing often involves artwork setup, screen preparation and production scheduling before printing can even begin.

Because our iron on letters are digitally designed and cut to order, we are able to produce and dispatch most orders incredibly quickly.

Orders placed before 9am are often dispatched the very same working day, with next working day dispatch available across the majority of our range.

This makes iron on letters an excellent choice for:

  • Last minute sports kits
  • Events and parties
  • Emergency uniform replacements
  • School projects
  • Fast personalised gifts

Easy to Apply at Home

Another huge benefit of iron on letters is how easy they are to apply yourself.

Our transfers are designed to work using a standard household iron, meaning there is no need for expensive printing equipment or specialist machinery.

Many of our customers successfully apply our iron on letters to:

  • Cotton clothing
  • Polyester sportswear
  • Polycotton garments
  • Hoodies
  • Bags
  • Aprons
  • Fabric banners and flags

With the correct heat and pressure, the finished result looks professional and long lasting.

Which Option is Better?

Both iron on letters and screen printing have their place depending on the type of order you require.

Screen printing is often better suited for:

  • Very large clothing runs
  • Hundreds of identical garments
  • Large business uniform orders

Iron on letters are often the better choice for:

  • Small orders
  • Personalised names and numbers
  • Faster delivery
  • DIY clothing projects
  • Sports kits
  • One-off garments
  • Lower cost customisation

For many customers looking for personalised clothing without the high setup costs, iron on letters provide the perfect balance between affordability, quality and convenience.

Create Your Own Iron On Letters

At Iron On Letters, all of our transfers are made to order using premium quality heat transfer vinyl available in over 35 colours including:

  • Standard colours
  • Glitter finishes
  • Metallic colours
  • Chrome effect materials

Whether you need a single name or a full set of custom numbers, our easy-to-apply iron on letters are designed to give professional results at home.