How to choose the perfect custom sticker

Are you unsure which custom sticker is right for you? Confused?

Experience tells us that too many people buy the wrong sticker and pay more than necessary.

We’ve spent weeks creating the most comprehensive resource available online to help you get the perfect custom sticker.

This guide will give you enough information to make the right decision but doesn’t get bogged down in technical jargon or too much science.

We’ve split this guide into 4 sections:

• Choosing the right material
  
• Should your sticker be laminated; Yes or No?
  
• Getting the adhesive right
  
• Choosing the perfect cut
  

Once you’ve read this guide, you’ll be in the best position to buy the perfect custom stickers for your application.

Get ready to make the right decisions, saving you time and money! Let’s get stuck in.

1. Choosing the right material

This is the most important part because it determines the durability and look of your stickers or labels. And, of course, we all want to find the perfect fit, especially if your stickers and labels are used outdoors, around water, or to represent your brand.

But don’t worry! It’s easy to make the right decision with the information we’re about to give you.

When we talk about the sticker material, we mean the layer your design is printed onto.

There are 2 main categories of material to choose from: paper and plastic.

Plastic

• Durable and hard-wearin
  
• Tear-resistant
  
• Waterproof
  
• Suitable for outdoor use
  
• Options to choose flexible plastics
  
• Recyclable options available
  
• Available in many color options
  
• Flexible, so can go on curved surfaces
  

Paper

• Short-term or indoor use only
  
• Most aren’t waterproof. If they are, it’s not as resistant as plastic.
  
• Low cost
  
• Easily recyclable
  
• Great textured finishes available
  
• Available in nearly as many color options as plastics
  

A common mistake

Many people don’t realize that paper and plastic material are available in various colors and can come with different effects such as glitter, silver, gold, holographic, and fluorescent.

While both materials are very versatile, you will find it much easier to find plastic-based effect stickers.

So don’t settle. Instead, speak to your supplier if you want a color other than white or clear.

See what types of custom stickers are available.

Laminated - Yes or No?

Understanding if you need a laminate on your custom sticker or not will save you valuable money.

What types of laminate are available?

The 2 main options are either matte or gloss. This is mainly down to preference.

You can get ‘liquid laminates’ that are clear coatings to help with a bit of resistance, but they don’t get close to the strength of a layer of plastic.

Yes - I need laminate

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you need a laminate on your sticker.

• Will you use your sticker outdoors? This can be on a car window or a bike frame, for example. To keep your outdoor stickers looking brilliant, we recommend a lamination to protect them from water, scratches and UV light.
• Will your sticker be exposed to much scratching, rubbing or handling? This is the case when your sticker is applied to the back of a laptop or phone.‍
• Do you want your brand to radiate quality? The laminate forms an extra layer that makes your sticker thicker and feel more premium and high-quality.
  

No - I don't need laminate

If you answer yes to these questions, you don’t need laminate.

• Are you looking for the lowest cost option? The extra layer of laminate adds cost and complexity to the manufacturing process.
  
• Are your stickers for single-use? For example, takeaway food packaging or event name stickers. No laminate is needed as they are used for such a short time.
  

Top tip

We recommend always opting for a glossy laminate if you are after a clear or transparent sticker. It will give optimal clarity and let your sticker shine.

Getting the adhesive right

Getting the adhesive right is essential. It makes sure your custom stickers actually stick and won’t peel within mere hours.

Our stickers come with a medium-strength pressure-sensitive solvent-based adhesive.

For a quick overview, read on. But if you want to dive deep into this topic, check out our guide on sticker and label adhesives.

There are 3 ‘strengths’ of adhesive used for sticker and label applications. These are:

Removable

Stickers with a removable grade adhesive are used when you want to remove the sticker after a very short time and to leave no residue.

Permanent

Most stickers use this material – well over 90%. This is because they’re perfect for sticking to nearly all surfaces:

• Glass
  
• Metal
  
• Paint
  
• Galvanized steel
  
• Powder coatings
  
• Paper
  
• Cardboard
  
• Leather
  
• Plastic bottles
  
• Fiberglass
  

High tack

This is an industrial-strength adhesive for those hard-to-stick-to applications. Go for these if you’ve used stickers in the past that don’t stick or you’re sticking to one of these materials:

• Rubber
  
• Low energy plastic – polypropylene and polyethylene. Things made from these plastics include water buckets, trash bins, and motocross bike fairings.
  
• Wood
  
• Stone
  

Top tip

If you’re selling your stickers to customers, giving them away as handouts, or just unsure what to choose, pick the permanent adhesive option. It’s the best all-rounder and won’t damage most surfaces.

4. Choosing the perfect cut

Do you get stickers cut individually or have them on sheets or rolls?

Getting this right could save you valuable hours. Choose from: individually cut, sticker sheets or stickers on rolls.

To help explain how important this is, we did a test applying 1000 stickers that were 3cm circles. It took 2 hours and 17 minutes when individually cut, versus 48 minutes when on a sheet. That’s a saving of 1 hour and 29 minutes or 65%.

Individually cut

Having your stickers cut individually is perfect if you’re handing out free stickers, want to sell them individually, or just want to apply a few to your packaging.

You can choose between different custom shape options: kiss-cut and die-cut.

What’s the difference?

Kiss-cut stickers are only cut through the top self-adhesive layer, whereas die-cut stickers are cut through the sticker and the backing paper. You can read more in our article What is the difference between kiss cut and die cut stickers?

Sticker sheets

If you’re applying hundreds or even thousands of stickers to products or packaging, we recommend getting your stickers on sheets.

All stickers on a sheet are kiss-cut through the sticker layer but remain on the backing paper, making them super quick and easy to remove.

We recommend A4 and A5 sheets because they are easy to handle and distribute.

Top tip #1:

Custom sticker sheets are great for giveaways in magazines or product packaging (like Apple stickers). They help get your brand seen.

Top tip #2:

If you’ve got many designs, add a title, product code, or barcode to the sheet to help you identify each one.

Stickers on rolls

Rolls are particularly useful if your stickers are applied automatically or semi-automatically using a dispenser or machine.

Like sheets, stickers on rolls are kiss-cut through the sticker layer but stay on the backing paper. This makes them fast to peel and apply.

We recommend rolls if you’ve got a machine to apply them. It’s the fastest way to apply thousands of stickers.

Claim your sample pack

To summarize, there are 4 key decisions to make when choosing the best custom sticker:

• Choosing the right material
  
• Do you want your sticker laminated?
  
• Choosing the right adhesive
  
• Picking the right cut: individual, sheet, or roll
  

If you’re still unsure, we recommend the best all-rounder – a vinyl sticker with a permanent adhesive. It will stick to most surfaces, and the white material with a gloss laminate will make your stickers look fantastic.

Still not sure? The best thing to do is get stickers in your hands so you can test them on your application. Get a material sample pack

If you have any questions about sticker printing or need help finding your perfect custom sticker, please contact us.