Bead & Rhinestone Wholesale Supplier to the World

We get calls all the time about how to apply CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Hot Fix loose rhinestones or transfers.  We hope this will offer a little guidance and helpful wisdom...

WHAT TOOLS CAN I USE TO APPLY CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski HOT FIX RHINESTONES (#2028)???

Iron or Heat Press Machine? While you can apply hot fix rhinestones with an iron, we don’t recommend it.  It is very hard to control the temperature and pressure.  To do any professional garment correctly you should invest in a heat press machine.   They are a few hundred dollars and vary depending on size and specific functionalities.   We recommend STAHLS.  They have a large selection and reasonable prices.

What about the Bejeweler? Ah, yes!  The bejeweler will  help you bedazzle anything!  The bejeweler is perfect for small jobs that just require the application of a few rhinestones or for application on products that are oddly shaped that won’t fit in a heat press.   We do sell the Bejeweler Pro (the fancy, updated one) on our website (buy the bejeweler here).  The bejeweler comes with tips for all sizes of CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Hot Fix loose rhinestones (#2028) and a cleaning brush to clean the tips after use. (This is important because you don’t want dried glue settling in the tips — it won’t hold the rhinestones well in the future.)

WHAT ELSE DOES SWAROVSKI MAKE THAT CAN I APPLY USING HOT FIX (OTHER THAN #2028 RHINESTONES)?

OK, I HAVE THE TOOLS…. SO NOW WHAT?

Hot fix application is an art.  You won’t be good at it the first time you do it.  Well, most people aren’t anyway.  It takes time and trial and error to learn what works for you and how the application differs depending on what the rhinestones are being applied to.

TEST, TEST, AND THEN TEST SOME MORE.

No matter who you are…..a small designer or a big manufacturer, hot fix application is going to be a matter of trial and error.  This is very important!! TEST.  TEST.  TEST.  Before you hot fix on your final product, it is very important to test the stones on the fabric.  This will ensure you figure out the correct time, temperature and pressure for type of fabric and stones you are using.  This is important if you are using the bejeweler, an iron or a heat press.

WHAT KINDS OF FABRICS CAN I USE HOT FIX STONES ON?  WHAT CAN I NOT USE HOT FIX STONES ON?

According to Swarovski, their hot fix products can be used on the following types of products: wool, cotton, linen, viscose, tulle, denim, lycra, cotton jersey, synthetic suede, silk, synthetics, technical fabrics, and artifical fur.

Please note that leather is not included in this list.  We have had customers who have successfully applied hot fix stones to leather with no problem.  However, Swarovski does not recommend it and they do not offer any specific application instructions.

Additionally, do not use hot fix stones on anything that can melt (eg. plastics).  Additional application on to wood etc is also possible, but again Swarovski does not recommend it nor do they offer any specific application instructions.  For this type of application, rhinestones without heat activated glue (No hot fix #2028) should be considered.  You can add your own glue to the back of the stone for application.

SWAROVSKI RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOT FIX APPLICATION: TIME, TEMPERATURE & PRESSURE

Swarovski offers recommendations for hot fix application in their “Hot Fix Selector”.  The selector offers parameters for time, temperature and pressure for application for various materials when applying different hot fix elements with a heat press.  The hot fix selector can be found on our website or by clicking here.

The hot fix selector will have different sections depending on what type of CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements you are applying.  Find the section you need based on the product categories outlined below:

Xilion Transfers: Transfers with only #2028 hot fix rhinestones

Pearl Transfers: Transfers that contain hot fix pearl cabochons

Creation Transfers: Transfers that contain additional shapes of hot fix stones other than #2028

Diamond Transfers: Transfers that contain hot fix chatons

Metallic Transfers: Transfers that contain metallic elements (nailheads)

Mezzo Transfers: Transfers that contain primarily metallic elements (nailheads), but also contain #2028 flatback stones, pearl cabochons, or other flatback shapes.

Crystal Mesh: Standard Mesh, Metallisee, XL Mesh, or Arial Mesh

Crystal Pearl Mesh: Pearl Mesh

Crystal Fabric: Crystal Fabric

Crystal Transfabric: Crystal Transfabric

Crystaltex Banding and Motifs: All Crystaltex bandings (except transparent)

Crystaltex Bandings: Transparent Crystaltex bandings

For more information on any of these CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements products, please visit www.shopharmanbeads.com.

PLEASE REMEMBER, THESE ARE ONLY GUIDELINES.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO CARRY OUT YOUR OWN TESTING!

USING AN THE BEJEWELER FOR HOT FIX RHINESTONE APPLICATION

The Bejeweler is the best way to apply individual hot fix rhinestones.  It will apply CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements #2028 hot fix rhinestones in sizes SS6 – SS34.

Follow these easy steps to use your Bejeweler to apply hot fix rhinetones:

1) Choose the corresponding tip size for the rhinestone you want to apply and twist it into the head of the Bejeweler.

2) Plug in the Bejeweler and wait a few minutes for the tip to heat up. (Be careful, it will be hot!)

3) Gently press the Bejeweler over the “crystal side” of the rhinestone so that you can see the glue.

4) Wait until the glue begins to melt…you will see it bubble.

5) Place the tip straight down ad adhere the stone to the item you are decorating.  (Don’t press too hard or the stone might get wedged in the tip.  If this happens you can “flick” it out with a toothpick….but you will have to start over with a new stone.)

If you purchase the Bejeweler, a set of complete instructions are included in the box.

Below is an excerpt from the CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements Application Manual for application of rhinestones using an applicator such as the Bejeweler.

How to Apply Hot Fix Rhinestones Using a Bejweler

USING AN IRON FOR HOT FIX RHINESTONE APPLICATION

As mentioned above, applying rhinestones or a complete transfer by an iron is not recommended because of the lack of control you have over pressure and temperature.  Not to mention the steadiness of a heat press machine will greatly surpass any ironing board.  But if you HAVE TO use an iron, below is an excerpt from the CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements Application Manual for application of rhinestones using an iron.

How to Apply Hot Fix Rhinestones Using an Iron

USING A HEAT PRESS FOR HOT FIX RHINESTONE APPLICATION

By now, I am sure you know that a heat press is the best method for applying hot fix transfers or a lot of hot fix stones. Here are the basic steps for applying a hot fix transfer to fabric using a heat press.

1) Set your heat press to the recommended temperature settings, pressure settings and set your timer for the time recommended.  (Remember – always test first to make sure these configurations are correct.)

2) Cut the borders around the transfers close to the transfers itself.

3) Peel the white protective film off of the transfer and place the transfer where you would like it applied.  (We recommend doing this on a table next to the heat press machine, not on the heat press base.  You don’t want to get burned!)

4) Turn the fabric inside out and apply the heat directly to the side where the glue is.  (This is what Swarovski recommends, and we agree it is probably the best course of action.  But, if you are lazy like me and don’t want to turn everything inside out or risk messing up the placement of the trasnsfer, it usually works fine to apply the heat directly to the “crystal” side of the stone.)

5) Place a piece of teflon between the glue of the stone and either the top of the heat press or another part of the fabric…whichever it is facing.  You don’t want to get glue on the plate of the heat press and you definitely don’t want to glue the front of your shirt to the back because the glue seeped through.  The teflon will prevent this from happening.

6) Press the heat press down and start your timer.  When time is up, release the heat press and remove your garment.

7) Remove the garment from the heat press.  (It may be hot, so be careful.)  Take a piece of fabric and rub it over the transfer.  Wait a minute for the transfer to cool, then start to remove the carrier film from the transfer.  Do this slowly….if some stones are coming off with the carrier film, it needs to cook some more.  Just place the carrier film back down and repeat the heat fix process.  If no stones come off, you are done.  You may need to rub the fabric a little to get rid of any “transfer paper” markings.  (This is especially important when applying transfers to suede.)

As already mentioned, one of the best reasons to use a heat press is because of the even pressure that it allows.  Please see the figure below.  This is how the heat press should evenly lie on your product to apply the stones correctly.

How to Apply Hot Fix Rhinestones Using a Heat Press

It is very important to also use even pressure when you are using different size stones or different products in your design.   The picture below shows how the presence of a jean button in the garment will not allow the rhinestone to lay flat allowing for even pressure and for the heat and pressure to be concentrated directly on the stone.  Therefore, you should have a piece of felt pad handy (soft and mushy) to use as a base to allow the stone receive the optimal amount of heat from the top of the heat press.

Hot Fix Application with Uneven Element

In addition to even pressure, the correct temperature should be used.  Please refer to the hot fix selector which can be found on our website or by clicking here.  This will give you guidelines for temperature depending on the type of stones you are using and the type of fabric you are applying it to.

TROUBLESHOOTING

The biggest problem people have (if they have any) with hot fix application is that the rhinestones do not stay on the fabric.    If your rhinestones are not sticking there is a 99.9% chance that there is something wrong with your application method.  People very quickly jump to the conclusion that “the rhinestones must be defective”.  In our experience….not so!  Have we ever come across CRYSTALLIZED™ hot fix stones that are defective…..?  Yes.  But I can count on 1 hand (and I only have 5 fingers) how many times that stones have in fact had a problem with the glue.  In these very infrequent occasions, we have sent the stones back to Swarovski for replacement.

So, if you are having a problem with your hot fix application, go with the assumption that the stones are fine (because they probably are) and reanalyze, step by step what you are doing.

Below we have outlined some of the more frequent problems we’ve seen and what causes them:

Problem #1: The stones are not adhering to the fabric.

Potential Cause: Temperature is too low      How to Fix it: Raise the temperature

Potential Cause: Application time is too short     How to Fix it: Increase application time

Potential Cause: Pressure is too low      How to Fix it: Increase pressure settings

Potential Cause: The heat press does not close properly      How to Fix it: Make sure the stones are even with the heat press and nothing is preventing the heat press from closing

Problem #2: The glue is oozing out around the stones.

Potential Cause: Temperature is too high      How to Fix it: Lower the temperature

Potential Cause: Application time is too long    How to Fix it: Decrease application time

Potential Cause: Pressure is too high      How to Fix it: Decrease pressure settings

Problem #3: The carrier film is leaving marks on the fabric.

Potential Cause: Application time is too long    How to Fix it: Decrease application time

Potential Cause: Pressure is too high      How to Fix it: Decrease pressure settings

Potential Cause: The fabric is very sensitive      How to Fix it: Iron it with a steam iron

Potential Cause: Too much carrier film left on the transfer      How to Fix it: Cut more before applying

IT IS OK TO MACHINE WASH AND DRY CLEAN!

We swear!  You can wash or dry clean your garment 1,000 times and it will be fine GIVEN THAT THE STONES WERE APPLIED CORRECTLY.  This is an important caveat to note.  Make sure you do your testing and follow the specifications given by Swarovski and you will have a garment that will last a long, long time.

Please wait at least 24 hrs after applying the rhinestones to machine wash or dry clean you garments.

….AND IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS….

We are here to help you.  As a authorized wholesale distributor of CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements, we deal with rhinestones everyday (since 1948) and have helped many people through production problems or those just getting started.  And……If we don’t know the answers, we will find out for you! (We know people!)

Contact Us: 1-800-BEADS-NY; (631) 756-9800; sales@harmanbeads.com

*Please remember, this is the opinion of Har-Man Importing.  You must carry out your own tests.  We are not responsible for any damages.