Slim-Size Foam Can Coolers

Instructions for customizing TahoeBay can cooler sleeves with Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), sublimation, and infusible ink. See demonstration videos below.

Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) Instructions

1. Pre-heat your press at the temperature below.
2. Lint roll the can sleeve to remove any lint.
3. Place a cut piece of butcher paper or Teflon inside the sleeve to prevent the sleeve from sticking to itself.
4. Place butcher paper on the top and bottom of the can sleeve as a barrier between the sleeve and the press.
5. Pre-heat the can sleeve with the press for 10 seconds using the temperature settings below.
6. Place your vinyl graphic in the center of the can sleeve and place it back in the press with the butcher paper as before. Follow the temperature and pressure settings below.

*Although vinyl varies slightly by brand, our customers tell us that these settings typically work best:

Using Cricut EasyPress:
30-40 seconds at 310 degrees
Light pressure

Using a commercial press:
15-20 seconds 300 degrees
Light pressure (Ensure the press gap setting is adjusted to allow for the thickness of the sleeve without too much compression.)

Using an iron:
15-20 seconds on Cotton
Light pressure

Sublimation / Infusible Ink Instructions

Note 1: Although many successfully sublimate on our foam can coolers, many prefer our neoprene due to its increased durability under higher temps and pressure. 

Note 2: Sublimation transfers will not show up well on dark backgrounds. We recommend HTV for our dark can coolers.

Follow steps 1-6 above, with these additions:

• Use thermal tape to tape down the sublimation paper to the can sleeve.
• Ensure your artwork extends beyond the width and height of the sleeve to ensure proper coverage around the edges.
• Allow the can sleeve to cool prior to pressing the second side.

Using a commercial press:
40-60 seconds at 350 degrees
Light pressure (Ensure the press gap setting is adjusted to allow for the thickness of the sleeve without too much compression.)

Demo Videos Using TahoeBay Can Coolers

Visit our Customer Demos Playlist on YouTube

The answer depends on a few factors. Here is a table showing their differences to help you decide what's best for your next project.

The differences:

What they have in common:

Scuba knit polyester stretch fabric is laminated to the outside of both the foam and neoprene can coolers. This means that both types of coolers will accept Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), sublimation, infusible ink and screen printing. However, when applying higher temperatures, such as those with sublimation, many prefer neoprene due to its greater durability.

TahoeBay polyfoam:

Polyfoam comes in a few different grades. One reason creators prefer TahoeBay Foam Can Coolers is that we use a higher grade polyfoam. This makes a difference in softness, keeping its shape during shipping, and holding up under a heat press.

Colors are sometimes difficult to judge on screens. Here are all our colors together to help you decide which is right for your next project.

*Please note that not all colors are available in all pack sizes.