Digital printed 3-D patterned emblem with graphics for soft goods

A sheet or roll-fed process to create a printed flexible and stretchable heat transfer emblem having an embossed relief pattern on one side, comprising the steps of:

• coating a stretchable thermo-plastic film with an ink receptive layer;
• printing on one side of the stretchable thermo-plastic film using a digital printer to define printed areas and unprinted areas, the thermo-plastic film comprising a hot melt adhesive;
• using a sheet or roll-fed process, applying a polymeric protective layer over the printed side of the thermo-plastic film;
• using a sheet or roll-fed process, adhering the unprinted side of said thermo-plastic film to a moldable foam substrate by an adhesive-backing on one side of said moldable foam substrate to thereby produce a multi-layer substrate, the adhesive backing comprising a thermoplastic adhesive, wherein the thermo-plastic film comprises layers having graduated melt temperatures such that a side of the thermo- plastic film facing the ink receptive layer melts at a higher temperature than a side of the thermo-plastic film facing the moldable foam substrate;
• heating the multi-layer substrate to a compression temperature that allows the polymeric foam to remain compressed after molding;
• embossing the multi-layer substrate by placing the printed thermo-plastic film against a mold having a lower temperature than the heated moldable substrate and a surface relief profile until the multi- layer substrate permanently retains the relief profile with profile changes of up to 6 mm and profile details of at least 0.05 mm, the molded multi-layer substrate being capable of elastic elongation in one direction within a range of 2% to 75%;
• removing the embossed multi-layer substrate from the mold;
• and
• trimming the embossed multi-layer substrate to provide said stretchable emblem having an embossed relief pattern on one side.