Getting Started with Cricut Infusible Ink

Infusible Ink is a new way to heat transfer personalized designs onto T-shirts, totes, coasters and more! You get professional-level results at home!

Unlike regular iron-on where you apply a thin plastic layer on top of your blank (shirt, tote, etc) using heat to melt adhesive, Infusible Ink is infusing an ink layer INTO your project blank!

There is no bulk or layer separation, just a seamless design! Bonus: The colors are bright and vibrant and amazing and the design can stretch and move with fabric! No more cracking, peeling, or those pesky wrinkles! Even more, it’s permanent so wash away!

The Infusible Ink line contains two types of ink transfer.

The first is through Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets. These are similar to a sheet of regular iron-on. There is an ink layer and a carrier layer.

The second is through Infusible Ink pens and markers. You may use your Cricut machine to draw designs or draw them by hand on laser copy paper and then transfer over to your project.

Infusible Ink transfers the design by a simple chemical reaction starting with high heat. {Yes, my chemical engineering degree is coming in handy} The high heat from the EasyPress 2 causes the ink transfer sheet or dried ink from the pens to change from solid to a gas without stepping through the liquid state!

Once applied, Infusible Ink is seamless, and can stretch easily with your fabric, and is permanent. No peeling, cracking or flaking.

Iron on can be used on almost any type of fabric and on any color.

Infusible Ink needs a light garment and must be used on high polyester count materials only. Cricut offers blanks that have been rigorously tested.

If you need a specialty finish such as holographic, glitter or metallic you will need to use iron-on. While Infusible ink has patterns and solids, it does not work with specialty finishes.

Iron-on may be applied with a household iron, an EasyPress or EasyPress 2.

Infusible Ink can be applied with an EasyPress but recommended to use an EasyPress2 as the EP2 gets hotter than the first EP does.

Yes! Iron on may be used along with Infusible Ink. You would apply the Infusible Ink first and then the iron. (detailed tutorial coming soon!)

Any machine from the Explore Family (Explore, Explore Air or Explore Air 2) as well as the Maker can cut the Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets and use the Infusible Ink Pens & Markers.

The standard EasyPress will work, however, because it does not reach higher temperatures it will take longer and results will be varied. The colors of the Infusible Ink will not be as vibrant.

It is recommended to use an EasyPress 2.

Infusible Ink is much like sublimation. It requires a high polyester count fabric or a poly-coated hard blank such as coffee mugs or coasters.

Cricut offers T-Shirts, baby bodysuits, coasters and tote bags that meet these requirements.

You may also find blanks on Amazon however Cricut will not guarantee their success.

Cricut currently offers T-shirts for men, women, and kids as well as 3 sizes of baby bodysuits. They also offer 2 tote sizes as well as 2 coaster options.

Infusible Ink started out exclusive to Michael’s.

Currently, Infusible Ink is available on Cricut.com and also other retailers.

Please see the “Where to purchase” section below.

In addition to the Infusible Ink transfer paper and/or Infusible ink pens/markers, you will need a few more tools.

Cardstock, butcher paper, a lint roller or lint-free cloth and heat resistant tape.

(butcher paper comes in the rolls of transfer paper)

Full supply list below!