STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic – Flexible heat transfer vinyl with an exclusive metallic shine
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is a professional and decorative metallic heat transfer vinyl for textile printing, creating an elegant metallised finish with clear shine and colour depth. The film is developed for textile printers, sign makers, clothing brands and creative businesses that want to produce garments with an exclusive look without the heavy and stiff surface that some traditional metallic films can have.
The thin and stretchable construction makes the film comfortable on the textile and allows the design to follow the natural movement of the fabric. Soft Metallic is therefore suitable for smaller logos, detailed text and larger graphic designs on T-shirts, sweatshirts, sportswear, merchandise and workwear.
At Signproduction.co.uk, STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is an ideal choice when a standard matt textile print does not provide enough visual impact. The metallic surface reflects the light and adds an exclusive shine to the design, while the finished decoration retains a soft and flexible textile feel.
What is STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic?
CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is a cuttable heat transfer vinyl for textiles, processed with a cutting plotter and applied to garments using a heat press. The film has a distinctive metallic shine that changes in intensity depending on the light and the angle from which the textile is viewed.
With a material thickness of only 63 microns, Soft Metallic is very thin compared with many other effect films. This creates a lightweight, flexible and comfortable result that does not feel unnecessarily heavy on the garment.
The film has a self-adhesive polyester carrier, which holds the cut elements in place during weeding and positioning. This makes it easier to work with small letters, fine lines and designs with several separate parts.
Elegant metallic effect without a stiff surface
One of the biggest advantages of STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is the combination of metallic shine and a soft textile feel. The film delivers an exclusive visual expression while maintaining the flexibility that makes it comfortable to wear.
The metallised surface can be used for the entire design or for selected details that need to stand out. Soft Metallic works especially well for:
- Logos and brand names
- Names, lettering and decorative text
- Graphic symbols and illustrations
- Metallic edges and details
- Fashion and lifestyle designs
- Merchandise and fan products
The film can create a striking contrast on both light and dark textiles. Always carry out a test on the chosen fabric colour to assess the final metallic appearance before starting series production.
Thin and stretchable heat transfer vinyl
CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is both thin and stretchable. This means the design follows the movement of the textile more easily and adapts to the garment. This is particularly relevant for larger designs, where a thicker effect film may otherwise feel compact or stiff.
The low material thickness makes the film suitable for:
- Large chest and back designs
- Fashion garments and T-shirts
- Sportswear and club clothing
- Workwear and promotional clothing
- Sweatshirts and hoodies
- Creative textile products
Although the film is stretchable, the finished decoration should always be tested on highly elastic textiles. The fabric composition and degree of stretch can affect both adhesion and the visual appearance of the film.
Easy cutting and weeding
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is developed for efficient processing with a standard cutting plotter. The film is easy to cut and weed, and the self-adhesive carrier helps keep the elements of the design securely in place.
The manufacturer recommends a minimum line thickness of approximately 1.5 mm to achieve stable cutting and weeding. Always carry out a test cut before each production run, as blade depth, cutting force and speed must be adjusted to suit the cutting plotter, blade condition and level of design detail.
If a small element lifts during weeding, it can normally be repositioned on the adhesive carrier before the design is applied to the textile.
Application at 150 °C for 10 seconds
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic is applied using the following standard settings:
- Temperature: 150 °C
- Pressing time: 10 seconds
- Pressure: Medium
- Hotronix® level: Approx. 4–6
- Carrier removal: Cold Peel
After heat pressing, the design and textile must cool down before the carrier film is removed. The carrier must therefore not be peeled while hot. Once the design has cooled sufficiently, remove the carrier film carefully with a steady and even movement.
Use a heat press with stable temperature and even pressure across the entire design. Uneven pressure or insufficient heat can affect the film’s adhesion and the finished metallic surface.
Suitable for cotton and polyester
CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic can be used on several common textile types:
- 100% cotton
- 100% polyester
- Cotton blends
- Polyester and cotton blends
- Sublimation-dyed polyester after prior testing
When working with polyester and sublimation-dyed textiles, the film must always be tested before production. Polyester dyes, surface treatments and heat resistance can vary and may affect both adhesion and the colour of the design.
The textile must also be able to withstand the recommended application temperature of 150 °C. Always follow the garment manufacturer’s own care and application instructions.
Benefits of STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic
- Metallic shine: Gives logos, text and graphic designs an exclusive look.
- Soft finish: Feels lighter and more flexible than many traditional metallic films.
- Thin construction: Material thickness is only 63 microns.
- Stretchable film: Follows the natural movement of the textile.
- Easy weeding: Suitable for an efficient and user-friendly production process.
- Self-adhesive carrier: Holds fine details and separate elements in place.
- Multi-layer option: Can be used for multi-colour and layered designs.
- Cold Peel: The carrier film is removed once the design has cooled.
- Versatile use: Suitable for cotton, polyester and blended fabrics.
- Professional finish: Ideal for fashion, merchandise and workwear.
Multi-colour and layered designs
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic can be used in multiple layers and is therefore suitable for multi-colour textile prints. When layering, the total heat exposure of the textile should be limited so that the first layers are not exposed to the full pressing time several times.
For multi-colour designs, the following process is recommended:
- Press the background layer for approximately 2–4 seconds.
- Remove the carrier hot or cold, depending on the workflow.
- Repeat the short pressing process for any additional intermediate colours.
- Press the final colour for approximately 13–15 seconds.
- Allow the design to cool, then remove the final carrier using Cold Peel.
Always test the full layer combination on the chosen textile before larger production runs. Different film colours and textiles may react differently to repeated heat exposure.
Applications and target groups
CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic can be used for many different types of creative and professional textile decoration:
- Fashion and lifestyle clothing
- Merchandise and fan products
- Workwear and promotional clothing
- Sportswear and club clothing
- Event and campaign clothing
- Company logos and brand names
- Names, text and graphic designs
- Party and seasonal clothing
- Personal gifts and custom designs
The film is suitable for both professional textile printers and smaller creative businesses. It can be used as the main material in the design or as a decorative metallic detail combined with other compatible heat transfer films.
Efficient workflow with Soft Metallic
Working with STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic follows the standard process for cuttable heat transfer vinyl:
- Create the design in your preferred design software.
- Mirror the design before cutting.
- Carry out a test cut and adjust the cutting settings.
- Cut the design with a suitable cutting plotter.
- Remove the excess film around the design.
- Place the design on the textile with the carrier side facing upwards.
- Press the design at 150 °C for 10 seconds.
- Use medium pressure, equivalent to level 4–6 on Hotronix®.
- Allow the textile and design to cool.
- Remove the carrier film cold using Cold Peel.
For weeding, EZ Weeder®, LED Weeder, LED Pin or suitable tweezers are recommended. During heat pressing, a Grip cover sheet or a non-stick coated cover sheet can be used to protect the design, textile and heat press.
Washing and care
Textiles decorated with STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic can be washed at up to 40 °C, provided that the textile’s own care instructions allow this temperature.
Turn the garment inside out before washing and ironing. The film can be tumble dried on a gentle programme but is not suitable for dry cleaning.
The manufacturer does not recommend liquid detergent, bleach, fabric softener or laundry capsules, as aggressive ingredients may damage the film. Avoid ironing directly on the metallic surface. Iron the garment from the reverse side only.
Available roll sizes
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic 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 fits professional cutting plotters, while the different lengths make it possible to choose film for both smaller creative jobs and larger production runs.
Film specifications
Property
Thin and stretchable film
Multiple layers
Can be used in multiple layers
Weeding
Easy to cut and weed
Carrier
Self-adhesive | Cold Peel
Ironing
Reverse side only
Washing temperature
Up to 40 °C
Application
150 °C – 10 sec.
Pressure
Medium, level 4–6 on Hotronix®
Material thickness
63 microns
Exclusive metallic finish for professional textile printing
STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic combines a clear metallic shine with a very thin and flexible construction. The result is a decorative textile print that attracts attention without feeling heavy or stiff on the garment.
The film can be used on its own or combined with other compatible heat transfer films in multi-colour designs. It is therefore suitable for both simple logos and more advanced designs with several colours and decorative metallic details.
Order STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic from Signproduction.co.uk
At Signproduction.co.uk, you will find STAHLS' CAD-CUT® Soft Metallic for professional and creative textile production. The film combines metallic shine, a soft textile feel, high flexibility and easy processing in one exclusive solution.
Need advice on choosing metallic 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.
