What is vinyl cutting?

Vinyl cutting uses a computer-controlled blade cutter (Cricut, Silhouette, or a commercial plotter) to cut designs from vinyl sheets or rolls. The two main types are heat transfer vinyl (HTV) — applied to fabric with heat — and adhesive vinyl — applied to hard surfaces like cups, windows, signs, and vehicles.

Vinyl is one of the most accessible maker methods: entry-level cutters start around $200, materials are widely available, and the product range is enormous — shirt graphics, decals, stickers, car wraps, signage, personalized gifts.

Equipment you'll need

• Vinyl cutter — Cricut Maker/Explore, Silhouette Cameo, or commercial cutter (USCutter, Graphtec)
• Heat press — for HTV application (a home iron works but a press gives more consistent results)
• Weeding tools — hook, tweezers, weeding pen
• Transfer tape — for applying adhesive vinyl

Key materials and their costs

• HTV vinyl — Siser EasyWeed, Oracal 3951, StarCraft; $0.50–1.50 per linear foot for a 12" roll (varies by type and brand)
• Adhesive vinyl — Oracal 651 (permanent), 631 (removable); $0.30–0.80 per linear foot
• Specialty vinyl — glitter, holographic, foil; $1.00–3.00 per linear foot
• Transfer tape — $0.10–0.20 per linear foot
• Garment or substrate blank — depends on what you're decorating

Setting up vinyl cutting in Sunday Maker

1. Add your equipment

Go to Settings → Equipment. Add your cutter and heat press with method tag "Vinyl Cutting." Hourly rate estimate:

• Cricut Maker ($400) used 300 hours: $1.33/hr
• Heat press ($300) used 300 hours: $1.00/hr

2. Add your materials

Vinyl is best tracked by the square inch or by the sheet in Sunday Maker. Add:

• HTV vinyl — unit: sq_in, calculate cost per sq_in from your roll cost and dimensions. A 12" × 5ft roll at $8.00 = 720 sq_in = $0.011/sq_in.
• Adhesive vinyl — same approach
• Transfer tape — unit: sq_in or linear_ft
• Blank (shirt, tumbler, sign board) — unit: each
• Weeding time — add as labor in the job step, not as a material

3. Build a product

Go to Products → New Product, select category Vinyl Cutting. Choose your blank type. Add a cut step with cutter time. Add an application step with heat press or hand application time and note weeding labor. Add packaging.

Costing vinyl by design size

The biggest variable in vinyl costing is how much material each design uses. A small 3"×3" decal uses 9 sq_in; a full back shirt graphic might use 100+ sq_in. For products you make repeatedly, measure the actual vinyl used (including waste from around the design) and enter that as the consumable quantity. For one-offs, estimate high — it's better to overcount vinyl than to realize your margin is thinner than calculated.

Typical vinyl application settings (reference)

These are starting points only. Always test on your specific materials and equipment. Vinyl brands and formulations vary — check your manufacturer's recommended settings. Sunday Maker is not responsible for material damage from following these ranges.

HTV vs adhesive vinyl: which to stock

Stock both if you can — they serve different markets. HTV is for apparel and fabric items; adhesive vinyl is for hard surfaces, decals, and signage. Customers who want custom shirts need HTV; customers who want window decals or custom drinkware stickers need adhesive. Having both opens up significantly more product possibilities from the same cutter.