STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow – Glow-in-the-dark heat transfer vinyl that creates an impressive effect in the dark
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is a professional and creative glow-in-the-dark heat transfer vinyl that absorbs sunlight and subsequently develops a clear glow-in-the-dark effect. The design has an attractive and decorative appearance in daylight, but becomes particularly eye-catching when the surroundings turn dark.
The glow-in-the-dark effect makes CAD-CUT® Glow an excellent choice for textile designs that need to surprise, attract attention and work in both bright and dark environments. The vinyl is available in white and several intense neon colours, which can be used for logos, text, names, symbols and creative graphic designs.
At Signproduction.co.uk, STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is ideal for textile printers, clothing brands, sports clubs, associations and creative businesses that want a distinctive effect vinyl for textile printing. It can be used for merchandise, festival clothing, event wear, clubwear, workwear and personalised textile products.
What is STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow?
CAD-CUT® Glow is a thin, cuttable polyurethane vinyl with a glow-in-the-dark effect. The material is processed with a cutting plotter and transferred to the textile using a heat press in the same way as traditional flex vinyl.
The vinyl’s special properties allow it to absorb sunlight and then release a visible glow in the dark. When the design is exposed to sunlight again, the glow-in-the-dark effect can be reactivated.
The vinyl has a matt finish and a soft textile feel. With a material thickness of only 100 microns, the design feels light and flexible on garments, making Glow suitable for both smaller decorations and larger graphic designs.
Available in white and intense neon colours
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is available in different colours that combine a visible daylight appearance with a special effect in the dark:
- White
- Neon Yellow
- Neon Orange
- Neon Pink
- Neon Green
- Neon Blue
The intense neon colours are ideal for designs that also need to stand out in daylight. The glow-in-the-dark function then adds an extra dimension to the design when the lighting is reduced.
The colours can be used for text, logos, symbols, illustrations, names and decorative details. The Glow effect works particularly well in designs with clear shapes and good spacing between the design elements.
Create designs that glow in the dark
CAD-CUT® Glow makes it possible to create textiles that change character depending on the surrounding light. In daylight, the design appears with its normal colour and matt surface. In the dark, the glow-in-the-dark effect emerges and makes the design visible in a completely new way.
The vinyl can be used for:
- Logos and brand names
- Names and decorative text
- Festival and event clothing
- Merchandise and fan products
- Halloween and seasonal designs
- Club and association clothing
- Children’s and youth clothing
- Personalised gifts and custom designs
- Creative symbols and illustrations
The glow-in-the-dark effect can be used as the main design or as a smaller detail that only becomes clearly highlighted in the dark.
Self-adhesive carrier for precise positioning
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow has a self-adhesive carrier that keeps the cut design elements securely in place during weeding and positioning. This is an advantage for lettering, text and designs with several separate parts.
If a small element lifts during weeding, it can normally be repositioned on the adhesive carrier before the design is transferred to the textile. This provides a more controlled workflow and helps ensure precise placement.
Due to the vinyl’s special effect, STAHLS' recommends a minimum line thickness of approximately 3 mm. Very fine lines and small details should therefore be avoided or tested thoroughly before production.
Easy cutting and weeding
CAD-CUT® Glow can be cut with a standard cutting plotter. Always perform a test cut before starting final production, as the correct settings depend on the cutting plotter, the condition of the blade and the design layout.
During the test cut, the blade should cut through the vinyl itself without damaging the underlying carrier. Cutting pressure that is too low can make weeding difficult, while pressure that is too high can cut through the carrier film.
For weeding, an EZ Weeder®, LED Weeder, LED Pin or suitable tweezers can be used.
Application at 150 °C for 10 seconds
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is applied using the following settings:
- Temperature: 150 °C
- Pressing time: 10 seconds
- Pressure: Medium
- Hotronix® level: Approx. 4–6
- Carrier removal: Warm Peel
After pressing, remove the carrier film warm using Warm Peel. Allow the design to cool very briefly, then remove the carrier with a smooth, steady movement while the textile is still warm or lukewarm.
Use a heat press with stable temperature and even pressure across the entire design. Uneven temperature or pressure may affect the vinyl’s adhesion and the finished result.
It is always recommended to carry out a test press on the chosen textile before series production. The surface, composition, dyes and heat resistance of the textile may affect the result.
Suitable for cotton and polyester
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow can be used on the following textile types:
- 100% cotton
- 100% polyester after prior testing
- Polyester and cotton blends
The material compatibility makes the vinyl suitable for T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, sportswear, clubwear, workwear and merchandise.
When working with polyester, the vinyl must always be tested before production. Polyester dyes and surface treatments can vary and may affect both adhesion and the final appearance of the design.
Benefits of STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow
- Glow-in-the-dark effect: Absorbs sunlight and develops a clear glow in the dark.
- Intense neon colours: Creates an eye-catching look in both daylight and darkness.
- Matt finish: Provides a modern and professional daylight appearance.
- Soft textile feel: The vinyl feels comfortable on garments.
- Thin construction: The material thickness is only 100 microns.
- Self-adhesive carrier: Keeps the design elements securely in place.
- Easy processing: The vinyl is easy to cut and weed with the correct settings.
- Warm Peel: The carrier film is removed while the design is still warm.
- Efficient application: Pressed at 150 °C for 10 seconds.
- Creative eye-catcher: Ideal for events, merchandise, festivals and special designs.
Not suitable for layered designs
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is not suitable for multi-layer applications where other heat transfer vinyls are placed on top of the Glow surface, or where Glow is placed on top of another vinyl layer.
For multi-colour designs, the individual elements should be placed next to each other so that each part of the design has direct contact with the textile. This also reduces the overall thickness and ensures that the Glow vinyl can develop its special effect correctly.
The design can, for example, be divided into separate letters, symbols or colour areas with a small distance between each element.
Applications and target groups
CAD-CUT® Glow is suitable for both professional textile printers and creative businesses that want to offer textile printing with an extra visual effect:
- Festival and concert clothing
- Event and campaign clothing
- Merchandise and fan products
- Fashion and lifestyle clothing
- Clubwear and association clothing
- Workwear and promotional clothing
- Halloween and party clothing
- Children’s and youth products
- Personalised gifts and custom production
- Logos, text and creative illustrations
The glow-in-the-dark effect creates a natural focal point and makes the vinyl particularly suitable for products where experience, surprise and creativity are an important part of the design.
Efficient workflow with CAD-CUT® Glow
Working with STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow follows the standard process for cuttable heat transfer vinyl:
- Create the design in your preferred design software.
- Mirror the design before cutting.
- Ensure a minimum line thickness of approximately 3 mm.
- Carry out a test cut and adjust the cutting settings.
- Cut the design using a suitable cutting plotter.
- Remove the excess vinyl around the design.
- Position the design on the textile with the carrier side facing upwards.
- Press the design at 150 °C for 10 seconds.
- Use medium pressure, corresponding to level 4–6 on Hotronix®.
- Remove the carrier film warm using Warm Peel.
When heat pressing, a Grip cover sheet or non-stick coated cover sheet is recommended to protect the design, textile and heat press.
Washing and care
Textiles decorated with STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow can be washed at up to 40 °C, provided that the garment’s own care instructions allow this temperature.
Turn the garment inside out before washing and ironing. The textile can be tumble dried on a gentle programme, but the finished design is not suitable for dry cleaning.
Avoid liquid detergent, bleach, fabric softener and washing capsules, as aggressive ingredients may damage the vinyl. Also avoid ironing directly on the surface of the design. Only iron the garment from the reverse side.
Available roll sizes
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow is available from Signproduction.co.uk in several practical roll sizes:
- 50 cm × 5 m
- 50 cm × 10 m
- 50 cm × 15 m
- 50 cm × 20 m
- 50 cm × 25 m
The fixed width of 50 cm is suitable for professional cutting plotters, while the different lengths make it possible to choose vinyl for both smaller creative tasks and larger production runs.
Vinyl specifications
GLOW
Property
Glow-in-the-dark effect
Weeding
Easy from 3 mm lines
Carrier
Self-adhesive | Warm Peel
Ironing
Only from the reverse side
Washing temperature
Up to 40 °C
Application
150 °C – 10 sec.
Pressure
Medium, level 4–6 on Hotronix®
Material thickness
100 microns
Glow-in-the-dark effect for professional textile printing
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow combines a matt and comfortable daylight finish with a striking glow-in-the-dark effect. This makes the vinyl an excellent choice for designs where the textile print needs to attract attention at different times and under changing light conditions.
The vinyl is particularly suitable for creative products, events and merchandise, where the extra Glow effect adds an experience that ordinary flex vinyl cannot deliver.
Order STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow from Signproduction.co.uk
At Signproduction.co.uk, you will find STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Glow in several practical roll lengths. The vinyl combines a glow-in-the-dark effect, intense neon colours, a self-adhesive carrier and a thin, soft construction.
If you need advice on choosing glow-in-the-dark heat transfer vinyl, a cutting plotter, heat press or accessories, you are welcome to contact us.
Contact us at [email protected] – we are ready to help you find the right solution for your textile production.
