Stickers are among the most versatile and cost-effective ways to get the word out. You\u2019ve seen it yourself: well-placed stickers on cars, signs, door jambs, or a dive bar bathroom stall can get more eyes than online PPC ads. As with most print media, stickers offer the added benefit of having a longer shelf life for a low one-time cost. That bumper sticker on the back of your car won\u2019t incur a monthly fee and will be sending the message until you peel it off or the print fades.<\/p>\r\n
Stickers vs Labels: What’s the Difference?\u00a0<\/em>Stickers mostly have graphics and labels offer information like an address, logo, or phone number for example. For the purpose of this article, since the process for printing stickers and labels are quite similar, we’ll use stickers and labels interchangeably. Without further ado, let’s jump right into it – we’ve broken everything down into three easy sections:<\/p>\r\n First, you need to think about the proper medium to print your stickers on. Stickers are commonly printed on either\u00a0paper<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0vinyl<\/strong>.\u00a0Knowing the differences between them will help ensure you get the results you want.<\/p>\r\n Note: Did you know that some label papers are handwrite only?<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n Paper labels.<\/b>\u00a0These are the simplest and cheapest form of stickers. Paper labels are also great for vinyl record sleeves, personalizing name tags, creating instant photo stickers, and dozens of other creative ideas. Not sure what sticker paper to buy? You can choose between pre-cut labels (ie. Avery labels) and whole sheets of sticker paper (like our LD Photo Sticker Paper<\/a>). Both are easy to use when printing stickers from home. Avery has pre-cut stickers\u00a0if you need:<\/p>\r\n These pre-cut labels are great for jars and bottles and give personality to homemade goods.\u00a0 If you do not want a white border around your stickers, clear glossy sticker paper is your best option.\u00a0 Clear sticker paper is great for printing transparent stickers and looks great on windows, clear bottles and product labels.<\/p>\r\n If you prefer cutting the stickers yourself, opt for whole sheets of sticker paper.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n With whole sheets of sticker paper, it pays to start thinking about how you’re going to cut your stickers.\u00a0If all you need is a straightforward rectangular or square sticker, a normal cutter should work. However, if you’re thinking about something with more detail, consider a\u00a0Cricut Machine<\/a>. Remember to leave enough room in between stickers when designing your sticker template.<\/p>\r\n If you need water-resistant\u00a0sticker labels:<\/span><\/em> In\u00a0most\u00a0instances, printable paper labels are\u00a0not water- or weatherproof<\/strong>, and therefore won\u2019t hold up well to the elements. If you need water-resistant stickers, look for matte label paper AND be sure to use a printer that uses pigment ink (and no it’s not a good idea to use pigment ink on a dye ink printer). Pigment ink is widely known for it’s archival properties. Pigment-based ink sticks to paper better than dye-based ink which makes it more water-resistant and fade-resistant.\u00a0 \u00a0 You can read more about the differences between dye and pigment in our Paper and Ink article<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n Once you’ve printed out your stickers, the best way to protect your stickers from water or direct sunlight is by laminating them.\u00a0 There are a couple ways to do this, you can either buying clear laminating sheets, which is a clear plastic film that lays on top of the sticker, or use a thermal laminating machine, which is more convenient if you are printing in bulk.\u00a0 If you are on a budget, go the sheet route – we recommend buying a clear laminating sheet that is slightly bigger than the sheet of paper you printed your stickers on because it’s easier to work with.\u00a0 So if you printed out your stickers on a piece of 8.5″ x 11″ paper, look for a laminating sheet that is 9″x 12″.\u00a0 To use the laminating sheet, just peel it off, place the sticky side face up and lay your stickers on top.\u00a0 Then use a squeegee, ruler or credit card to apply pressure to the back of the sticker sheet (adhesive side) to remove any air bubbles.\u00a0 Then just cut out your stickers, peel off the sticky backing and you are all set, now your stickers are super durable and water-resistant!<\/p>\r\n Can you print stickers with a laser printer?<\/em><\/span> Certainly! Just be sure to get the right type of sticker paper for the job. Using an inkjet label paper on laser can melt and ooze the adhesive onto your laser printer and cause irreversible damages.<\/p>\r\n Make sure you use inkjet sticker paper for inkjet printers and laser sticker paper for laser printers. These are not interchangeable. Inkjet sticker paper melts when you use it on a laser printer. If you want to use your laser printer to print stickers, make sure you get the appropriate laser-friendly\u00a0 sticker paper.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n Vinyl stickers.<\/b> Inkjet printable vinyl paper offers an affordable solution for creating vinyl stickers from home and is the most durable of the sticker paper options out there. Vinyl stickers are great for everything from production labels, bumper stickers, laptop stickers, water bottle stickers, promotional stickers and more. Home printed vinyl stickers can be waterproofed using laminate and clear coat spray paint like Krylon or Mod Podge, making them stand up to the outdoors better than unfinished paper labels. However, they may fade quicker than many professionally printed vinyl stickers due to the longevity of the ink. Most vinyl adhesive papers will give you information on their intended use as part of the product description. There are also several great tutorials online to make your own vinyl stickers from home or office, but the steps are pretty similar to printing on regular sticker paper.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nHow can I print my own stickers?<\/h2>\r\n
1. FIRST, PAPER.<\/h3>\r\n
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