it is not recommended to use laser printers- they get too hot & it can cause damage- that being said- some people have used them successfully-
if doing them at home you can either purchase prepared for printing fabric sheets or make your own- there are different brands/prices/and finished results- some can be laundered- some are made for wallhangings- not meant to be washed
there is also transfer sheets you can purchase where you print the picture on the product-then press it onto your fabric= some of those are permenent- some are not=it's important to read the packaging and get the correct product for your project.
i'm not sure what maribeth was referring to when she commented about the (chemical)
to prepare - use your own fabric you need to prepare it for dyeing---you can use muslin or pretty much any other cotton fabric- i've used a variety-
you pre-wash the fabric- with detergent ---no fabric softener- the idea is to remove any chemicals/ sizing /oils that may be in the fabric- dry it- then press it to freezer paper- cut to the size of printer paper- make sure it is secured/pressed well along the edges so the fabric does not peel away going through the printer.
it is important to use quality/permenent ink in your printer-
then after printing the pictures set them aside to (cure) allowing the inks to saturate the fibers & dry- i generally set them aside for at least 24 hours-
then heat set - use a pressing cloth (piece of muslin works well) and heat set with a hot iron- after it cools- take to the sink & rinse with cold water to remove any excess ink.
there are many (studies/comparisons) telling you which printers work best & which inks- many inks are water soluble & generic inks pretty much always rinse away- in you type (printing on fabric) into your search engine- you will find many tips & you can find the comparison charts on the different printers.
i've had good luck with my H/P inkjet