Iron-On Letters

Hotfix rhinestones have heat-activated glue on the back and bond when you press them with an iron. Non-hotfix rhinestones have no adhesive and need a glue you choose yourself.

For home décor the distinction usually decides itself by surface. Textiles — hand towels, pillow covers, table runners, napkins — take hotfix beautifully and survive laundering. Glass, ceramic, metal, painted wood, and acrylic cannot be pressed, so anything on those surfaces needs non-hotfix flatbacks and a gem-grade adhesive.

Yes, and those are the two surfaces they work best on. Both are flat, both are pressable, and both are laundered often enough that a heat-set bond earns its keep over glue.

Terry towels need a firmer press than a smooth weave, because the pile has to compress before the stone reaches the base cloth. Press from the front, use a pressing cloth to protect the surrounding loops, and give it the full dwell time.

For pillow covers, work on the cover alone with the insert removed so the press closes flat.

Use non-hotfix flatbacks with a clear gem adhesive such as E6000. Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol first — glassware carries an invisible film from handling and packing that will halve the bond strength.

Place stones with tweezers or a wax picker rather than fingers, apply adhesive to the stone rather than the surface, and let the piece cure undisturbed for a full 24 hours before handling.

Never take a heat tool to glassware to speed this up. Thermal shock cracks it.

Our rhinestone towels, pillow covers, and table linens are made with heat-set crystals and are machine washable with care. Wash cold on gentle, inside out where the item allows, and skip bleach and fabric softener.

Tumble dry on low or lay flat. High heat is the main enemy: it softens set adhesive and works stones loose at the edges over repeated cycles.

SS10 to SS16 suits detailed work like monograms and script lettering, where the stones need to hold a letterform. SS20 and above reads better on borders, motifs, and anything meant to be seen across a room.

Scale to viewing distance rather than to the item. A table runner is seen from six feet away and can carry larger stones than a hand towel seen from arm's length.