Are you searching for custom labels or stickers for your business and are unsure which material is right for you?

In this article, we want to help you get the best stickers or labels for your use. We hope that you get a better final product with this knowledge and that we've saved you time and money in the process.

Right from the start, we've mentioned both labels & stickers. What's the difference between them?

Firstly, both stickers & labels are printed pieces of self-adhesive plastic or paper. Stickers are individually cut, whereas labels are usually finished on sheets or rolls. This image explains the difference:



How do I know what to buy; labels or stickers?

Here are the three key reasons to help you make the right choice:

● Go for stickers if you're selling or giving them to your customers, or you only need a small quantity.
● Go for labels on sheets if you're applying up to a few thousand by hand. Sheets are so easy to move & store neatly.
● Go for labels on rolls if you've got a machine applying them. Machines can semi-automatically or fully automatically apply labels on rolls.

Let's no jump into the most important part - choosing the right sticker material.

What material's can I choose from?

There are 2 sorts of material used to make stickers or labels; plastic or paper. Here are the highlights of each:

Plastic

● Good to use outdoors
● Durable, even in extreme uses
● Tear resistant
● Waterproof and can resist most chemicals
● Can be conformable and stick to highly curved surfaces
● 'Bioplastics' are available, made from wood pulp, and are compostable

Paper

● Low cost
● For short or indoor use only
● Simple to recycle
● Textured finishes are achievable
● Most are splashproof only, meaning they can handle condensation

We hope you've got an idea if you need labels on sheets or rolls or individually cut stickers.

If you doubt, here are popular applications of custom stickers & labels to help. We've described which material each uses to help you make decisions.

1. Glass drinks bottles - a biodegradable paper label is perfect. The material is splashproof so it can withstand condensation and the thick, textured paper feels premium.
2. Food packaging branding - if you run a takeaway food restaurant, we recommend getting labels on sheets for fast application. Also, go for paper, so it's recycled with your other packaging.
3. Candle stickers - this is an application where almost any material works because they're used indoors. A premium clear sticker can look incredible - here's a good example:




4. Logo stickers for selling - premium plastic stickers will be most durable, last well, be easy to peel and feel quality in your customer's hands.
5. Name labels - paper materials are perfect as they're easy to write on.

We hope you've got enough knowledge to choose a sticker material that's suitable for your business. If you have any other questions, please leave a comment below.