If you're looking to start a t-shirt business or just want to make some custom shirts for yourself, you'll need a heat press. A heat press is a machine that uses heat and pressure to transfer images and designs onto fabrics. There are several different types of heat presses, but the most common type is the clamshell press.
Clamshell presses have two plates that open and close like a clam shell. The bottom plate has the heating element, while the top plate applies pressure. To use a clamshell press, you simply place your shirt on the bottom plate, position your design on top of the shirt, and then close the top plate. The machine will then apply heat and pressure to transfer your design onto the shirt.
Heat presses come in a variety of sizes, but most home users will be fine with a 16 x 20 press. This size will allow you to print one or two shirts at a time. If you plan on doing larger batches of shirts, you may want to consider investing in a largerpress.