How clear stickers and labels are made

Have you ever wondered what happens between ordering your clear stickers and labels and the four working days it takes us to ship them?

Then this is the article for you. We’ll share a peek behind the scenes of the clear sticker and label manufacturing process and cover everything from printing to lamination, cutting, and shipping.

So, let’s jump right in.

What are clear stickers and labels made of?

As the name suggests, clear stickers and labels are made from a transparent material. Check out the image below to see each component that makes up your stickers or labels:

1. Your stickers and labels are topped off with a laminate that protects them from sunlight, scratches, and water.
   
2. We print your design using the world’s best digital printer, allowing us to create fantastic colors and incredibly crisp print quality. We print white ink behind some colors for maximum vibrancy.
   
3. You can think of our standard clear vinyl as a durable transparent film. It’s made from a 50-micron thick polypropylene, a recyclable plastic that’s waterproof and weather-resistant.
   
4. The adhesive used with all our clear stickers and labels can be applied to most smooth surfaces and peeled off without leaving any residue.
   
5. Finally, a thick backing paper is added to make your stickers and labels easy to peel and gives them a premium feel.

How do you make clear stickers and labels?

There are four steps involved in manufacturing clear stickers and labels: printing, laminating, cutting, and shipping.

Step 1: Printing

As soon as you approve your digital design proof, your design is sent to print. That means we’ll load the clear material and print your custom design.

Most sticker printers use a digital or laser printer to get vibrant and brilliant colors. But we use the HP Indigo press—the crème de la crème of digitally printed stickers and labels.

Keep in mind, when we print color directly onto the material, it creates a stained-glass effect. If you want to avoid that, we print white ink between your colors and the clear material.

Step 2: Add a glossy layer

Once they’re printed, we add a protective glossy layer over your clear sticker design.

This is called a laminate. You can think of it as a clear film applied to protect your clear stickers from scratches, water, oil, and fading in the sun.

Lamination is optional, but we recommend it if your stickers or products will be exposed to water or used outdoors.

Step 3: Get cutting

Now it’s time to create the custom shape. You can get your clear stickers and labels in any shape you can think of, from our more traditional options like circle or square to die-cut or kiss-cut. You can check out what are the most popular sticker types.

When you order clear stickers, each one will be individually cut. If you order clear labels, they’ll be printed on a sheet.

Step 4: Ship them out

And then we pack them up. Your stickers are first packed in biodegradable bags, then placed into a compostable cardboard box, secured, and sent your way. We offer worldwide shipping and plenty of express options.

Once you receive your stickers, it’s time to get creative. Check out the best ways to use clear stickers and labels.

If you’re not sure where to start, a custom clear sticker sample is a great way to test our materials and see your design in action.