Water transfer printing is also called hydrographics or hydro dipping. It’s a process in which an item is dipped into water that has a film of paint or ink on the surface. Dipping the item causes the paint or ink to adhere to the surface of that item. This has to be done carefully to ensure the film adheres evenly, with no gaps or wrinkles. Water transfer printing is a terrific way to create holiday decor for your home or office.
1. Customize Ornaments
If there’s one thing that water transfer printing is ideal for, it’s dipping ornaments and holiday decorations. The smooth surface of a Christmas tree ornament, for example, lets the transfer film stick quickly and smoothly. You can create any number of patterns, such as swirls of red, green, and silver. If you have a professional company do it, you can have specific images added to the ornaments. It’s often best to have a company handle this, as their staff is more likely to help ensure consistent placement of the images.
2. Create Holiday Mugs
What better way to greet each holiday season’s day than with dishware that has a holiday theme? You can’t dip surfaces that will come into contact with food. But you can transform those surfaces that don’t come into contact with food into holiday decor; for example, you wouldn’t use water transfer printing to color the interior of a coffee mug, but you could use it to add a decal to the exterior of the mug. Add snowflakes to the outside of a serving bowl, or add a gingerbread pattern to the outside of a cookie jar. Create a custom design for the glasses you plan to use at a holiday party. And remember, you don’t have to do this yourself. Companies that offer water transfer printing can dip small items seamlessly.
3. Color Plain Toy Boxes
If you’re planning to hold a party with gifts this holiday season, and many of those gifts will be for kids, some nice holiday toy boxes would be a great addition to your decor. Take plain plastic or acrylic bins and have the outsides coated with holiday patterns, winter scenes, images of sports associated with winter (like skiing or ice skating), or images of holiday foods. You can also use the printing technique to coat regular storage boxes in your home with the same patterns. And if you’re worried about having so much holiday-themed stuff in your home once the holidays are over, never fear. Hydrographics are removable with the right tools.
While there are small at-home kits you can use, it’s better to have the dipping done by a professional hydrographics company because the staff there know how to dip items correctly. It’s a good idea to connect with companies in advance to allow enough time for the printing process before the holiday season. Many others may have similar plans, so an early search can help ensure everything is completed on schedule.
Published by: Khy Talara
