Custom stickers and labels are a relatively inexpensive way for businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, and government agencies to communicate crucial information about their products or services. They can also raise awareness, add a personal touch to nondescript packaging, or create an enduring–and fun–impression. In this post, we explore the benefits of using custom stickers and labels, your printing options, and ways to keep costs low.
What is the difference between stickers and labels?
What’s in a name? That which we call a label by any other name would stick as well.
We beg the forgiveness of Shakespeare and iambic pentameter fans everywhere. Stickers and labels are printed in the same way; both include a printed front material and adhesive backing. The difference in terminology comes from their use rather than their production. When we think of stickers, we picture engaging graphics that can be affixed everywhere from skateboards to educational materials. Labels display information about a product, record, or correspondence, and they’re designed to fit on a specific package size.
What are the benefits of printing custom stickers or labels?
Stickers and labels serve a wide range of objectives, including:
- Raising brand recognition
- Increasing awareness of a product, service, charity, or cause
- Promoting and marketing a product, service, or event
- Communicating shared values or causes
- Reminding of a deadline or other event
- Offering rewards for a job well done
- Organizing our records
- Drawing attention to elements of our correspondence
- Creating an enduring impression
- Adding fun (We’re conditioned since childhood to love stickers)
Here are a few ways our clients are using stickers and labels.
- Product displays
- Product labels
- Welcome packages for members, students, employees, etc.
- Awareness campaigns for a cause or charity
- Mailings
- Window displays
- Bumper stickers
- Event reminders
- Educational certificates
- “I donated” stickers
- “I voted” stickers
What are the options for customizing stickers or labels?
We pride ourselves on having printing capabilities to match your creativity. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the options we offer. Contact us to discuss what options best fit your needs.
Paper or Vinyl
Materials can make a big difference in durability. When a local market needed stickers for labeling a beverage dispenser, they needed something highly durable and waterproof. We selected premium vinyl as the base and then coated with a protective laminate to make them resistant to moisture, fading, scratching, and tearing. If you don’t need the durability of vinyl, you can use cost-effective and attractive paper. We’re happy to help you match the right material for your project.
A custom product label for Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company’s holiday blend is gold foil stamped
Foil
Foil stamping adds shine and a touch of elegance. Blanchard’s Coffee added gold foil to their holiday blend’s label, giving it a festive twinkle and hinting at the rich aromas and flavors inside the package.
Gold embossed kiss cut seals add gravitas to certificates and book covers.
Adhesive
Do you want to move your sticker or keep your label firmly in place during shipping? We can fit whatever you need. Static cling stickers are excellent choices for doors, window displays, or giveaways because they can be removed and repositioned without leaving a sticky residue or reducing the adhesion. Permanent adhesive is best for product labels and displays. We recommend freezer adhesive if you’re producing frozen food packaging.
Laminate
Select a coating to add shine or durability. A water-based aqueous coating can add protection. A glossy UV coating will add a high sheen, increase durability, and add richness to colors. Silk lamination makes projects stronger while its smooth texture and subtle light reflection add an impression of luxury. Skipping lamination will allow you to write on your sticker or label.
Die cut or kiss cut
When a sticker is die cut a metal die slices through both the sticker and the backing. A kiss cut slices the sticker but not the backing. Kiss cuts are used to produce sticker sheets, like our BambooInk stickers at the top of this post.
We have over 600 dies currently available, and we can create a custom die to achieve exactly the sticker shape you want.
How much does it cost to make a custom sticker or label?
Paper, coatings, design elements, adhesives, print volume, and the number of proofs affect printing costs. This level of customization makes it difficult to provide a general estimate, but we’re happy to provide a free quote for your next project.
There are many ways to keep costs low. Choose from our existing dies to save the expense of creating a custom die. Increasing the number of stickers you order will decrease the cost per sticker so consider using a design for months or across campaigns. Looking for more ways to save? Get in touch for specifics on how to keep costs low.
Ready to print custom stickers or product labels?
Give us a call, send us an email, or fill out this form to start your project, learn more, or see samples. If you already know what you need, you can request an estimate.