Printing on Neoprene fabric

This is our custom made Neoprene fabric, the heaviest fabric available, and with such bouncy, unique qualities it's a joy to print and handle.

Please note: due to the thick structure of neoprene fabric, we are unable to offer our hemming service on this particular textile.

Surface Textures

The front texture of the material is a light white jersey that is sleek and almost spongy, making a combined texture which is easy to grip. The texture of the back is similar, however the neoprene back is solid black. When it comes to feel on the body it’s smooth but graspable, tight and thick, and definitely good at locking in warmth.

Print Detail

The surface has a very slight sheen to the otherwise matte finish, which gives the fabric a lift and reflects the light ever so slightly when moving. The Intensity of color is made clear from the white background, leaving bright and high contrast designs. The print on Neoprene fabric has high quality detail, very intricate with crisp edges and fine lines.

Usage

There are so many uses for this malleable material. Its durable nature makes it a tough material, which endures use well, doesn't fray, and is relatively easy to maintain. This makes it ideal for the making of electronic cases, gym phone holders, gaming mats, game boards, yoga mats, wet suits and many other every-day and high activity clothing products. It’s a great material to use in crafts too, with its spongy, absorbent nature there are so many fun things you can do with it.

Sizing For Hemming And Shrinkage

We have a full Cut & Sew service here at Contrado, and are able to hem your fabric prints for a small additional charge. We create a small one- or two-fold hem that typically uses 0.2" to 0.75" (5-20mm) of material, depending on the thickness of the fabric. So, for example, if you want a finished piece of fabric that measures 39.37" x 39.37", you will need to order a size of 39.96" x 39.96" to allow for the hem (on top of that please also allow for shrinkage of min 2%). The thicker the fabric, the bigger the hem will be. You can choose to have your prints hemmed with either Black or White thread. On our silk and other light woven fabrics, one hemmed edge will be straight (vertically down the roll) and the other will be slightly rippled. The hemming material allowances are as follows and you need to make your print bigger to accommodate the hem:

• Light Fabrics (0.59oz-2.95oz): For silks and other light fabrics, we use 0.24" - 0.32" / 6mm-8mm in the hem (2 fold), so overall width/height will be minus 0.48"-0.56""/ 12-16mm
• Medium Fabrics (2.98oz-5.90oz): For medium-weight fabrics that fray, we use 0.5 - 0.75" / 15-20mm in the hem (2 fold) so overall width/height will be minus 1.4" - 1.6" / 35-40mm
• Stiff/Heavy/No-fray fabrics: we use 0.5 - 0.75" / 15-20mm in the hem (1 fold) so overall width/height will be minus 1.5" / 35-40mm

All of these measurements are approximate and can vary. Including with shrinkage, it can mean a fairly significant difference to ordered dimensions, so please plan your print accordingly. Depending on how open the weave is, our fabric can shrink anywhere from 2% to 8% with the average being 2.5%.

How Would you Like the Edge?

• As it comes. We cut around your image, leaving a simply scissor cut, perhaps uneven white fabric border. 
• Hem with thread. We can hem your fabric with a choice of black or white thread. Please allow 1-2 days additional production time. See below for information on how hemming affects the size of your print. We offer an overlock hem, as well as a folded hem (one or two fold depending on the fabric) however not all fabrics are suited to both hem types. If you can see both options, it means both are suitable, and you will be able to choose whichever you prefer. 
• Cut on the line. We will cut neatly on the edge of your design. This means that if you have a border around your design we will cut around that border, if your design takes the whole space of the fabric, then we will neatly cut around the edge of that image. Please be aware, when we cut along the line, we have to cut against the grain of the fabric. This is the standard procedure for fabric cutting. This means that with some fabrics, for example, Georgette and Mulmul, which have a slight wave in them, some fraying will occur. This is unavoidable, as the cut follows the grain of the textile. 

All of our fabrics are cut manually by hand, with the utmost care and attention. If your fabric has a slightly uneven look on the edges or a touch of fraying, this does not indicate a flaw in the textile. It is not always possible to achieve a perfectly straight cut with certain fabrics, so please do bare this in mind when it comes to your design. If you have any queries or would like to know about our cutting methods in more detail, please get in touch and we will be more than happy to discuss them with you.

Please note: As we make everything by hand, all sizes may vary slightly.

For further information about our fabrics see our FAQs.

When I Order Several Pieces of Neoprene, Can Each Piece Be Cut Separately Instead of on One Big Piece?

You can order your neoprene in customized sizes and select “cut on the line” to receive them separate instead of in one big piece. If you are unsure, feel free to contact the lovely customer service team and they can assist you.

Is There a Similar Fabric to Neoprene?

Neoprene is so unique in it’s qualities that it’s only close Contrado relative is the Scuba, a very thick Lycra. Even then this fabric is only close because the Scuba has similar textures, but the Scuba is a much lighter version. The Scuba weighs in at 8.1oz and the Neoprene weighs 29.5oz. If you aren't sure, order a swatch pack to have the entire range.

Is It Safe to Iron?

The processing procedure for transferring print onto Neoprene takes place at a high temperature so you are safe to be ironing up to 248 degrees F. Just be sure that your iron is clean before you use it as it may leave marks. If you are worried, try using a clean cloth between the iron and fabric to protect it.