Digitally printed and produced heat transfer and method of manufacture

A process to create printed heat activated transfers for application to soft goods, comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a substrate having a release layer pre-coated on one side;
• applying a primer to the coated side of the substrate;
• digitally printing a graphic onto said primer within a defined region of the substrate using a first printer configured to print electrophotographic toner and pursuant to a digital image file, the graphic comprising both printed and unprinted areas;
• digitally printing a tacky viscoelastic binder having a storage modulus of less than 0.3 MPa and a shear modulus of less than 0.1 MPa within a temperature range of 60° F. to 130° F. onto and in registration with the printed areas of said graphic using a second DOD printer that is drop-on-demand (DOD) and pursuant to a copy of said digital image file, wherein the binder has a thickness of 0.2 to 0.75 microns;
• forming an adhesive layer by applying powdered adhesive, whereupon some of the powdered adhesive adheres directly to the printed tacky viscoelastic binder and in registration therewith;
• removing powdered adhesive applied to the unprinted areas that does not contain binder;
• and
• thermally curing the adhering adhesive.