What vinyl are you printing your stickers onto, and why?

[bob]

Decal sounds fancier but by definition, most of us are sticker makers. Just embrace it, nobody will think less of you.
Definition of decal
: a picture, design, or label made to be transferred (as to glass) from specially prepared paper
Definition of sticker
1 : one that pierces with a point
2a : one that adheres or causes adhesion
b : a slip of paper with adhesive back that can be fastened to a surface

A dictionary is descriptive, not definitive. There are no definitions in a dictionary, only descriptions of word usage that were in vogue at the time the volume was published. If argumentum ad dictionary isn't a formal fallacy it ought to be.

 

[ikarasu]

I find its not the vinyl but the backing paper that's most critical for stickers.


Stickers are usually under a few inches... The cheapest thinnest stuff should be easy for customers to apply even.

However when perf cutting.... The thin paper tends to curl or rip and not leave a clean edge.

I usually use ij35... But it's a bit expensive. I love the way laird brand matte vinyl prints. Its cheap short term crap, but it prints really nice... Only problem is the backing paper is garbage for stickers.

I'll be looking into some of the above suggestions and testing them out! But ij35 is great.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

If youre doing a mix of things besides stickers, I find it easier and better use of time to use a decent intermediate material like 3651. Then you can gang up a bunch of prints and let it run. For laminating, its just 1 roll instead of a pile of different prints, on different material that require different laminates. It may cost a bit more in material but time is worth much more than saving a few pennies on material.
We run print/cut first, then signs after. After you laminate, the stuff to cut is first, cut it and then whats left goes into the shop for trim/mount.

 

[SameDay Signs]

We use avery 2923 ez w a 3 mil optically clear lam that gives us a pretty affordable decal/sticker yet holds well and is air release...I use air release because I buy massive quantities and get deals before anyone says why [$170] lol...for a thicker decal I really like the alpha wensco house brand 6 mil w or without a 3 mil lam though too

 

[decalman]

Correct. We do not make stickers. Stickers come in Cracker Jack boxes and kids activity books.

I agree...

I'm a decal Artesian.
Sticker guys work at swap meets

 

[newparade]

So you are contradicting yourself. You don't want to use PVC but you want to use vinyl? You understand PVC is Vinyl correct? It literally is Polyvinyl chloride.

Anyway there are many ways to skin this cat. Our preference for decals is Arlon 510MT and if it's air release than either Avery 2105EZRS or Arlon 4600MLX.

There are some current health and safety objections to the manufacture and use of chlorine based vinyls. You get some persistent eventual waste products (dioxins) that you don’t get with the non-chlorinated vinyls. So it’s not so much the vinyl part that is the objection, but what’s “stuck” to it.

 

[Goatshaver]

My go to for stickers is Briteline 2203 and their shield overlaminate. Together those are about 6.4mil which I find is a decent thickness.
I go by the end use of the product for my choice of materials.

 

[cstone94]

I use HP Prime Matte Air GP paired with their Matte or Gloss Polymeric Vinyl. I use roughly 70-80, 60" wide rolls per month and have been for over 3 years. I never have customers complain about the quality and the price of the material is spot on to be competitive when compared to most online sites that most of your potential customers may turn to for stickers. Lastly, I have had issues with other manufacturers and brands with inconsistency. With the HP PMA GP, it's the same quality EVERY time. Lexjet is an awesome supplier and they get any business I can throw their way.

Cheers!

 

[Joseph44708]

Going Thicker gives the consumer a perception of value.
Thicker is better in their eyes.

 

[Albert Cyrus]

Consumers think thicker = better. Particularly if they're applying the sticker/decal themselves. If conformability isn't an issue, I go along with them and give them what they want.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Orajet 3258 yet. 6 mil and feels like a million bucks. But it's a dedicated decal/sticker film - it isn't good for anything else. If you want something good for stickers and suitable for other projects, we've had success with Orajet 3165RA. 4 mil with air release.

 

[FireSprint.com]

We have found that consumers like thicker media. It is easier to apply and it feels more expensive. We run a 3.5 mil vinyl and lam which gives us a 6-7mil "Sticker/Decal"

To add to the sticker decal debate:

Internally, we try to stay consistent with our naming, because it helps the team communicate. But externally (when speaking to customers) we use whatever the customer is using. You can use tools like the Google Keyword Planner to determine which descriptions are the most useful to your customers, and therefore the most likely to get you the next sale.