Instructions for Applying Heat Transfer (Iron-on) Reflective Tape
Iron on reflective tape can be applied to almost any type of fabric, leather or other material provided it can handle the heat of an iron or heat press during the application process. It is best run a test on an inconspicuous part of the garment before applying the main strips. The tape should be applied using an iron set to a medium to temperature (250ºF to 300ºF).
The reflective tape is made up of two main layers and SOMETIMES A THIRD inner protective plastic layer that prevents the roll from sticking to itself. Take your fingernail and peel the edge of your tape to determine whether your roll has the extra inner plastic liner and peel this off before ironing. NOTE: The extra inner layer is easily removed. It is not on all rolls so you will need to identify whether your roll has the layer. If you try to iron the material on a garment with the inner liner in place it will not stick.
The two main layers consist of a heat activated reflective film and a clear plastic protective liner. The clear liner will face up towards the iron and the reflective layer will lay against the material. After the tape is ironed onto the material this layer is peeled off. To determine which side goes up peel back a small portion of the liner from the tape. You will see that one part is a clear liner and the other is the reflective tape. The clear liner faces up and the reflective layer lays against the fabric. You may want to make a mark on the liner as a reminder.
1. The first step will be to iron your material or garment. This will remove any wrinkles and provide a nice flat surface for the tape to lay on.
2. After ironing out the wrinkles you will cut your tape to the length you want and lay it liner side up where you would like it on the garment.
3. Starting at one end, press the iron down firmly on the strip and heat the tape for 5 - 8 seconds working your way along the tape toward its other end. To avoid scorching the material do not over heat or remain in one place for too long with the iron. (Be especially careful when applying reflective tape to nylon.)
4. Once the tape has completely cooled, you may peel off the clear protective layer. If you find that the tape has not adhered properly simply run your iron over the tape again, let it cool, and peel the liner off.
To see the tape's reflectivity, hang the garment in a dimly lit or dark room, stand back and shine a flashlight at the tape. The reflective strips will light up a bright white. You can also try hanging the garment near the street at night and then drive towards it with your lights on.
This tape is machine washable up to 105ºF (warm) and can be machine dried, however, for a longer life, it is recommended that you wash on a gentle cycle and use of a low temperature dryer setting. Line drying will also help extend the life.