Wash Durability — How Our 100+ Wash Rating Works
Every Bear Transfers print carries a 100+ wash durability rating. This page explains exactly what that rating means, the application specs it depends on, and how to make your prints last even longer.
What the rating means
Applied within the specs below and washed per the care guide, our DTF transfers stay crack-free, peel-free and vibrant through 100+ home wash cycles — that’s well over a year of weekly washing. The hot-peel film and elastic ink layer are chosen specifically to survive stretching, tumbling and repeated laundering on cotton, polyester and blends.
How we test
Our 100+ wash rating is based on wash-test data from our film and ink manufacturers (100+ home-laundry cycles) and our own in-house verification on cotton and cotton/poly blends, washed inside-out, warm, tumble dry low. A print passes when it shows no cracking, peeling or noticeable fading after the full run. It’s a practical rating built from manufacturer data and our own pressing and washing — not a laboratory certificate. The materials behind it matter just as much: see Materials & Certifications for what goes into every Bear sheet. We test warm on purpose — it is the harder stress test; for the longest print life we still recommend washing cold, as the care guide below says.
The application specs the rating depends on
| Temperature | 290–320°F (143–160°C) |
| Time | 8–15 seconds |
| Pressure | Medium–high (35–45 psi) |
| Peel | Hot peel — a few seconds after the press opens |
Under-pressing (too cool, too short, too light) is the #1 cause of early edge-lifting. When in doubt, do a 5-second final press with a teflon sheet after peeling — it re-cures the edges and adds wash life.
Care guide: make it outlast the garment
- Turn the garment inside out before washing.
- Wash cold (max 30°C / 86°F), regular cycle.
- Skip bleach and fabric softener — softener chemicals attack the adhesive layer.
- Tumble dry low or hang dry.
- Never iron directly on the print; use parchment or iron inside out.
What shortens print life
- Hot washes + high-heat drying on every cycle
- Fabric softener and dryer sheets
- Pressing outside the spec window (especially low pressure)
- Applying to heavily water-repellent (DWR-coated) fabrics without a longer press
Our guarantee
If a transfer fails from a print or adhesion defect, we reprint it — simple as that. Reach us at info@beartransfers.com with your order number and a photo, and our team takes care of the rest.
