Do Dollar Tree $1 T-Shirt Decals Work??? Demo, Wear Test, & Review!

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Hi creative friends! Dollar Tree has really upgraded the selection of their craft department this year! I was thrilled to run across these iron-on transfer decals! Dollar Tree's iron-on decals are available in a range of cute designs! I know so many of you want to create custom shirts but don't have a Cricut machine yet. I wanted to put them to the test for you so you know if they are worth the money! I applied them with different techniques and did a wear test to see how they will hold up. If you'd like to check out the adorable decals, click below!

Dollar Tree Iron-on decals!

Here's a look at some of Dollar Tree's iron-on vinyl decals! 

What do you think? Cute, right? Which is your favorite one? Mine is the rainbow iron-on decal, although the adventure one is a close second! The Dollar Tree I visited had six different designs in stock, but I have a feeling there are more out there! I also ran across some glass decals that I picked up to test, too!

Dollar Tree decal Demo & wear test!

Are you curious how easy Dollar Tree iron-on decals are to apply? For this test, I applied it to a Dollar Tree t-shirt, Dollar Tree quilting fabric, a Dollar Tree oven mitt, and a Target Dollar Spot canvas tote.  I chose a variety of materials and types of blanks to put the versatility of these heat transfer decals to the test! The packaging instructions state that the decal can be used on cotton and cotton/polyester blends of fabric. I tested the Dollar Tree iron on decals with a Cricut Easy Press and a Cricut Easy Press Mini, but you can also use a household iron. 

The Dollar Tree decals come with a heating time suggestion of 45 seconds to 60 seconds using a household iron on the cotton setting with no steam using firm pressure to apply. The decals also include a sheet of parchment paper to protect them as you're applying heat. 

I followed Cricut's Heat Guide for the approximate heat settings and timing. If you'd like all my tips and tricks for applying iron on decals to shirts and other items, make sure to download my Free Iron-On Vinyl Guide!

Are the Dollar Tree iron on decals a good quality?

Compared to Cricut iron-on vinyl and Cricut pre-made iron-on vinyl decals, the Dollar Tree decals have a thinner quality. They don't feel as thick or sturdy as traditional iron on or heat transfer vinyl decals. The heat transfer decals are vibrant and lovely to look at, with nice quality to the print. After looking at them, I wasn't sure how well they would hold up over time and multiple washes and wears, but the adorable designs make it worth the try!

Dollar Tree iron on decal results!

I applied the Dollar Tree iron on decals using the Cricut Easy Press and the Cricut Easy Press Mini without any significant differences in the application results on the majority of the items. The Dollar Tree t-shirt is 100% cotton, the Dollar Tree fabric is also 100% cotton, while the oven mitt is a cotton/polyester blend. I also added a canvas tote from the Target Dollar Spot with a heavier texture to see if that impacted the heat transfer vinyl (HTV). 

Overall, I was really happy with the results of the decals on the items I tested! The clear winner for quality was the oven mitt. With the rectangular shape, it was easy to apply and had a nice finish across the whole potholder! The decals on the cotton shirt and the quilting fabric both applied well. The biggest difference that I noticed was that the decal didn't apply well to the canvas tote. Even with extra time and consistent pressure, I was unable to get the full decal to adhere well. The edges on the decal were raised, so they wouldn't have lasted through a wash. I would avoid using the Dollar Tree decals on heavier textures. The heat transfer decals perform the best on cotton and cotton/poly fabrics with little to no texture.

If I was going to decide between Cricut decals and vinyl over Dollar Tree's, Cricut's are a clear winner. They last over 50 washes with the StrongBond guarantee, and it's a big difference in quality!

Dollar Tree iron on decal wash test!

There were no care instructions for washing included with the Dollar Tree decals, other than allowing the decal to rest for 48 hours before washing. I followed the typical heat transfer vinyl instructions from Cricut's website, which state to avoid washing items with bleach or fabric softener and to turn t-shirts inside out if possible before washing. After washing, there was more variation between the results of the t-shirt versus the oven mitt. 

Since the oven mitt has a single layer of HTV without any cuts, it gave a very consistent and even result across the whole mitt, even without being able to wash it inside out. The t-shirt showed more wear in some areas where it had more texture after a wash. It was minor, but I did want to note it. Overall, they held up to several washes so far, but I'm not sure the amount of wears that they will last through due to the thin transfer. 

What Dollar Tree item would you like to see tested next? Leave a comment and let me know!